Why russian defense minister met with representatives of Burkina Faso
russian defense minister andrey belousov held talks in moscow with Burkina Faso’s Prime Minister Apollinaire Kyélem, highlighting the “positive dynamics” in relations between the two countries.
▫️ Each member of the newly formed the Alliance of Sahel States—Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger – has employed the wagner group, a russian private military company, to protect local elites.
Amid growing armed conflicts in the Sahel region, local leaders are seeking russian support to protect their regimes, as russia is the second-largest arms supplier to Africa. In turn, russia is looking to expand its influence in the region and counter the effects of international sanctions.
