Sanctioned Russian ship delivers armored vehicles to Mali
Russia transported military vehicles to Mali using the sanctioned cargo ship Mikhail Britnev, the BBC reported on Aug. 2.
On July 25, 2023, Mali's state television broadcast verified video of a large convoy of armored vehicles arriving in the capital, Bamako. The convoy had departed from the port of Lomé in Togo, according to reporters. Ship-tracking data revealed that the sanctioned Russian cargo vessel Mikhail Britnev docked in Lomé on July 9. Satellite imagery confirmed the ship carried trucks, armored personnel carriers, and light infantry vehicles similar to those later seen in Bamako.
Tracking data indicated the Mikhail Britnev left the Russian port of Baltiysk on June 18, navigating the North Sea and English Channel. The BBC Verify determined a Russian Ropucha-class naval vessel escorted the ship through the Channel. Britain's Defense Ministry was not available for comment. In 2023, Russia bolstered its presence in Africa, signing military cooperation agreements with over 40 countries at a Russia-Africa summit.
Malian government forces, along with Russian mercenaries, captured the northeastern city of Kidal. However, by April 2026, Russia's Defense Ministry-run Africa Corps withdrew from Kidal following the death of Russian mercenaries and equipment abandonment by retreating Russian forces. Analysts noted this withdrawal damaged Russia's reputation as it sought to position itself as a key security sponsor in the Sahel region.
The Africa Corps, composed of former Wagner Group fighters, operates directly under Russia's Defense Ministry.
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