At least 11 killed in Russian attacks on Ukraine as Kyiv strikes Russia's 'shadow fleet'

Ukraine is actively engaging in military operations across various global theaters, including Africa, in its efforts to counter Russia's influence. A group of 15 Ukrainian drone specialists has been deployed to northern Mali, a Sahel region, to support local rebel forces in their fight against Russian troops. This deployment is part of Kyiv's strategy to weaken Russia's military presence wherever it operates.

The Ukrainian Defense Intelligence revealed that Ukrainian specialists are also stationed in Sudan, and troops from Chad, Niger, and Burkina Faso have previously received drone training from Ukrainian soldiers in Mali. In the Middle East, Ukraine dispatched military experts to at least five countries to teach local forces how to counter Iranian-made Shahed drones, which Russia uses to harass Ukraine.

In the Sahel, the Ukrainian drone operators are embedded with the Azawad Liberation Front, a separatist group primarily composed of northern Tuareg rebels. The Ukrainian operators coordinate the rebels' operations remotely, using radio communications. Despite the harsh desert conditions, with temperatures often exceeding 110 degrees Fahrenheit, these Ukrainian specialists are determined to assist in the fight against Russian aggression.

In exchange for sharing their expertise, Kyiv has secured security cooperation agreements and promised ammunition.