A Russian sanctioned vessel delivered military equipment to Mali for the fight against rebels backed by Moscow

A Russian sanctioned vessel delivered military equipment to Mali for the fight against rebels that the country’s government is waging with Moscow’s support

The cargo ship Mikhail Britnev (it was placed under U.S. sanctions in 2024) delivered military equipment to the port of Lome in Togo in early July, and it was then transported to Mali’s capital, Bamako.

BBC journalists established that the vessel left the Russian port of Baltiysk on June 18 and reached the port of Lome on July 9. Along the way, it switched off the transponders that made it possible to track its location.

On July 25, Mali’s state television showed a large column of armored vehicles arriving in Bamako.

Satellite images show that the Mikhail Britnev was carrying trucks, armored personnel carriers, and light infantry vehicles of the same type as those seen in that convoy.

Mali’s military government, which came to power in the 2021 coup, is waging an armed struggle against Tuareg rebel groups that have for many years sought to create their own state in the north of the country. Since 2022, Moscow has supported Mali’s military government, receiving cash payments and preferential access to mines and gold deposits in return.

@meduzalive