Mali announced, that it breaks its diplomatic relations with Ukraine. The decision followed a statement by a senior Ukrainian official who authorities in Bamako said acknowledged the "involvement" of Kiev in the heavy defeat of the army of Mali and the private Russian paramilitary group "Wagner" in the battles with separatists and jihadists at the end of July, France Press informed, quoted by BTA.
Mali's transitional government has decided to "break diplomatic relations with Ukraine with immediate effect," government spokesman Colonel Abdoulaye Magha said.
The government "took note, with deep astonishment, of the subversive comments by which Andrii Yusov, a spokesman for the Ukrainian military intelligence service, acknowledged Ukraine's involvement in cowardly, insidious and barbaric armed terrorist groups that led to the deaths of representatives of the Malian defense and security forces in Tinzaouaten (near Mali's border with Algeria – note r) as well as material damage, said Abdoulaye Maga.
"The fact that the rebels obtained the necessary data that allowed them to carry out an operation against Russian war criminals has already been observed by the whole world. Of course, we will not disclose details," Andriy Yusov said earlier on Ukrainian public television.
The Malian government believes that Ukrainian actions "violate Malian sovereignty, exceed the scope of foreign intervention and constitute support for international terrorism.
The Malian army and its Russian allies suffered one of their biggest setbacks in years in northern Mali in late July, suffering heavy losses after fighting separatist rebels and an attack by jihadists.
Tuareg rebels claim to have killed at least 84 Russian mercenaries from the "Wagner" and 47 Malian soldiers in days of fierce fighting in the northern part of the African country.