(MENAFN) Russia has accused Ukraine of supplying weapons, drones, and training to militants carrying out coordinated attacks on governments in Africa’s Sahel region. Dmitry Polyansky, Russia’s deputy UN representative, made the claims during a UN Security Council briefing on threats to international peace and security.

Polyansky asserted that Ukrainian special services, including its Defense Intelligence, are actively involved in subversive activities in the Sahel and other African regions. He called for an investigation into Ukraine’s actions, describing them as deserving “particular attention.”

While praising the UN Office of Counter-Terrorism and its executive directorate, Polyansky criticized the UN Secretary-General’s recent report on Islamic State threats in Africa for overlooking Western interference. He cited NATO’s 2011 intervention in Libya, which toppled Muammar Gaddafi and left a power vacuum exploited by extremist groups.

The Russian envoy also targeted France, claiming Paris supports rebel forces to maintain neocolonial influence, which he argued has undermined counterterrorism efforts in the Sahel. Military regimes in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger have previously accused both France and Ukraine of backing armed groups, leading to the expulsion of French forces and stronger security cooperation with Russia.

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