Sofia Davydenko11:29, 28.04.26

It became known that while Russian troops are leaving their bases in pickup trucks, the local population is accusing them of treason.

The Russian military unit “Africa Corps”, which is under the supervision of the Russian Ministry of Defense , announced the urgent withdrawal of its forces from the key desert city of Kidal. The settlement, which for years was a symbol of Moscow’s presence in the region, has again come under the control of Tuareg rebels. This is reported by  Bloomberg .

The city was reportedly captured in a large-scale coordinated attack on military targets across the country. The Russian mercenaries who replaced the Wagner Group called their escape a “joint decision” with the Malian junta. However, experts see this as a high-profile fiasco for Moscow.

“This will be a blow to Russia. The fact that the Russians are negotiating a withdrawal from Kidal, leaving their Malian colleagues behind, does not create a good impression of them as security partners,” said Nina Wilen, director of the Africa program at the Royal Egmont Institute of International Affairs.

According to experts, the flight of Russians shatters the myth that Moscow can provide stability where Western powers have failed.

“Mali is aware that Russia is not the solution to their security problems. And Niger and Burkina Faso are likely to draw the same conclusion from the weekend’s events,” said Ulf Lessing, director of the Sahel Program at the Konrad Adenauer Foundation.

According to available data, as Russian troops leave the bases in pickup trucks, the local population accuses them of betrayal. Political analyst Oumar Berthe emphasizes that although the army and the Wagner Group captured Kidal in 2023, today “the security situation in Mali is even more critical than ever.”

The Russian Ministry of Defense and representatives of the Malian army have not yet provided official comments on the defeat of their positions.

(c)UNIAN 2026