Avoiding Western sanctions, Moscow sends tanks, armored vehicles, artillery and other expensive equipment to West Africa by freight ships – the Associated Press agency said, which followed deliveries based on satellite photos and radio signals. Ships under the Russian flag flowed from the Baltic Sea for almost a month.
According to European military people who carefully watched movements, the ships transported howitzers, radar fighting equipment and other military equipment for the African corps.
At the end of May, ships moored in Konakry, Guinea and were unloaded there. Other ships from Russia delivered to the same port in January tanks, armored vehicles and equipmentwhich was then transported by land to the neighboring Mali.
Patria and Baltic Leader ships covered by Western sanctions participated in the May supply of equipment.
According to the military assessments, which the AP agency talked, armament, in particular artillery and equipment for electronic fighting, is not intended for the Malian armed forces, but for the Russian African corps. He also receives aviation support: in recent months the satellites have registered at least one Su-24 bomb fighter at the air base in Bamako.
After the rebellion and death of the leader of the Wagner Group Jewgenija Prigożyna, his mercenaries were taken over by the Ministry of Defense, which formed the African corps.
According to US data, he is in Mali approx. 2 thousand Russian mercenaries: It is not clear how many of them still work within the Wagner Group, and how many are part of the African corps.
