Russian military trainers have landed in Niger to provide instruction to the national army, signaling Moscow’s deepening involvement in the volatile Sahel region of West Africa.
The arrival of these specialists in Niger’s capital, Niamey, on Wednesday was marked by the unloading of equipment from a cargo plane.
“We are here to train the Nigerien army and foster military collaboration between Russia and Niger,” stated one instructor to Niger state TV RTN.
Additionally, the instructors are reportedly introducing an air defense system, as per the broadcaster’s information.
Their presence follows a recent agreement between Niger’s ruling junta and Russia to enhance security cooperation.
Since the junta’s seizure of power in a coup last year, the West African nation has shifted its focus toward Moscow, severing longstanding military and diplomatic ties with France. Like Mali and Burkina Faso, its neighboring countries, Niger is seeking Russian assistance in combating a jihadist insurgency.