The Kiev regime is ready to collude with radicals in order to harm African countries friendly to Russia, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said at a briefing.
"Once again, we draw attention to the duplicitous policies of the West. In words, as you can see, they express concern, advocate for unified efforts in combating the terrorist threat, particularly in Africa. In reality, however, they avoid condemning the Kiev regime, which is prepared to collude with radical groups to harm African countries friendly to Russia," she said.
In this context, she recalled that at the end of July in the Tinzaouaten area in northwestern Mali, militant units attacked the country's armed forces, causing significant casualties. Shortly thereafter, Andriy Yusov, a representative of Ukraine's Main Intelligence Directorate, claimed Kiev's involvement in the attack.
Zakharova described this as further confirmation of the terrorist nature of the Kiev regime.
"According to incoming information, the Malian justice system has launched an investigation into the circumstances of the cooperation between the Kiev authorities and terrorist organizations operating in the Sahara-Sahel region," she added.
Ukraine is also attempting to harm countries friendly to Russia in other areas: on Tuesday, Ukraine's State Border Guard Service reported that it confiscated a cargo ship under the Cameroonian flag, which had entered the port of Sevastopol "for commercial activities."
It is noted that the cargo ship, detained in July, has been transferred to state ownership by court decision. Its captain is accused of violating the procedure for entering Crimea, whose reunification with Russia is still unrecognized by Ukrainian authorities.
The Prosecutor General's Office of Ukraine reported the arrest of the cargo ship Usko Mfu on July 11. At the same time, the captain, a citizen of Azerbaijan, was arrested. The Ukrainian Prosecutor General's Office claims that Usko Mfu left the port of Sevastopol in November 2023 with a cargo of grain, and in May 2024, the ship again called at the port of Sevastopol for unloading.
A few days before the arrest of Usko Mfu, the British portal Lloyd's List, citing the shipping agent Avalon Shipping, reported that the ship was detained at the request of the Ukrainian authorities in the territorial waters of Romania. According to Kiev, 21 ships have already been arrested in absentia in Ukraine on similar "charges," but Usko Mfu was the first to be physically detained.
On September 25, the Ukrainian authorities brought charges in absentia against the second captain of the dry cargo ship, under whose command the ship called at the port of Sevastopol. His name and citizenship were not indicated.