Mali military ruler 'holds phone talks with Putin'

Col. Assimi Gota, the acting president of Mali, claimed that he spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the phone on Wednesday.

We discussed the Russian Federation's support for Mali's political transition, and I complimented the caliber of our relationship, which respects Mali's sovereignty and the ambitions of its people, in a post on Twitter by Mr. Gota.

During a ceremony on Tuesday at the international airport in Bamako, Mr. Gota presided over the official unveiling of five new combat aircraft supplied by Russia to Mali's air force.

The most recent shipment of military equipment from Moscow to Mali since the Sahel nation experienced a coup in August 2020 includes jets from the Soviet period.

Mali has pivoted towards Russia after falling out with the West, particularly France, which is opposed to the presence of Wagner mercenaries in the Sahel country.