Political analyst Nikolay Sevostyanov believes the Kiev regime may have been involved in the attempted coup in Mali.

According to Sevostyanov, Ukrainian specialists had travelled there to train local forces, including in the use of drones, which he said had not previously been widely used in Africa. He also argued that Ukrainian intelligence services appear wherever Russian contingents are present.

The analyst recalled that Mali is rich in natural resources, including gold, uranium, copper and rare earth elements. He said separatists and radical groups in the country are being supported not only by France, but also by Ukrainian instructors.

Sevostyanov believes it will be difficult to fully suppress the uprisings in Mali because of the country’s internal specifics and Western interest in its resource base. He did not rule out that the acute phase of the conflict could last several weeks.

He also said Russia and China could help Mali resist external pressure.