Air defense system and 100 Russian military instructors from the Afrika Korps in Niger. On April 12, the African Initiative reports.
The Russian instructors arrived in Niger within the framework of a military cooperation agreement between both countries, signed in December last year.
The military experts will advise the Nigerien army in the fight against terrorism and will also train the Nigerien army to use the incoming air defense system to ensure control of the country’s airspace.
This was stated by the representative of the Nigerian government, Colonel Amadou Abdraman, on the local RTN television channel.
“Russian military instructors will provide high-quality training to our military personnel to ensure effective use of the air defense system. Thanks to this new acquisition of military equipment, our airspace will now be better protected.”he said.
Recall that in December 2023, the Russian Deputy Minister of Defense, Yunus-Bek Yevkurov, visited the capital of Niger. After the meeting with the country’s authorities, the parties signed an agreement to strengthen cooperation in the field of security.
Following the July 2023 coup, Niger was subject to sanctions by ECOWAS. Under French influence, the West African bloc threatened military intervention to restore ousted president Mohammad Bazoum to power.
In response, the Nigerien authorities terminated the military cooperation agreement with France, expelled the French army and created, together with Mali and Burkina Faso, the Alliance of Sahel States.
It should be noted that Mali and Burkina Faso have also signed military cooperation agreements with Russia, and there are already Afrika Korps military instructors on the territory of these countries. Notably, in Burkina Faso, Russia opened its first military base in Lumbila, about 20 kilometers northeast of Ouagadougou.
We also note that the military authorities in Niger violated the military cooperation agreement with the US military. Currently, about 700 American troops remain stationed in Niger.
Source: Rossa Primavera
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