Russia has accused France of fueling terrorism and instability in Africa, tracing the origins of the crisis to the 2011 overthrow of Libya’s leader, Muammar Gaddafi.
Moscow said the collapse of the Libyan state had far-reaching consequences for the region, triggering the spread of Islamist ideology across the Sahel, the emergence of terrorist groups, and a surge in violence and arms trafficking.
Speaking at a media briefing, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova described the Libyan intervention as a “tragedy” that rebounded across neighboring countries. She said France failed to consider the long-term impact of its actions on regional security.
Zakharova also criticized what she called a French media campaign aimed at discrediting Russia’s role in combating terrorism in the Sahara-Sahel region, urging Paris to instead examine the root causes of the ongoing security crisis.
According to her, the alleged campaign amounts to a “deliberate information operation” designed to downplay Russia’s contribution to peace and stability in African countries battling terrorism.
She further accused France of failing to improve security during its eight-year counterinsurgency campaign in the Sahel, noting that many locals viewed French troops as a “colonial occupation force.” Zakharova said Operation Barkhane, which ran from 2014 to 2022, ended in “total failure” and resulted in a sharp reduction of France’s military presence in Africa.
The Russian diplomat also cited reports alleging that French intelligence services had supported terrorist groups in an effort to destabilize the governments of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger—countries that have distanced themselves from France. “There is no smoke without fire,” she said.
Zakharova accused Paris of clinging to outdated political and economic practices rooted in 19th-century neo-colonialism, adding that France was spreading misinformation to shift blame for the region’s security challenges after several African nations severed ties.
On Mali, she said the country’s recent fuel shortages had eased this month with assistance from Russia’s Defence Ministry Africa Corps, which she said is also supporting Malian forces in joint operations against banditry.
Moscow described its cooperation with the Alliance of Sahel States as mutually beneficial and pledged to further strengthen regional security through bilateral partnerships and United Nations mechanisms.
