Russia said Tuesday it freed a Russian and Ukrainian national in a special operation in Mali after their abduction in neighbouring Niger last year.
The defence ministry said both men worked for a Russian geological exploration company and had been held since July 2024.
Officials said the rescue was conducted by the Africa Corps, a Kremlin-controlled paramilitary force operating across several African states.
The Africa Corps emerged from the remnants of the Wagner mercenary network and now serves as Moscow’s expanding security arm abroad.
Authorities said the two men were seized in Niger by Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin, an al Qaeda-linked militant group active in the Sahel.
The ministry said the captives were later moved and held in Mali until the operation secured their release.
No details were provided on how the mission unfolded, leaving the operation’s shadowed mechanics largely undisclosed.
Russia has steadily increased its footprint in Africa, blending military support, resource interests, and political alliances across volatile regions.
The Sahel, scarred by insurgency and fragile governance, remains a theatre where global powers quietly compete for influence.
