Massive Russian Military Convoy Spotted in Mali: A Boost for Wagner’s Successor?

Photos and videos emerged on social media on Jan. 18, showing a massive convoy of Russian military equipment, including tanks, armored vehicles, and artillery systems, moving near Mali’s capital, Bamako, according to Russian media reports.

The “Military Informant” Russian Telegram channel identified various advanced military assets in the convoy, captured in nearly an hour of footage, including T-72B3M tanks, Infantry Fighting Vehicles (BMP)-3, Armored Personnel Carriers (BTR)-82A, Linza, and Tiger armored vehicles.

Also visible was the Spartak armored vehicle fitted with an S-60 gun, first showcased at the Russian “Army-2023” forum, alongside the latest KamAZ-4385 armored trucks which only began deployment in the war against Ukraine last year.

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The Spartak armored vehicle fitted with an S-60 gun

The latest KamAZ-4385 armored truck

Reports suggest that part of this equipment was transferred from Syria, where Russia has scaled back its military presence. The rest, marked for oversized rail transport, was shipped directly from Russia.

Malian officials have stated that the equipment is destined for their national armed forces. However, Russian military experts and bloggers speculate the main recipient is the “African Corps,” a unit established by Russia’s Ministry of Defense as a successor to the Wagner PMC.

The Russian “Center for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies” reported that the convoy included seven T-72B3 tanks, five BMP-3s, and over 50 additional armored vehicles.

The “African Corps,” established in late 2023, coordinates Russia’s military presence in Africa, focusing on the Sahel region, including Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger. Ukrainian military publication Defense Express has described this group as the “reincarnation of Wagner PMC units,” now operating under direct Russian Ministry of Defense control.

Defense Express also reported that the convoy’s hardware is comparable in scale to the entire Malian armed forces, “potentially even surpassing them.” The media outlet contrasted this with Russian losses in Ukraine, where an equivalent number of vehicles can be destroyed within days of combat.

According to The Military Balance 2024, Mali’s 19,000-strong ground forces previously had only two PT-76 amphibious tanks, five BRDM-2 armored reconnaissance vehicles, 63 armored personnel carriers, and 274 wheeled armored vehicles. The Malian artillery included more than 30 D-30 howitzers and BM-21 Grad rocket launchers.

It remains unclear how many Russian troops are currently stationed in Mali or the full scale of weapons and equipment under the “African Corps.”

As AFP previously highlighted, Russia, facing growing isolation in the West following its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, has been forging new partnerships across Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. Moscow positions itself as a counterbalance to what it labels Western domination on the global stage.

In December 2024, Russian President Vladimir Putin reiterated his commitment to Africa, saying: “Our country will continue to provide total support to our African friends in different sectors.”

His message, delivered by Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov to African foreign ministers and senior officials, said that Russia’s ties with Africa have been strengthening “more and more” in recent years.

Russia played a significant role in Africa during Soviet times and has been expanding its influence on the continent in recent years, particularly in the military and economic spheres.

Three West African countries – Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso – have shifted their allegiance from their former colonial ruler, France, to Russia, after experiencing military coups since 2020.

Russian mercenaries, including those from the Wagner Group or its successor, Africa Corps, now support several African governments, while Russian “advisers” collaborate with local officials.

In 2023 alone, Russia exported more than $5 billion in arms to Africa, according to state company Rosoboronexport. Additionally, major Russian corporations have significant investments on the continent. For instance, diamond mining giant Alrosa operates in Angola and Zimbabwe, while energy titan Lukoil maintains a presence in Nigeria, Ghana, Cameroon, and Congo.

Russia’s rhetoric against Western “neocolonialism” resonates with certain African leaders. At the December Russia-Africa conference in 2024, Mali’s Foreign Minister Abdoulaye Diop said, “Russia is not a colonial power” and “has never been a colonial power.”

He added: “On the contrary, it has stood shoulder to shoulder with African peoples and other peoples around the world to help them emerge from the colonial system.”

Mali has grown closer to Moscow following military coups, with Russian military instructors aiding its decade-long battle against Islamist insurgents.

Since taking power in a 2020 coup, Mali’s military leadership has prioritized reclaiming the entire country from separatists and jihadist groups affiliated with Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State. Under Colonel Assimi Goita, the junta ended its longstanding alliance with former colonial ruler France and shifted its focus toward Russia.

However, some analysts question Russia’s true intentions. While Russia was indeed a colonial power during the 18th and 19th centuries – expanding its territory across Europe, Siberia, the Caucasus, and Central Asia – it never colonized African lands.

Skepticism about the depth of Russia’s interest in Africa persists. Bakary Sambe, director of the Timbuktu Institute in Dakar, told AFP: “Would Russia take the same interest in Africa if the conflict in Ukraine came to an end?”

In August 2024, Kyiv criticized Mali’s decision to sever diplomatic ties with Ukraine over alleged Ukrainian support for separatist rebels in the Russia-allied nation.

Mali accused Ukraine of providing intelligence to rebels, which was reportedly used to kill dozens of Wagner mercenaries and Malian soldiers during intense July fighting, as per Kyiv Post.

Mali announced the break with “immediate effect,” citing a cryptic comment by Ukrainian military intelligence spokesperson, Andriy Yusov, who said rebels had received “all the necessary information,” without elaborating.

Ukraine’s foreign ministry called Mali’s decision “short-sighted and hasty,” criticizing Russia’s military presence in Africa. It said the move was “regrettable” and said Mali had gone ahead “without conducting a thorough examination of the facts and circumstances... and without providing any evidence of Ukraine’s involvement.”

Tuareg-led separatists claimed to have killed 84 Wagner fighters and 47 Malian soldiers in the July battles. Ukraine condemned Wagner as Kremlin-controlled and accused the group of using terrorist methods and committing war crimes in both Ukraine and Africa.