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Russia's withdrawal from Mali could be the failure of the Afrika Korps
The retreat of Russian mercenaries from the northern Malian city of Kidal was a serious failure of the Afrika Korps project, a structure of the Russian Ministry of Defense created after the collapse of the Wagner PMC. This was reported by experts interviewed by Radio Liberty.
Russian forces withdrew from Kidal over the weekend amid an offensive by anti-government and jihadist groups. Simultaneously, attacks occurred in the capital Bamako and other cities. The Malian authorities called what was happening a coup attempt.
“Within the Afrika Korps, Russia pretended to do a lot, but in the end it failed,” Ulf Lessing, an analyst at the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, told Radio Liberty.
Justyna Gudzowska, executive director of the research organization The Sentry, called the incident a major defeat.
“This is the most serious failure on the battlefield that the Russian project has suffered in Africa. This is a serious reputational and political blow,” Gudzowska said.
"Afrika Korps" was created after the collapse of the PMC "Wagner"
The Afrika Korps was created after the dissolution of the Wagner PMC, associated with Yevgeny Prigozhin. After his death in 2023, operations in Africa came under the control of the Russian Ministry of Defense. The new project was supposed to consolidate Moscow's influence in the region, ensure the security of the allied regimes and develop economic ties.
Russian mercenaries have been operating in Mali since 2021, when the military junta invited them amid the rise of Islamist groups. French troops and the UN mission had by then withdrawn. In 2023, the forces of the Wagner PMC helped the government establish control over Kidal - this moment was considered the peak of the Russian presence.
At the same time, already in 2024, the rebels inflicted serious losses on the Malian army and Russian mercenaries. Despite the transfer of equipment and increased presence in 2025, the situation continued to deteriorate.
According to observers, the current retreat of the Afrika Korps was accompanied by the hasty abandonment of equipment, including drone control systems. The death of the crew of the downed helicopter was also reported.
Russia claims troop withdrawal agreed with Mali authorities
In a statement, Afrika Korps said the withdrawal of troops was agreed with the Malian authorities and the wounded were evacuated. It is also alleged that the attacking force numbered up to 12 thousand people, including “Ukrainian and European mercenaries,” but there is no independent confirmation of this.
The Russian Ministry of Defense said that the operation made it possible to “prevent a coup” and maintain power in the country, and called the enemy’s losses “irreparable.” At the same time, Moscow emphasizes that a complete withdrawal from Mali is not planned.
However, according to analysts, the incident undermines the key idea of the Russian presence in the region. “This is a strategic defeat because Russia positioned the Afrika Korps as a security provider and a reliable partner. But they abandoned [former President Bashar] Assad in Syria, and now they are doing almost nothing to save this regime in Mali,” Lessing said.
Jihadists linked to al-Qaeda report blockade of Bamako
The group Jamaat Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin, associated with the terrorist movement Al-Qaeda, announced ongoing fighting in the capital of Mali, Bamako, and announced a blockade of the city. This was reported by the group’s representative Abu Huzeifa al-Bambari, calling on civilians not to interfere or help the “enemy.” According to him, the situation will persist “until further notice,” writes The Insider.
The statement came a few hours after the Russian Ministry of Defense announced that the Afrika Korps had prevented a coup in Mali.
It is known that on April 25, jihadists, together with the Tuareg Azawad Liberation Front, carried out a series of coordinated attacks on military and administrative facilities in several cities of the country. In Bamako, the residence of the head of the country, General Assimi Goita, and the home of the Minister of Defense, General Sadio Camara, were reportedly attacked. According to sources, Kamara died along with his second wife and two grandchildren.
The Russian Ministry of Defense said that units of the Afrika Korps used tanks, infantry fighting vehicles, armored personnel carriers, artillery, mortars and multiple launch rocket systems during the battles to prevent the coup attempt.
Russia's withdrawal from Mali could be the failure of the Afrika Korps