Niger breaks diplomatic relations with Ukraine

(Patria) - Niger has said it is breaking diplomatic relations with Ukraine "immediately", accusing Kyiv of supporting "terrorist groups", two days after Mali took a similar step, AFP reported.

The decisions come after heavy losses suffered by the Malian army at the end of July by extremists and separatist forces, for which they partially blamed Ukraine.

Niger said it would ask the UN Security Council to discuss Ukrainian "aggression", government spokesman Amadou Abdramane said in a televised statement.

Niger and Mali are run by military governments that took power in recent coups, tore up defense agreements with France, and turned to Russia for military assistance.

Several soldiers from the Russian paramilitary group Wagner were reportedly killed along with Malian soldiers during the July debacle in the north of the country.

"The Government of the Republic of Niger, in full solidarity with the government and people of Mali, decides to completely sovereignly break diplomatic relations between the Republic of Niger and Ukraine with immediate effect," Abdramane said.

Malian government spokesman Colonel Abdoulaye Maiga said on Sunday that Mali had severed relations following remarks by Andriy Yusov, a spokesman for the Ukrainian Military Intelligence Agency GUR. State media quoted Yusov as saying:

"The rebels received all the necessary information they needed," without further explanation.

"The Government of the Republic of Niger learned with great surprise and deep indignation about the subversive and unacceptable remarks of Mr. Andriy Yusov," Abdramane said in his statement.

The Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Monday that Ukraine "unconditionally adheres to the norms of international law" and "firmly rejects the accusations of the transitional government of Mali", adding that it regrets Bamako's "hasty" decision.

Three days of intense fighting broke out near the Algerian border on July 25 in a military camp in Tinzaouatene. Tuareg-led separatists said on Thursday that they had killed 84 Wagner fighters and 47 Malian soldiers. The Malian army admitted to suffering a "large number" of dead during the fighting but did not release figures.