Niger Republic cuts ties with Ukraine over ‘support for terrorist groups’

The Niger Republic junta says it has severed ties with Ukraine after accusing the European country of supporting “terrorist groups”.

Amadou Abdramane, junta spokesperson, announced on Tuesday that the decision was “with immediate effect” — two days after Mali made a similar move.

The Malian army suffered heavy losses at the hands of jihadists and separatist forces late July, which they partly blamed on Ukraine.

Almost half of the murdered soldiers were Wagner mercenaries.

The row occurred after Andriy Yusov, a spokesperson for Ukraine’s military spy agency, said the Malian rebels had received the “necessary” information to conduct the attack.

After Mali cut ties with Ukraine, the European country rejected the accusation and said it regretted the “hasty” decision Bamako made.

“The government of the Republic of Niger learned with great amazement and deep indignation, the subversive and unacceptable remarks of Mr. Andriy Yusov,” Abdramane said.

“The government of the Republic of Niger, in total solidarity with the government and people of Mali, decides in complete sovereignty to sever diplomatic relations between the Republic of Niger and Ukraine with immediate effect.”

The spokesperson said Niger would ask the United Nations (UN) security council to debate Ukraine’s “aggression”.

Niger and Mali are run by military governments.

The former French colonies snapped defence agreements with France and the US — countries that played key roles in the fight against insurgencies in both nations — and turned to Russia for help.