Russian Fighters to Leave Burkina Faso for Ukraine

Russia is withdrawing 100 paramilitary officers from Burkina Faso to bolster its forces in the ongoing war in Ukraine. These officers are part of the Bear Brigade, a Russian private military company that deployed approximately 300 soldiers to the West African nation in May to support the country’s military junta. The Bear Brigade announced on its Telegram channel that these forces would return home to aid in defending Russia against Ukraine’s recent offensive in the Kursk region. This sudden withdrawal has raised concerns that Islamist insurgents in Burkina Faso could become more emboldened. The country recently witnessed one of the deadliest attacks in years, with up to 300 people killed by Islamist militants. Burkina Faso has been plagued by jihadist attacks since 2015, displacing over two million people in what aid groups have described as the world’s “most neglected” crisis. The junta, led by interim President Capt Ibrahim Traoré, who seized power in a coup in September 2022, had pledged to end these attacks. However, the security situation remains dire, even after the junta sought new partnerships with Russia.

With nearly half of Burkina Faso outside government control, jihadist groups are increasingly targeting civilians and military units. In the northern town of Barsalogho, up to 300 people were reportedly killed on Saturday in an attack claimed by the al-Qaeda-linked group Jamaat Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM). The victims, including civilians and military personnel, were digging trenches to protect the town from jihadist assaults. The Burkinabè government has not confirmed the death toll, but Communication Minister Rimtalba Jean Emmanuel Ouedraogo condemned the attack as “barbaric.” The Bear Brigade, responsible for guarding senior Burkinabè officials, including Capt Traoré, is set to withdraw a third of its forces just three months after arriving. This decision is linked to the recent Ukrainian offensive in Russia’s Kursk region. The brigade’s commander, Viktor Yermolaev, told France's Le Monde newspaper that when Russian territory is threatened, all Russian soldiers unite against a common enemy. The group posted on its Telegram channel that the unit would return to its base in Russian-occupied Crimea due to "recent events." It remains unclear how the Burkina Faso junta plans to compensate for the loss of military support following the Bear Brigade’s partial withdrawal.

Burkina Faso, along with its neighbors Mali and Niger, is engaged in a fierce battle against Islamist groups operating in the semi-arid Sahel region, south of the Sahara Desert. The military has seized power in all three countries and formed the Alliance of Sahel States. They have distanced themselves from their former colonial power, France, and have instead allied with Russia, acquiring weapons and deploying fighters from the Wagner Group, now known as the Africa Corps. Despite these efforts, armed groups have intensified their attacks, particularly in Burkina Faso, despite the massive recruitment of paramilitary Volunteers for the Defence of the Homeland, a self-defense militia.