Lavrov Accuses France of Backing Armed Groups in Africa

By Al Mayadeen English

18 Aug 2026 21:20

Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov accuses France of arming and financing armed groups in Africa as Moscow expands security cooperation with African states.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov accused France of supporting and arming armed groups in Africa, saying Paris is seeking to preserve its former influence in countries that have severed ties with the former colonial power.

Lavrov made the remarks during a joint press conference in Moscow on Monday with Ghanaian Foreign Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, following talks that addressed bilateral relations, security cooperation, and developments in the Sahel.

He also defended the presence of Russia’s African Corps on the continent, saying the force operates legally and at the request of the governments of the countries where it is deployed.

According to Lavrov, the African Corps carries out missions including confronting armed attacks, rejecting criticism of Russia’s military presence in Africa.

Sahel security situation deteriorating

Speaking about the deteriorating security situation in the Sahel, Lavrov accused France of working directly with armed groups, stating that Paris provides them with weapons, financing, and guidance in an attempt to preserve its influence in African countries that have moved away from the former colonial power.

The Russian minister also accused external actors of using Ukrainian military personnel in operations carried out by armed groups in the Sahel.

He said the situation goes beyond what he described as "individual terrorist attacks" and amounts to organized targeting of countries in the region.

Russia seeks stronger security ties with Ghana

Lavrov said Russia is prepared to strengthen security cooperation with Ghana, adding that Moscow is also working toward signing a cooperation memorandum with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) covering areas including security.

The talks come as several Sahel countries have sought to reshape their security partnerships following the withdrawal of French forces and growing opposition to France’s military and political role in the region.

Russia has expanded its security presence in parts of the Sahel, including Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, following the reduction of French military deployments.

Moscow has presented its cooperation with African governments as an alternative to the security arrangements that previously centered on France and other Western powers.

Sahel security at center of Moscow talks

The Ghanaian foreign minister said the Sahel has become a major center of armed threats and stressed the importance of international cooperation in confronting the deteriorating security situation.

The discussions in Moscow reflect the changing geopolitical landscape in West Africa, where governments have increasingly sought greater control over their security partnerships and reduced reliance on former colonial powers.

The shift has also opened space for Russia to expand political and security relations with African states, particularly as French influence has declined in parts of the region.

Lavrov has repeatedly criticized Western military and political involvement in Africa, arguing that Moscow’s partnerships with African governments are based on requests from sovereign states rather than external intervention.

Separately, Ghana’s foreign minister raised the issue of Ghanaian nationals who had joined Russian forces in the Ukraine war.

He said 62 Ghanaians had been killed, while 15 others remain missing.