The Setbacks Suffered by the “african corps” Forced moscow to Increase Its Military Supplies to Mali

Following the deterioration of the situation for the Armed Forces of Mali and the russian “african corps” in the central and northern regions of the country, russia increased its military supplies to Mali’s junta. The need for reinforcements arose after a series of attacks by the “Azawad Liberation Front” (FLA) and “Jamaat Nusrat al Islam wal Muslimin” (JNIM), which in July 2026 struck positions of Malian and russian forces near Anéfis, Gao, Aguelhoc, and Sévaré.

On July 18, the FLA and JNIM attacked a convoy of the Armed Forces of Mali and the “african corps” moving from Anéfis to Gao. The convoy suffered significant losses in personnel and equipment. The coordination of actions between Tuareg units and Al-Qaeda-linked militants increased pressure on the authorities in Bamako and demonstrated that the russian contingent cannot stabilize the situation.

As early as July 25, a convoy of 60–70 units of military and transport equipment arrived in Bamako, having been shipped from russia by sea via the port of Lomé in Togo. The shipment included armored personnel carriers, infantry fighting vehicles, armored vehicles, and transport vehicles. After unloading, the equipment was transported through Togo and Burkina–Faso to Mali.

The shipment was carried out by the dry cargo ship “mikhail britnev” (IMO 9081370, flying the flag of the rf), owned by the russian company “eko shipping”. The vessel has been under US sanctions since May 2024.

According to Western experts, the use of the port of Lomé indicates that russia is expanding its supply routes to its forces in the Sahel. Previously, the main delivery point was the port of Conakry in Guinea. Large shipments of russian armored vehicles had already been delivered to Mali via that port in 2025–2026.

The new route became possible following the intensification of military cooperation between russia and Togo. The agreement, signed in 2025, provides for joint exercises, military training, and information sharing. Switching to the route via Lomé reflects moscow’s desire to reduce its dependence on the port of Conakry and make the supply system for its forces in the Sahel more stable.