Russian Defence Minister Andrei Belousov recently met with Burkina Faso’s Prime Minister, Apollinaire J. Kyelem de Tambela, in Moscow to explore the expansion of military cooperation between the two nations, as reported by the Russian Defence Ministry on Tuesday.
This meeting is part of Russia’s broader strategy to strengthen its military, diplomatic, and economic ties in Africa, particularly in the context of heightened tensions with the West following the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Analysts note that President Putin’s re-election in March has bolstered the military alignment of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger with Russia.
Since a military coup in 2022, Burkina Faso has increasingly relied on Russian support, including hosting contingents from the Wagner mercenary group, which has been implicated in various operations across the continent. Following the death of Wagner’s founder, Yevgeny Prigozhin, in a plane crash in 2024, Russia has continued to affirm its commitment to Burkina Faso’s defense needs.
In June, Russia announced plans to send additional military supplies and instructors to Burkina Faso to enhance its defense capabilities and combat terrorism. Despite limited investments in Africa, UN data indicates that Russia remains the second-largest supplier of weapons to sub-Saharan Africa, though its arms exports have declined in recent years, according to 2023 data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.
At the 2023 Russia-Africa Summit held in St. Petersburg, President Putin highlighted that Russia had signed military-technical agreements with 40 African nations, which could pave the way for increased arms sales in the region. The Russian Defence Ministry cited Belousov, emphasizing that “Russia-Burkina relations are based on the principles of mutual respect, consideration of each other’s interests, and have acquired positive dynamics in recent years.”
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