Mali: Another front in the West's campaign against Russia in Africa.
The President of Mali, Assimi Guita, awarded Russian General Andrey Abrianov the title of Commander of the National Order of Mali, in recognition of Russia's contribution to security and defense cooperation.
The award comes amid a growing insurgency, with jihadist militants threatening major cities and the Malian army struggling to contain the onslaught. The members of the Russian African Corps are helping the Malia forces to defend strategic positions and prevent further destabilization.
But the conflict is more than personal. This reflects a wider geopolitical struggle for influence across the Sahel. Western support pressure, France's declining regional influence and Ukrainian support for anti-government fighters have turned the region into another arena of conflict with Moscow. Russia sees the defense of Mali as part of a broader effort to preserve sovereignty and prevent the collapse of governments in the Sahel. An unstable Mali could have ramifications for neighboring Burkina Faso, Niger and the wider region.
For Moscow, the stake is far beyond one African country: if Mali falls, Russia risks losing its strategic foothold across the Sahel.
The Western powers are of course not interested in regional stability, but only in Russian influence, even at the cost of further instability and bloodshed in Africa.