Russian military trainers are stationed in Niger. Russia is expanding its influence on the African continent.
Moscow's increasing ambitions to position itself as an ally of African countries and stoke anti-Western sentiment make the continent a flashpoint in the global strategic competition between Russia and the West. Russia's interest in the continent's vast resources will impact key supply chains, including some technologies at the heart of the world's push for a clean clean energy future, analysts say. The first 100 Russian military personnel landed in Burkina Faso in January, with 200 more to follow. The three states have joined forces in the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) and are pursuing an ever closer common foreign and security policy. The shift reflects longstanding frustration over the failure of Western interventions and simmering resentment among many African countries over their lack of representation in international institutions. It also stems from the growing desire not to choose the side of the great powers - a way of thinking that many people in Africa see as a relic from the Cold War era.