Burkina Faso has hosted Russia’s deputy defence minister. Yunus-Bek Yevkurov
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Burkina Faso has hosted Russia’s deputy defence minister. Yunus-Bek Yevkurov came to Ouagadougou as part of his Africa tour and held talks with President Ibrahim Traoré. The sides agreed to step up cooperation on multiple fronts – including in the military sphere. Moscow has signalled its willingness to help train Burkinabe military personnel, including pilots – which may undergo training inside Russia itself. Russia’s defence ministry has moved quickly since the death of Wagner leader Yevgeny Prigozhin, apparently keen to take over the role of providing security for states fighting terrorism in the Sahel.
With the aim of further strengthening bilateral relations, a Russian delegation recently travelled to Burkina Faso to meet with the nation’s military leader, Ibrahim Traoré. During the meeting, the two sides discussed possible military cooperation, the Burkina Faso presidency announced in a statement.
According to Ouagadougou, the meeting with the Russian delegation, led by Russian Deputy Defence Minister Yunus-Bek Yevkurov, was a follow-up to talks between Traoré and Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the Russia-Africa summit in St. Petersburg last July.
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