By Enyichukwu Enemanna
Burkina Faso junta leader, Ibrahim Traoré has welcomed a delegation from Russia where he discussed ways to strengthen bilateral relations and possible military cooperation, Traoré’s office had announced in a statement.
The statement says 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.
The recent meeting in Burkina Faso addressed “areas of cooperation that mainly concern the military sphere, including the training of Burkinabe cadet officers and officers at all levels, including pilots in Russia,” the presidency says.
Ties between Burkina Faso and Russia have deepened since the September 2022 Traoré-led coup against Lieutenant Colonel Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba, who in turn orchestrated a military uprising against President Roch Marc Christian Kaboré in January of the same year.
Russian influence in the country, as well as across the Sahel, has been the focus of international analysts and media attention.
Burkina Faso had recently expelled French troops from the country in February, paving way for Russian expansion through the Wagner mercenary group, which is present in several nations on the continent and in the region.
Wagner has emerged in the Sahel as a reliable counter-terrorism partner, although it has also been accused of committing crimes against civilians.
