If the Tuareg end their rebellion, cut off their foreign patrons, and ally with the state against al-Qaeda-aligned JNIM, then elements of the Algiers Accord could be restored, which provided them with the widest autonomy that could realistically be granted under the regional circumstances.
French media are rejoicing over the withdrawal of the Russians from certain positions they were holding. Members of the junta even say: 'The Russians have betrayed us.'
It's a military rout for Russia.
Once more, the backing of Russia is not firm. There will be bad diplomatic outcomes in this region, at least
I genuinely don't blame Russia at all despite regularly being constructively critical of it whenever I feel that this is warranted. The Malian Armed Forces (FAMA) are following in the Syrian Arab Army's (SAA) footsteps and seem to have taken Russian military aid for granted by assuming that it means that Russia will always take the frontline role in their security while they only do the absolute bare minimum needed to defend their country (if that!).
It was a mistake of the highest order for Mali to assume that Russia would assume more responsibility for their security than its own armed forces should. FAMA had over four years worth of Russian training, seemingly with little benefit to themselves, and that greatly facilitated this indisputable disaster. The authorities also arrogantly sought to impose Southern Black rule over the Northern Tuaregs instead of exploring a political compromise.
This whole catastrophe was therefore avoidable to a large degree, accepting that the West was always going to plot a large-scale hybrid campaign against Mali but also equally accepting that Mali failed to adequately prepare itself despite over four years of Russian training by SMO veterans.
It's a damn shame and should lead to a fundamental rethinking of the assumptions that the Kremlin took for granted regarding its 'Democratic Security" programs in Africa. It's as I've been privately saying for some time: just because a country condemns the West doesn't mean that they're wiling to fight it. Rather, they want Russia to fight it for them.
They also want grants and other free assistance from Russia in the name of "solidarity", which was responsible for provoking very deep-seated resentment among many ethnic Russians during the Old Cold War when resources were taken away from them by the state and given to the "Third World" for free for decades at the expense of the locals.
It's the same policy, just somewhat different conditions and remixed rhetoric, but the essence hasn't changed. Unlike back then when some of these "Third World" countries might have truly been sincere about Russian-assisted self-improvement, I doubt that most of Russia's "new friends" post-2022 are, Mali included to a certain degree as now seen.
That's not to say that Russia should withdraw from the Global South, but just that it should have had better feedback loops (the eternal problem in this country responsible for SO MANY SETBACKS!!!) in place for ensuring that military training was actually helping Mali take responsibility for its security and that FAMA wasn't replicating the SAA.
I agree that the optics are uncomfortable, but a large amount of the blame once again falls with the "Potemkinists" and their "soft power supervisors" here who allowed them to rant for years about how Russia is supposedly single-handedly defending the Sahelian Alliance and that there's now nothing to fear since all Western plots have allegedly been foiled forever.
If there was a more balanced, realistic assessment of the situation, then I don't believe that the global public at large would have fallen under these false assumptions that are now being actively discredited before the world's eyes and thus ipso facto discrediting their (false) image of Russia too.
I understand the need for boosting morale and all that, but time and again, Russia's efforts to do so almost always boomerang back and discredit it since the "Potemkinists" have no limits nor tether to reality.
During the recent crisis, I've seen so much BS on social media about how the crisis was nipped in the bud, everything is okay, all the insurgents are destroyed, France is recoiling in shame yet again, yada yada yada.
It's frankly disgusting and too low-IQ for me to even respond to. I'm amazed sometimes at how stupid the "Potemkinists" think that everyone is and, by extent, their "soft power supervisors" too who don't intervene.
I distinctly remember summer 2024's invasion of Kursk and some guy who plays a moderate role in Russia's "global media ecosystem" downplayed it, prematurely celebrated victory, etc., it was humiliating.
He later flip-flopped without accounting for his prior article and I never respected him after that. I won't name him since we have some common friends, but it was so disappointing. I thought better of him before that.
French media are rejoicing over the withdrawal of the Russians from certain positions they were holding. Members of the junta even say: 'The Russians have betrayed us.'
It's a military rout for Russia.
Once more, the backing of Russia is not firm. There will be bad diplomatic outcomes in this region, at least
I genuinely don't blame Russia at all despite regularly being constructively critical of it whenever I feel that this is warranted. The Malian Armed Forces (FAMA) are following in the Syrian Arab Army's (SAA) footsteps and seem to have taken Russian military aid for granted by assuming that it means that Russia will always take the frontline role in their security while they only do the absolute bare minimum needed to defend their country (if that!).
It was a mistake of the highest order for Mali to assume that Russia would assume more responsibility for their security than its own armed forces should. FAMA had over four years worth of Russian training, seemingly with little benefit to themselves, and that greatly facilitated this indisputable disaster. The authorities also arrogantly sought to impose Southern Black rule over the Northern Tuaregs instead of exploring a political compromise.
This whole catastrophe was therefore avoidable to a large degree, accepting that the West was always going to plot a large-scale hybrid campaign against Mali but also equally accepting that Mali failed to adequately prepare itself despite over four years of Russian training by SMO veterans.
It's a damn shame and should lead to a fundamental rethinking of the assumptions that the Kremlin took for granted regarding its 'Democratic Security" programs in Africa. It's as I've been privately saying for some time: just because a country condemns the West doesn't mean that they're wiling to fight it. Rather, they want Russia to fight it for them.
They also want grants and other free assistance from Russia in the name of "solidarity", which was responsible for provoking very deep-seated resentment among many ethnic Russians during the Old Cold War when resources were taken away from them by the state and given to the "Third World" for free for decades at the expense of the locals.
It's the same policy, just somewhat different conditions and remixed rhetoric, but the essence hasn't changed. Unlike back then when some of these "Third World" countries might have truly been sincere about Russian-assisted self-improvement, I doubt that most of Russia's "new friends" post-2022 are, Mali included to a certain degree as now seen.
That's not to say that Russia should withdraw from the Global South, but just that it should have had better feedback loops (the eternal problem in this country responsible for SO MANY SETBACKS!!!) in place for ensuring that military training was actually helping Mali take responsibility for its security and that FAMA wasn't replicating the SAA.
Still, it looks like Russia is piling up shaky ‘alliances
I agree that the optics are uncomfortable, but a large amount of the blame once again falls with the "Potemkinists" and their "soft power supervisors" here who allowed them to rant for years about how Russia is supposedly single-handedly defending the Sahelian Alliance and that there's now nothing to fear since all Western plots have allegedly been foiled forever.
If there was a more balanced, realistic assessment of the situation, then I don't believe that the global public at large would have fallen under these false assumptions that are now being actively discredited before the world's eyes and thus ipso facto discrediting their (false) image of Russia too.
I understand the need for boosting morale and all that, but time and again, Russia's efforts to do so almost always boomerang back and discredit it since the "Potemkinists" have no limits nor tether to reality.
During the recent crisis, I've seen so much BS on social media about how the crisis was nipped in the bud, everything is okay, all the insurgents are destroyed, France is recoiling in shame yet again, yada yada yada.
It's frankly disgusting and too low-IQ for me to even respond to. I'm amazed sometimes at how stupid the "Potemkinists" think that everyone is and, by extent, their "soft power supervisors" too who don't intervene.
I distinctly remember summer 2024's invasion of Kursk and some guy who plays a moderate role in Russia's "global media ecosystem" downplayed it, prematurely celebrated victory, etc., it was humiliating.
He later flip-flopped without accounting for his prior article and I never respected him after that. I won't name him since we have some common friends, but it was so disappointing. I thought better of him before that.
I agree with these three critical pieces from Tsargrad (use Google Translate):
https://tsargrad.tv/dzen/lovushka-dlja-rossii-rasstavlena-ostalos-zahlopnut-chvk-vagner-za-jeto-bilis_1435535
https://tsargrad.tv/articles/tajna-vizita-sejshelskogo-prezidenta-v-moskvu-raskryta-kljuch-v-ulybke-lavrova_1661378
https://tsargrad.tv/articles/po-afrikanskomu-korpusu-udarili-iz-rossii-naprasnye-zhertvy-russkih-za-beznadjozhnoe-delo_1668942
Note that the Chinese cannot be blamed for Russian dithering here.
You d... cat 😂
What else would you expect me to be, a cocker spaniel?
A nice cat spaniel
The Americans and french will be satisfied with nothing less than destruction.
There is not much to destroy there'
So, if you are wondering how thousands of terrorists were all dressed up like Malian soldiers in last Saturday’s attacks, there you have your answer.
https://x.com/marcus_herve/status/2049116779583074750?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2049116779583074750%7Ctwgr%5E87be195adfd659ae4c53fc0fd18af76648c2b72e%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nakedcapitalism.com%2F2026%2F04%2Flink-4-29-2026.html
Duh.