Russian military instructors arrived in Niger on Wednesday in a plane loaded with military equipment, Niger state television RTN said on Thursday, citing an agreement between the junta and Russian President Vladimir Putin to boost cooperation.
Russia had agreed to install an anti-aircraft system in Niger © Mena Today
Russian military instructors arrived in Niger on Wednesday in a plane loaded with military equipment, Niger state television RTN said on Thursday, citing an agreement between the junta and Russian President Vladimir Putin to boost cooperation.
It aired footage of a military cargo plane unloading gear as people in fatigues stood by.
"We are here to train the Nigerien army ... (and) to develop military cooperation between Russia and Niger," said a man in camouflage uniform, who RTN said was one of the instructors.
RTN also said Russia had agreed to install an anti-aircraft system in Niger.
The West African country's relations with Moscow have been in the spotlight since the junta seized power in a coup last year and broke off long-standing military and diplomatic ties with France. That fuelled speculation it would deepen security ties with Russia like neighbouring Mali and Burkina Faso.
Reporting by Boureima Balima
Kaja Kallas, who resigned as Estonia's prime minister on Monday to become the European Union's next foreign policy chief, is known for her tough stance on Russia, which may raise doubts as to whether she can represent views from across the bloc.
In a country already on edge, the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump has enraged his supporters, paused the Democratic campaign and raised fears of further political violence in the run-up to November's election.
U.S. President Joe Biden must decide quickly whether to stay in the 2024 White House race, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a longtime Biden ally, said on Wednesday while declining to say definitively that she wanted him to run.
To make this website run properly and to improve your experience, we use cookies. For more detailed information, please check our Cookie Policy.
Necessary cookies enable core functionality. The website cannot function properly without these cookies, and can only be disabled by changing your browser preferences.