The Russian Federation's African Corps announced the "release" of a Ukrainian man after months of captivity in the Sahel
The Russian Ministry of Defense reported on an alleged operation by its “African Corps” in Mali, during which a Ukrainian citizen and a Russian citizen—who had been held captive by Islamists since 2024—were freed. Ukraine has not yet confirmed these statements, and the circumstances surrounding the Ukrainian’s presence in the region remain unclear, which only raises further questions about the Russian version of events.
The Russian Ministry of Defense claims that units of the so-called “African Corps” conducted an operation in Mali and freed two people—Russian citizen Oleg Greta and Ukrainian citizen Yuriy Yurov. According to the Russian account, both men are described as employees of a geological exploration company who were allegedly working in neighboring Niger and were kidnapped in July 2024.
However, there are significant gaps in this story. The Russian side has not disclosed either the name of the company or details of their work in the region, which has long been an area of activity for armed groups and private military companies. Ukraine has not confirmed either the fact that its citizen was held captive or his release.
At the same time, an important context is that Russian mercenary units have been actively operating in the Sahel region in recent years; following the elimination of the Wagner leadership, these units were partially reorganized into formations under the control of the Russian Ministry of Defense. It is these units that work in close coordination with local military regimes in Mali and neighboring countries.
It is also noted that in July 2024, intense fighting took place in Mali and surrounding areas between various armed groups, including Tuareg rebels and jihadist groups that may have beento groups such as “Jamaat Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin,” which is affiliated with “Al-Qaeda.” It is precisely in this chaotic environment that reports of the abduction and detention of foreigners emerge.
The Russian side claims that the released individuals will allegedly be transported to Moscow for treatment and rehabilitation due to their “serious health condition.” At the same time, the lack of independent confirmation and the secrecy surrounding the incident leave a key question unanswered—what exactly happened to the Ukrainian in an area where Russian security and paramilitary forces are actively operating.
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Occupation forces of the Russian Federation launched another strike on residential neighborhoods in Zaporizhzhia, resulting in one fatality.
