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Ukraine Reportedly Opens New Drone Front Against Russia in Africa
Ukraine is expanding its use of drone warfare beyond Europe, deploying specialists to Africa to support forces confronting Russian troops and Moscow-linked military structures.
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Around 15 Ukrainian drone specialists are currently operating in Mali, helping local forces counter Russia’s Africa Corps through training, technical support, and operational planning, CNN reported on September 12.
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The Ukrainian team works closely with the Azawad Liberation Front, a predominantly Tuareg rebel group active in northern Mali. Rather than taking part in frontline combat directly, the Ukrainian specialists assist local fighters with planning and conducting drone operations.
One Ukrainian drone operator told CNN that he coordinates local fighters remotely. “I coordinate their operations remotely. The signal from their drone comes to me via the internet, and I immediately tell them by radio what to do and where to fly,” he said.
Les soldats ukrainiens 🇺🇦 du GUR visibles dans plusieurs pays africains dans des photos publiées aujourd'hui
— Clément Molin (@clement_molin) September 7, 2026
Quelques hypothèses : Libye 🇱🇾 (?), Soudan 🇸🇩, Mali 🇲🇱 et les deux dernières photos je ne suis pas sûr (Afrique subsaharienne ?)
Cela montre comment le renseignement… pic.twitter.com/e1IvPQUedS
According to CNN, the operator receives live drone footage over the internet and relays instructions to local pilots by radio. He said Ukrainian personnel have been ordered not to deploy directly to frontline positions.
Ukraine expands drone operations across Africa
CNN reported that Ukrainian specialists have also operated in Sudan, while personnel from Chad, Niger, and Burkina Faso have traveled to Mali to receive drone training from Ukrainian instructors.
The missions are part of a broader effort by Kyiv to apply expertise developed during Russia’s full-scale invasion in other regions where Moscow is expanding its military presence.
Ukrainian teams have also traveled to at least five countries in the Middle East, according to CNN, where they trained local forces to counter Iranian-made Shahed attack drones, which Russia has repeatedly used against Ukraine.
In exchange for Ukrainian technical expertise, Kyiv has received security cooperation agreements and commitments involving ammunition supplies, CNN reported. The deployments also allow Ukrainian specialists to test equipment and tactics in environments significantly different from the Ukrainian battlefield.
In Mali, daytime temperatures regularly exceed 43 degrees Celsius, while dust and sand accelerate wear on drones, electronics, cooling systems, filters, and batteries. A Ukrainian intelligence representative told CNN that the tactical environment is also markedly different.
“In Ukraine, it is high intensity, massed strikes, constant pressure. Here, it is more maneuver warfare across large areas, ambushes, control of routes, work by small groups and dependence on knowledge of the terrain,” the source said.
According to CNN, Ukrainian personnel teach local fighters how to use drones while learning desert survival and combat techniques from forces familiar with the Sahel.
Ukraine targets Russia’s position in Mali
Ukrainian personnel also described operations around Kidal, a strategically important city in northern Mali.
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Earlier in 2026, Tuareg rebels and militants launched attacks against Russian forces in the area. Moscow later accused Kyiv of involvement and claimed Ukrainian and European instructors had helped prepare local forces for the operation.
CNN cited a Ukrainian intelligence source as saying that Kyiv views such missions as a way to increase pressure on Moscow and weaken Russia’s image as a reliable security partner in Africa. “We are turning our experience in drones into a foreign policy tool,” the source said.
Russia has significantly expanded its military presence across the Sahel following the withdrawal of French and other Western forces from several countries in the region.
After the Wagner Group was dismantled, Moscow transferred parts of its African operations into the Defense Ministry-controlled Africa Corps, which supports governments aligned with the Kremlin and helps protect Russian strategic and economic interests.
Ukrainian naval drone teams reportedly operate in Libya
Ukraine’s activities in Africa also extend to Libya, CNN reported. According to the outlet, Ukrainian naval drone operators are active in northwestern Libya and have used a base in Misrata to support operations against vessels linked to Russia’s shadow fleet.
The fleet consists of tankers used to transport Russian oil and reduce the impact of international sanctions, providing Moscow with continued export revenues.
CNN reported that one explosive-laden Ukrainian naval drone involved in such an operation later moved beyond the control of its operators and appeared near the Greek island of Lefkada. Greece issued a diplomatic protest, after which Kyiv formally apologized, according to the report.
The reported missions in Mali and Libya show how Ukraine is increasingly using drone expertise developed during the war against Russia to contest Moscow’s military and economic activity outside Europe.
“It puts pressure on them. This whole story has both psychological and real consequences,” a Ukrainian operator told CNN.
Russia, meanwhile, continues expanding its military footprint in Africa as it seeks political influence, access to natural resources, and strategic positions in countries where Western involvement has declined.
The reported missions come months after Ukraine unveiled its first comprehensive strategy to expand its presence and influence across Africa. In March, Head of the Presidential Office Kyrylo Budanov said Kyiv aimed to strengthen its political, economic, and security role on the continent and more actively defend Ukrainian interests there.
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