Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Andrii Sybiha: "What an absolutely horrific account of Russian atrocities in Mali. Rape, torture, looting, extrajudicial killings, and inhuman violence against ordinary people. 

All of the awful atrocities that the Russians are committing in Ukraine, they are also committing in Mali and other African states. 

The label may be different—Wagner, Africa Corps, or just “Russian Army”—but the essence is the same. Russia spreads violence, chaos, destabilization, plundering, and brutality wherever it sets its foot. 

In the wake of these revelations, Ukraine urges international community to react in the strongest terms.  

These beasts are not acting on their own. They are officially part of the Russian Ministry of Defense. Both these criminals and the Russian state as such must be held accountable. 

We are demanding international legal action, including arrest warrants and sanctions. We also insist on an international fact-finding missions and independent investigation, possibly under UN auspices, to establish the facts and the full scale of atrocities, which might be far larger. 

Last but not least, we caution all African governments against any cooperation with the Russians. Modern Russia has nothing to do with the Soviet Union’s legacy in Africa — it brings not liberation, but lawlessness, atrocities, and plundering. Do not undermine your security. 

We also call for greater international support for those African states that face unacceptable security risks because of the Russian military presence in their regions."