Russia’s Africa Corps reportedly abandoned Malian forces during a fierce rebel ambush in northeastern Mali, according to Ukraine’s Defence Intelligence Directorate.
The incident occurred near Tabrishat, in the Gao region, when a joint convoy carrying hundreds of Russian mercenaries and Malian government troops came under heavy insurgent fire.
As rebels destroyed armoured vehicles, the Russian contingent reportedly withdrew to protect its own personnel, leaving Malian soldiers without crucial air or ground support.
Preliminary estimates suggest that around 60 Malian servicemen were killed, dozens were wounded and at least 30 were captured.
The incident has also highlighted allegations of systematic abuse within the coalition, with Russian commanders accused of treating local troops as slave labour.
The mercenary force has additionally been accused of creating corrupt networks and illegally trafficking weapons intended for official military assistance programmes.
The battlefield disaster follows the recent destruction of a Russian attack helicopter by forces linked to the regional Azawad Liberation Front.