Ukraine denies it aids rebels in Mali
Source: Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs
On Monday, Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement dismissing recent media reports of Kyiv’s involvment in supplies of drones to rebels in Mali.
“We also strongly contest all accusations that periodically arise from high-ranking officials of the Republic of Mali and the Republic of Niger, alleging Ukraine’s collaboration with terrorists, supplying arms to these terrorists, and providing them with intelligence. These claims have no basis in reality,” the statement asserted.
The ministry reminded the public that back in September, Kyiv had already provided a detailed rebuttal to such accusations. They expressed regret over Mali and Niger’s decision to sever diplomatic ties with Ukraine based on unfounded and baseless assumptions.
The Foreign Affairs office dismissed all allegations suggesting Ukraine’s involvement in the flow of weapons and military equipment into the Sahel region, which its allies supply to counter the ongoing armed aggression from the Russian Federation.
The ministry emphasized that from the very first months of the full-scale Russian invasion, Ukraine took the lead in initiating a comprehensive monitoring and control system for the weapons supplied by Western partners. It includes not only international and governmental monitoring tools but also parliamentary oversight regarding the use of Western arms in Ukraine.
Over the past two and a half years of Russian aggression, Ukraine’s allies have not found any instances of misuse of the military aid provided to Ukraine.
Ukraine called on the governments of Mali and Niger to stop spreding any false information that echoes the deceitful narratives planted by Russia as they only aim to discredit Ukraine and justify Russia’s unprovoked, unjustifiable, and illegal war against Ukraine.
Amendments to Ukraine’s enforcement proceedings legislation, initiated by the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine, have entered into force. Among other measures, the reform provides for the automated lifting of attachments on bank accounts immediately after debts in enforcement proceedings have been fully settled. The main practical benefit for citizens is the complete elimination of the need to contact an enforcement officer in person and wait for paper decisions once the debt has been paid.
The 157th Separate Mechanized Brigade has received another batch of supplies as part of Rinat Akhmetov’s Steel Front military initiative. This time, the military received seven quad bikes and four mobile shower and bath units.
In my previous column, I wrote about social innovations in Ukraine. Those innovations are part of civic resilience and the democratization of security, which Europe is paying close attention to right now. The EU is trying to work out how to spread responsibility for its own security across society as a whole, rather than leaving it to institutions alone. It is looking for concrete ways to bring ordinary people into the work of defense and resistance.
Petro Poroshenko’s lawyers have appealed to the High Anti-Corruption Court demanding that NABU be obligated to register proceedings regarding the fact of exerting influence on the court and to recognize Petro Poroshenko as a victim in the case of the Deputy Head of the Office of the President, Iryna Mudra, due to her pressure on Supreme Court judges who were considering a lawsuit to overturn sanctions.
Internationally recognized brands and financial institutions should direct capital to Ukraine now, not waiting for the hostilities to end. This was emphasized by Rinat Akhmetov, president of FC Shakhtar, during a working visit to UEFA headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland, where he met with UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin.