On Thursday, Russia had a discussion concerning the augmentation of military relations with Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger. It committed to training their troops and providing weaponry, as part of its efforts to increase its influence in West African nations that have ousted French forces.

Source: https://www.france24.com/en/video/20250404-russia-hosts-top-diplomats-from-sahel-countries-for-talks-on-boosting-security-ties