Russia Tucks Tail in Mali || Apr. 29, 2026
The Russians are getting the boot from the Sahel, and it's all thanks to an unusual alliance between Tuareg separatists and a local branch of Al-Qaeda. These rivals have teamed up in Mali to drive back the Africa Corps, Russia's paramilitary force.
When the French withdrew from the region, the Russians stepped in and picked up operations. However, maintaining control in the region is no easy feat, and the Russians are figuring that out. The Sahel's harsh geography, the war in Ukraine, and now, jihadist groups partnering with Tuareg separatists, are all weakening Russia's position
Without reinforcements or easy extraction points, this could turn into an embarrassing retreat from the region for Russia.
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Comments (27)
Heard an unconfirmed info that the Ukrainians had a hand in making this happened to the Russians.
💙💙💙appreciate the breadth of topics
Heeey Zeihanites ... 😺... 👁️🐝Bac. 😐 😸 😐 😐 🐈
GudWon- Pete.
QUESTION: Will Orange Man leave the office? (My take not)
Roasted Ruskies
Peter, I will be boarding a plane around noon tomorrow. Will there be a way to access a recording or transcript of the Bonus Live Q&A? I couldn't find any other way to ask this question...
We can watch the recording in Patreon after. I've never been able to attend the live session so I watch the recordings intead.
Who gives a fuck about 2500 rogue Ruskies lost in the desert in the Sahara's Hell????
I do. Im invested in junior gold miners in Mali.
Helpful map, and further details, here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_Mali_attacks https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kidal#History Those and related Wikipedia pages are frustratingly unhelpful on the key question of "Why is there a town _there_?" However, as PZ says, and a late 2025 article confirms, "In February 2024, FAMa [Malian armed forces] and Russian forces seized Intahaka, an artisanal gold mining site west of Gao [...]", the regional capital a score of km southwest of Kidal. Article also mentions "Mali's largest mine, the Loulo-Gounkoto complex", albeit that appears to be in the far west of the country, close to the border with Senegal. https://africabriefingroom.com/two-years-after-kidal-from-retaking-territory-to-rebuilding-authority/ Auntie Beeb's article about the coordinated assault: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/clyx7nnrkqdo
Russians about to be trapped everywhere. What's happening this week in Transnistria and Kaliningrad?
2026 is shaping up to be a truly awful one for Russia. Stay clear when the bottom falls out. It’s going to get ugly.
The United States imperial hold over Latin America seems far more stable and coherent then whatever the hell Russia and France are trying to do in Africa. It will be interesting to see the long-term relationship between China and East Africa. Showing up and giving them hospitals, trains and an export market for minerals seems like a better approach than let us write your security policy
It is incredibly naive to suggest that the PRC does not "influence" the security/foreign policy of those nations with whom it makes "deals". At least the US has a clearly delineated and long-term policy wrt the Americas. It's called the Monroe Doctrine. The PRC doesn't "give" away anything. One way or the other, the recipient of their benefices pay a price.
Tis not often good news is brought, so thank you!
Shoutout my Malian cornerstore clerk Sadiq
Mali is an interesting place historically. People have been mining gold there since the middle ages, and probably earlier. Once the home of the Mali Empire, for which the country is named, the Emperor Mansa Musa was said to have been one of the wealthiest men in all of history. When Musa went on Hajj to Mecca, he did so with a large store of gold with him which he used to display his beneficence with extravagant gifts. He did this so much that his stay in Cairo was said to have affected the value of gold throughout the whole of Egypt. Today gold accounts for 80% of Mali's exports. The fact that people are still extracting large quantities of gold there today is a testament to how much is there.
What the Sahell?
Sort of like us in Chicago!
Dunedin, NZ represent!
I noticed that, too. Cool listen city. Peter has a post-grad degree from the University of Otago.
So glad this video popped up. I was seeking some context.
Russia had a good thing going. It had locked in clients for its oil and gas. Now it’s scratching for gold in a region that makes the Mother land look like a resort. Wind at yer back Vlad. Mud in yer face.
Hi Peter, What about the power struggle in Libya, it is more important than ever with a lot of oil and Mediterranean ports
He said MelonScoop. Aren't we supposed to take a drink?
Wait, melon scooping works? Is it like selective? What brain parts can you melon scoop?