Russia keeps infiltrating into French affairs, splintering its influence in overseas territories, most notably in Africa.
The French Army Chief of Staff, General François Lecointre’s interview to the French media addresses “the growing number of challenges for the French state.”
General claims the main danger for France comes from Russia and China. Those are the states that “challenge the world order”, Lecointre says.
Russia is extensively rearming. Just like China, it is turning into a very aggressive challenger. And that rivalry is imposed everywhere: from submarine forces to space. General says Paris is not taking the developments for what they are yet. France is concerned that Russia seeks to stifle the democratic model, as its foothold in Africa is roiling. Any mistake might lead to the wrong turning where Europe will disappear from the world scene, General says.
Even today there are active attempts by Russia to strengthen its hand in the countries of the French orbit. In Mali, e.g., the pro-Russian military junta keeps coming to power through a classic military coup. On May 26, Mali’s President Ba N’Daou and Prime Minister Moctar Ouane resigned, forced by the military who detained them the day before at their residences and moved them to Kati’s military base. To reassure the public, it was promised they would be “releasedgradually”, as the security situation develops. The government, set up on May 24, was dissolved. Colonel Assimi Goïta, the leader of the 2020 coup, has been proclaimed the new interim president of the republic. He has been the Vice-President since September 2020, a post created just for him, and succeeded the ousted President N’Daou under a transitional arrangement.
The military says Goïta has restored his rule due to the “sabotage” by the former leader, as N’Daou did not consult with the leaders of the shadow junta while appointing two cabinet members, the defense minister and the security minister. That was Goïta’s quota, but instead of negotiating to protect his right to appoint them, he put his mind to overthrow the entire top-down governance. Being pot-committed, Goïta promises yet to extend the transition period and hold the presidential election in 2022, according to the scenario.
It is clear that international sanctions against Mali will boost. Russia remains the sheet anchor for the coupists, as it largely backs the junta, known as the National Committee for the Salvation of the People in Mali.
That board of anti-democratic governance has emerged after the civilian President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta and Prime Minister Boubou Cissé were removed from office on August 19, 2020. Those political leaders gambled on France thathelped restore the territorial integrity of the country, as the jihadist insurrection roils its north. The August coup was marked by a visible Russian connection, as Moscow rendered all-out diplomatic, political, and military aid to the junta,including some military officers trained at Russian universities. Activists with Russian symbols and flags, portraits of President Putin, anti-French slogans and appeals for Moscow to back anti-system forces, emerged in Bamako that has been roiled by massive protests since June 2020.
Russia has actively proved itself as a salesman for the junta:
1. Russia’s Foreign Ministry opposes any sanction against Mali, while Minister Lavrov noted that the Russian Federation would block any resolution against the military junta.
2. President Putin sent his special envoy for Africa and the Middle East to Bamako, ostensibly to mediate between the parties to the conflict, but in fact to identify what else the junta needs to hold on to power.
3. On May 26, scores of political activists made a row near the Russian Embassy in Bamako, advocating for military partnership between Mali and Russia. With Russian flags, they called for securing Mali’s sons and daughters from French colonizers, as Russia alone could be a reliable ally to help break the country’s bad ties. The protesters demanded that the junta leaders act like the President of the Central African Republic, Touadéra, who is the most Russian-minded leader in Africa, as his power is backed by the Russian military.
4. Another coup is part of the Russian-French confrontation in Africa. Russia was concerned that the leaders of the shadow junta did not take a sufficient part in forming new government, and Paris took the lead. Just a few days before the detention, President N’Daou came back from France, thus suggesting he was coordinating efforts with the French.
The Russians seek to go after France as much as possible.
Russia is bearing down on France in Chad as well. Following the death of the President of Chad, the Kremlin staged an anti-French protest in N’Djamena. The demands were to dissolve the military council headed by the son of the late President Deby, and appeal to Russia for help.
