Russia has sent military instructors to Niger, says Niger state TV

Russian military instructors arrived in Niger on Wednesday in a plane loaded with military equipment, Niger state television RTN said on Thursday, citing an agreement between the junta and Russian President Vladimir Putin to boost cooperation. It aired footage of a military cargo plane unloading gear as people in fatigues stood by.

Russian military instructors arrived in Niger on Wednesday in a plane loaded with military equipment, Niger state television RTN said on Thursday, citing an agreement between the junta and Russian President Vladimir Putin to boost cooperation.

It aired footage of a military cargo plane unloading gear as people in fatigues stood by. "We are here to train the Nigerien army ... (and) to develop military cooperation between Russia and Niger," said a man in camouflage uniform, who RTN said was one of the instructors.

RTN also said Russia had agreed to install an anti-aircraft system in Niger. The West African country's relations with Moscow have been in the spotlight since the junta seized power in a coup last year and broke off long-standing military and diplomatic ties with France. That fuelled speculation it would deepen security ties with Russia like neighbouring Mali and Burkina Faso.

 

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)