By Abdullahi Inuwa Our Foreign Affairs Correspondent
In a dramatic escalation of global power play in West Africa, Russia has reportedly deployed a covert unit of special forces—highly trained in asymmetric warfare and presidential security—to Burkina Faso under direct orders from President Vladimir Putin. Their mission: to safeguard the presidency of the embattled transitional leader, Captain Ibrahim Traoré, amid growing fears of a foreign-backed destabilization campaign.
This move comes on the heels of a high-level convergence of Western military planners, spearheaded by France, in neighboring Ivory Coast. Intelligence sources suggest the gathering is focused on laying groundwork for a possible intervention in Burkina Faso, following unverified accusations that Captain Traoré has diverted state-controlled gold resources for personal gain.
Moscow’s bold show of support for Traoré signals deepening Russia-Africa military ties and a clear challenge to traditional Western influence in the region. Kremlin insiders describe the special forces as possessing “unique hybrid capabilities” tailored for securing volatile regimes under external threat.
Analysts believe this development could intensify the new Cold War dynamics gripping the Sahel, with Burkina Faso potentially becoming the next proxy battleground between East and West.
This story hints at a dangerous geopolitical chess game where African sovereignty is increasingly caught between global powers. It raises critical questions: Is Traoré a revolutionary partner seeking self-reliance, or a leader using resource nationalism for personal empire-building? And what legitimacy do external powers have in determining the political future of a sovereign African state?
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