Rumors that Russia is sending troops from Africa to protect the Kursk region

Rumors that Russia is sending troops from Africa to protect the Kursk region

Members of the Medvedi (English: Bears) brigade stationed in the African country of Burkina Faso will be deployed to the Kursk region to prevent an offensive by the Ukrainian army, Le Monde reported on August 30.

According to the French newspaper, this 300-member brigade, which is said to be linked to the Russian Ministry of Defense, has been stationed in Burkina Faso since May, providing security for a number of key figures, including the alleged head of the military government, Captain Ibrahim Traoré.

Their presence in the West African country is part of a broader Russian strategy to expand its influence on the “dark continent”. However, about 100 members of Medvedi are being withdrawn.

Russia is reportedly repatriating 100 of its paramilitary officers from Burkina Faso to protect the Kursk region. Photo: Yahoo!News

According to Le Monde, the official reason for their sudden departure, just three months after their arrival, was that they were being deployed to participate in Russia's defense efforts in the Kursk region – which has seen increased military activity since Ukraine launched its offensive on August 6.

The commander of the Medvedi brigade, Viktor Yermolayev, operating under the alias “Jedi”, confirmed the redeployment in an exchange with Le Monde on August 22 via the encrypted messaging service Telegram.

He said the decision to withdraw from Burkina Faso was in response to the urgent need to strengthen Russia's defenses against the Ukrainian offensive. "All Russian soldiers are forgetting their problems and uniting to fight the enemy," Mr. Yermolayev said.

Further details emerged on August 27, when the brigade’s Telegram channel released a message confirming its return to Crimea, where the group is based. The message directly linked the redeployment to recent events in the Kursk region, emphasizing the brigade’s role in responding to the increased military threat.

Ukraine replaces air force commander after F-16 crash

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on August 30 dismissed Ukrainian Air Force Commander Mykola Oleshchuk, according to a presidential decree.

The dismissals were announced just a day after the Ukrainian military confirmed that an F-16 jet had crashed and its pilot died while repelling a major Russian attack on August 25.

Mr Zelensky did not give a reason for the dismissal, but mentioned that personnel must be protected and that the command level must be strengthened. The Ukrainian General Staff said Lieutenant General Anatoliy Kryvonozhka would temporarily assume command of the force.

The Ukrainian military did not give a reason for the crash but said the plane crashed while approaching a Russian target. Mr. Oleshchuk said on August 25 that partners from the United States were helping to investigate the incident.

A US defense official told Reuters that the crash did not appear to have been caused by Russian fire and that pilot error or mechanical failure were possible causes, and the incident was still under investigation.

US defense giant fined for exporting banned goods

RTX Corp. (formerly Raytheon) will pay a $200 million fine to resolve allegations that the aerospace and defense giant violated the Arms Export Control Act 750 times, according to a U.S. State Department announcement dated Aug. 30.

RTX employees engaged in numerous illegal direct commercial sales, including the unauthorized export of defense goods to restricted destinations, including Iran, Lebanon, Russia, and China, the State Department said.

RTX voluntarily disclosed all alleged violations and cooperated with investigators. Half of the penalty, $100 million, will be deferred on the condition that it be used to enhance Raytheon’s internal compliance program.

During an earnings call on July 25, RTX told investors that the company had set aside about $1 billion to resolve three separate legal matters “primarily identified during the integration of Rockwell Collins and Raytheon Co. into RTX.”

The State Department's announcement on August 30 is the first of three legal issues and includes the wrongful transfer of intellectual property and technology to a US adversary.

Israel ends operations in Khan Younis and Deir al-Balah

The Israeli military announced on August 30 that it had ended a major month-long operation in the cities of Khan Younis and Deir al-Balah in the southern Gaza Strip, adding that it had killed more than 250 militants in the mission.

Tunnels used by the Palestinian group Hamas with a total length of more than 6 km were destroyed in the operation and the bodies of 6 hostages were recovered, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said.

On the same day, Israel said the Hamas leader responsible for the West Bank city of Jenin was killed in their large-scale military operation in the north of the area.

"Wassem Hazem, the Hamas leader in Jenin, was killed in an operation in the northern Samaria (West Bank) area," the Shin Bet domestic intelligence agency and Israeli police said on the social media platform X.

Two other Hamas members who were in the car carrying Mr Hazem were also killed in an air strike as they tried to flee the vehicle. Israel said weapons and explosives were found in the car.

The health authority in Ramallah (West Bank) confirmed three deaths. The authority said the situation in the West Bank has deteriorated significantly since fighting broke out in Gaza last October, with 643 Palestinians killed in military operations, fighting or Israeli attacks.

Last German troops leave Niger

The German military, Bundeswehr, officially withdrew its last soldiers from Niger on August 30, ending its eight-year mission.

Specifically, the last 60 soldiers in the area were airlifted out of the army's now-abandoned airbase in the capital Niamey and arrived in Germany late on August 30.

The Bundeswehr withdrawal was formalized at a signing ceremony in Niamey, Niger. Photo: DW

Niger has long been seen as a reliable partner for Europe and the United States in the fight against terrorism, but last year the country was taken over by a military junta.

Berlin initially announced its decision to withdraw troops in July, noting that it had no working cooperation agreement with the new military government. In total, some 3,200 German troops had served in the region during the deployment.

Minh Duc

Source: https://www.nguoiduatin.vn/tin-tuc-the-gioi-24-gio-ro-tin-nga-dieu-quan-tu-chau-phi-ve-bao-ve-vung-kursk-204240831094648139.htm