The Russian plane landed at the international airport in the Niger capital Niamey at about midnight with little fanfare, ferrying anti-aircraft defence systems and troops to Moscow’s newest ally in the Sahel.
The arrival of the 100 soldiers earlier this month was the final death knell for the presence of US forces, who have been based in the west African nation since 2013 — and underscored Niger’s determination to diversify its security partnerships beyond the west.
It also marked another strategic victory for Moscow in the Sahel, the semi-arid strip south of the Sahara, where military governments have increasingly shunned their traditional western allies in favour of new alliances with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
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