Togo, a new gateway for arms sent by Moscow to the Sahel

A Russian cargo ship has been identified as entering the port of Lomé, Togo, marking a new logistical route for military equipment bound for the Malian government. The vessel, named Mikhail Britnev, was observed loading armored infantry fighting vehicles and troop transport vehicles at the naval base of Baltiysk in Russia’s Kaliningrad enclave on June 16, according to open-source investigator accounts. This shipment, which had previously been tracked via satellite imagery, appears to have followed a different path than earlier deliveries to the region. The Mikhail Britnev is part of a fleet of Russian vessels sanctioned by the United States following its invasion of Ukraine. Its name appears on the list of entities sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (Ofac). According to Hasret Kargın, a researcher specializing in African affairs at the intelligence firm Mintel World, the cargo was likely destined for the Malian Armed Forces (FAFM) and their allies within the Africa Corps, a paramilitary organization controlled by the Russian government. The Africa Corps has taken over operations in Mali from the Wagner Group, led by Evgeny Prigogine. Tracking data from the Global Fishing Watch platform reveals that the Mikhail Britnev departed Baltiysk on June 18 and headed toward the Atlantic Ocean. During its journey through the English Channel, the vessel was escorted by a Russian landing ship, Aleksander Shabalin, of the Ropucha class. Both the Russian vessel and the Mikhail Britnev were monitored by the British warship HMS Somerset. However, the Mikhail Britnev disabled its Automatic Identification System (AIS) transmitter off the coast of Brittany, making further tracking impossible until July 8, when it reactivated the device near the autonomous port of Lomé. Upon arrival, the Mikhail Britnev anchored in Lomé on July 9. This marks the beginning of a new logistical corridor for Russian military supplies heading into the Sahel region. Hasret Kargın notes that this shift represents a strategic adjustment in how arms are transported to Mali. Previously, shipments arrived in Guinea’s capital, Conakry, before being moved along a 995-kilometer road network to Bamako. The new route, however, extends to approximately 1,842 kilometers, passing through eastern Mali and involving key cities such as Bobo-Dioulasso in Burkina Faso and Sikasso in Mali. This change in logistics suggests a broader effort to diversify supply routes and avoid potential disruptions in existing corridors. The involvement of Togo’s port highlights the country’s growing role in regional trade and security dynamics. While the exact timing of the delivery to Mali remains unclear, the movement of the Mikhail Britnev underscores the ongoing flow of military aid from Russia to the region, despite international sanctions and diplomatic pressures. The situation reflects the complex interplay of geopolitical interests and local security challenges in the Sahel. As Russian-backed forces continue to operate in Mali, the expansion of logistical networks raises concerns about the escalation of conflict and the sustainability of peace efforts in the area. The next steps will depend on how these supplies are deployed and whether they contribute to stabilizing or destabilizing the region. For now, the Mikhail Britnev stands as a tangible example of the evolving landscape of military support in West Africa.