Russian forces stationed in Niger helped loyalist troops retake a key military base at Niamey's international airport last weekend after mutinous soldiers seized it, with Russia's ambassador publicly confirming that Africa Corps had helped "repress a mutiny." The intervention marks a broader shift in Russia's role across the Sahel (the semi-arid belt south of the Sahara spanning Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger), where Africa Corps — a state-controlled successor to the Wagner Group with an estimated 200–300 personnel in Niger — is increasingly focused on keeping military juntas in power rather than solely fighting jihadist insurgencies. Analysts note that while Russia gains access to strategic mineral resources such as uranium in Niger and gold in Mali, it cannot resolve the underlying security crisis; jihadist attacks by groups linked to al-Qaeda and Islamic State continue, and the grievances among soldiers that sparked last weekend's mutiny remain unaddressed.