Russians instructors arrives in Niger with weapons air defense systems and vehicles.

The departure of French and American troops from Niger creates an opportunity for the Russians to replace them. The Russians aim to clearly counter the West and reduce its influence in the Sahel, West Africa, and elsewhere on the African continent. The French were naturally the first to face difficulties in the Sahel. 
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On may 6, 2024 a Russian cargo plane IL-76 landed with humanitarian help in airbase 101 near Niamey

(Picture source: African Initiative 2023)

Their exit from Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger was met with anger in Paris towards Moscow, considered the real architect behind the French withdrawal from the Sahel. To such an extent that the Moscow-Paris rivalry prompted French President Emmanuel Macron to suggest that NATO troops might be sent to Ukraine to combat Russian forces. Such a statement is both serious and a sign of despair in Paris's military and foreign circles.

In Niger, the Russian presence is not as dense as in neighboring Mali, where the Russian Wagner group is actually an extension of the Malian army. However, Moscow continues to court Niger to increase its troop presence there. On May 4, 2024, a third Russian cargo flight landed in Niger, loaded with military equipment and instructors. The flight also brought humanitarian aid, which the Nigerien authorities described as "a breakthrough in bilateral cooperation, aiming to strengthen Niger's military capabilities while addressing the pressing needs of its population for basic necessities." In early April, a first batch of Russian military equipment and instructors arrived in Niamey, bringing an air defense system that Niger wishes to use to control its airspace.

In early May, a strange transition occurred when Russian troops entered base 101, close to the international airport, where American soldiers were already stationed. The U.S. Defense Secretary, Lloyd Austin, told the media that the forces were distributed in separate sections of the base, insisting that it was not serious.

This situation is particularly delicate for the United States as they are in full discussion about the withdrawal of more than 1,000 American soldiers from Niger, including from the drone base near Agadez, following tensions with the Nigerien junta that denounced the existing military cooperation agreement and labeled the American presence as "illegal."

For its part, Moscow remains evasive about its presence at airbase 101. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov spoke about the evolution of Russia's relations with several African countries, without confirming or denying the Russian presence in Niamey. This complex situation reflects the geopolitical stakes in the region and raises questions about the future of military relations between the United States, Russia, and African countries.