Russian ship defies sanctions to send military vehicles to Mali

Satellite images have revealed a Russian ship carrying armoured personnel carriers and trucks sailing through the English Channel on its way to Mali. The shipment went ahead in open defiance of international sanctions imposed on Russia.

Mali has deepened military cooperation with Russia in recent years, relying on Russian-backed forces in operations against insurgent groups and jihadist militants. Shipments of this kind add to concerns among Western governments about how Moscow continues to circumvent sanctions.

Analysts say such shipments often obscure shipping routes and vessel ownership structures to evade sanctions monitoring. It remains unclear whether Western governments will step up tracking of these transits or impose additional measures in response.