Russia Uses Air Shadow Fleet to Supply Forces in Africa

Russia is utilizing an “air shadow fleet” to supply its forces in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger. Between Jan. 2025 and July 2026, at least 75 flights were conducted using a mix of state and private carriers, including the sanctioned Flight Unit 224 and unsanctioned operators like Sapsan Airlines and Liz Aviation. The network uses staging points in Syria, Libya, Turkey, and the UAE. Czech MEP Tomáš Zdechovský has called for urgent EU sanctions against companies transporting the “Africa Corps.”…