France handed over its last military base in Chad to local authorities as African nations have grown closer to Moscow.
Three junta-led nations have left the regional economic bloc ECOWAS, citing alleged French influence on the group. Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger are increasingly turning to Russia as an ally.The Sahel states of Mali,
Reliance on Russia’s military offerings has become increasingly prevalent in parts of Africa, amid an aggressive push by Moscow to lessen Western influence on the continent.