U.S. officials announced Thursday that Russian soldiers had moved to an air base in Niger where U.S. troops are also stationed.
“[The situation] It’s not great, but it’s manageable in the short term,” a senior US defense official said. told Reuters.
The Russian military’s entry into the 101st Air Base in Niamey, the capital of Niger, comes amid negotiations between the United States and African countries regarding the withdrawal of approximately 1,000 U.S. military personnel sent to the country. I was disappointed.
Relations between the United States and Niger have deteriorated since the military took control of Niger’s government last year.
The new military government is demanding that U.S. forces conducting anti-terrorism operations in Niger withdraw from the country.
Russian troops have occupied a hangar on the base owned by Nigerians, separate from where U.S. service members are being held, and have been on the premises for several weeks. According to Hill.
“We are monitoring the situation,” a U.S. official told the outlet, noting that Russian military personnel do not have direct access to U.S. troops, space or equipment.
The official also explained that immediately after the July 2023 coup, the majority of U.S. forces in Niger were moved to another air base in Agade.
Sabrina Singh, Deputy Press Secretary, Department of Defense told reporters on Wednesday. The United States announced this week that it would send a delegation to Niger to discuss the withdrawal of American troops.
Russia’s Ministry of Defense announced in January that the Kremlin and Niger had reached an agreement. develop military cooperation “Stabilize the situation in the region” and support the training of the Nigerian military.
The Russian military’s approach to U.S. forces comes at a time of heightened tensions between Washington and Moscow over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
President Biden signed a bill last month authorizing more than $60 billion in military aid to Ukraine, with $1 billion of that already going to the war-torn country in the form of much-needed anti-aircraft missiles, small arms and artillery shells. It is being
The United States recently provided the Ukrainian military with a long-range missile system that can strike deep behind Russian lines.
The Pentagon did not respond to The Post’s request for comment.
