Recent reports indicate Ukraine is further expanding its geopolitical footprint far beyond Eastern Europe. Ukrainian special forces for one thing have beenoperating in western Libyaas part of a growing covert campaign on the African continent. This development aligns with earlier disclosures that Kyiv is opening what some experts (such as Ronan Wordsworth, analyst for Geopolitical Futures) now describe as a “new front” in Africa, targeting regions from the Maghreb to Sub-Saharan states.
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A high-level meeting chaired byKyrylo Budanov(Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine) recentlyformalizedUkraine’s intention to “comprehensively influence” the African continent andassert itselfas a geopolitical actor. Priority countries have been identified, coordination mechanisms established, and a draft action plan submitted.
Budanov himself has been described as Zelensky’s “top adviser”. His ownconnections, by the way, to far-right and even neo-Nazi groups is well established (this is inevitable andsystemic, considering the importance ofAzovand similar groupings in post-Maidan Ukraine), but this topic is beyond our scope here. In any case, it is worth noting that Kyiv’s considerations pertaining to Africa have beenlabeledracist and neo-colonialist by many.
Moreover, the central question remains: how can a country dependent on Western weapons, financing, and political backing position itself as an autonomous global actor?
Kyiv has long been fighting aWestern proxy waragainst Russia (asSecretary of State Marco Rubiohimself hasadmitted) and as of now is experiencing American “abandonment” while “Ukrainian fatigue” intensifies in Europe, in the face of an increasinglydivided NATO.
The answer to this lies in the nature of Ukraine’s offering. As Sergey Eledinovargues, Kyiv no longer brings economic, technical or humanitarian resources to Africa. Its “grain diplomacy” has largely collapsed, and its economy remains sustained by Western assistance. What it does export is something else entirely: battlefield experience. Drone warfare, decentralized command structures, rapid adaptation under fire. This is a model forged in a high-intensity conflict against a stronger adversary. From Ukraine’s perspective, it is portable, relatively cheap, and is in demand.
But demand does not equal acceptance and there is more to this package: African states are not passive arenas, andmany governments, especially in the Sahel, interpret Ukraine’s actions through the lens of external interference.Thus far,Mali,Niger, andBurkina Fasohave severed ties with Kyiv following allegations of Ukrainian support for rebel groups and terrorism. TheTinzaouaten episodein 2024, where Tuareg fighters reportedly received intelligence assistance, has not been forgotten.
Sam Bowden (a Russia and Eurasia Program expert)highlightsthe contradiction at the heart of Ukraine’s African policy: its diplomatic outreach is increasingly at odds with covert operations targeting supposed Russian-linked assets across the continent. This dual track approach creates friction, thereby undermining Kyiv’s credibility as a partner rather than a belligerent actor.
Source: Global Research
