Destruction of Wagner forces in Mali: ISW analyzes impact on Ukraine frontline

This is stated in the report of the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).

Several prominent critical Russian milbloggers claimed that the Russian MoD is "gloating" over losses the Wagner Group reportedly suffered during the attack and suggested that Russian military authorities will use this incident as a reason to end the deployment of Wagner personnel to the Sahel and completely supplant them with units of the Russian MoD's Africa Corps.

Some Russian bloggers quoted an unidentified source in the Putin administration as saying that Africa Corps personnel will replace Wagner troops in the entire "Sahelian Three" (Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger).

ISW analysts note that the Africa Corps, notably, likely lacks the current capacity to properly supplant Wagner operations, particularly in Mali, as Africa Corps elements have recently deployed to Ukraine to aid Russian offensive efforts in northern Kharkiv region.

“Supplanting Wagner at scale following losses such as those accrued in the recent ambush would likely involve re-deploying some Africa Corps fighters to Mali away from the frontline in Ukraine, and the Russian military command likely does not see completely supplanting Wagner in Mali or elsewhere in the Sahel as a priority effort at this time,” the Institute emphasizes.

• On July 28, it was reported that in the Republic of Mali, Tuareg rebels killed and wounded dozens of mercenaries of the Russian private military company Wagner.