Mali has approached ‘Russian private companies,’ Moscow not involved: Lavrov

“We have nothing to do with that,” he added.

According to reports, Mali’s army-dominated government in Bamako is close to hiring 1,000 Wagner paramilitaries.

France has warned Mali that hiring the fighters from the Russian private-security firm would isolate the country internationally.

The Russian company is considered close to Russian President Vladimir Putin and Western countries accuse it of acting on behalf of Moscow.

Russian paramilitaries, private-security instructors and companies have grown increasingly influential in Africa in recent years, particularly in the conflict-ridden Central African Republic, where the United Nations has accused Wagner contractors of committing abuses.

Moscow admits having deployed “instructors” to Central African Republic but says they aren’t active in fighting. Russia insists there are no paramilitaries in Libya, despite Western claims to the contrary.