Russia submits Burkina Faso cooperation pact to Duma, deepening Sahel ties

Russia's State Duma received a bill to ratify a cooperation agreement with Burkina Faso covering military, military-technical, and security cooperation. This formalizes Moscow's expanding footprint in the Sahel, following similar pacts with Mali and Niger. The move signals continued Russian strategic penetration in West Africa, likely at the expense of Western influence.