# Russia delivers four Mil Mi-17 helicopters to Mali

- Link: https://www.military.africa/2021/10/russia-delivers-four-mil-mi-17-helicopters-to-mali/
- Published: 2021-10-02T07:34:00+01:00
- Author: Ekene Lionel

Mali has taken delivery of at least four Mil Mi-17 helicopters from Russia to bolster
its fight against insurgents linked to Islamic State and al Qaeda.

The four Mi-17 helicopters were delivered aboard an Antonov An-124 cargo aircraft
along with several caches of weapons and ammunition, at the capital Bamako.

![](military.africa/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Mi-17_Mali.jpg)

Defence Minister Sadio Camara with Russian and Mali officials.

Malian interim defense minister Sadio Camara who supervised the offloading of the
helicopters said that “Mali bought these helicopters from the Russia Federation,
a friendly country with which Mali has always maintained a very fruitful partnership.”

“We are here today to receive four Mi-171 helicopters, weapons and ammunition. Weapons
and ammunition were donated by the Russian Federation. Four new helicopters … were
purchased with funds from the national budget,” the minister told reporters on Thursday.

According to the minister, Mali received the helicopters per the contract signed
in December 2020 with the outlook to support the Malian armed forces in their fight
against the insurgents.

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This new delivery follows another four Mi-35 attack helicopters previously delivered;
two [were delivered in September 2017](https://www.military.africa/2021/10/russia-delivers-four-mil-mi-17-helicopters-to-mali/military.africa/2017/10/the-malian-air-force-just-received-two-mi-35m-superhind-attack-helicopter),
a third was delivered in 2018, and [the fourth on 13 January](https://www.military.africa/2021/10/russia-delivers-four-mil-mi-17-helicopters-to-mali/military.africa/2021/01/mali-receives-additional-mi-35m-hind-e-helicopter-from-russia).

The four brings the total number of the Mi-35s in Mali to eleven. Mali [previously acquired](https://www.military.africa/2021/10/russia-delivers-four-mil-mi-17-helicopters-to-mali/military.africa/2017/10/malian-air-force-expecting-more-aerial-platforms)
at least seven Mi-24D helicopters second-hand from Bulgaria between 2007 to 2012.

Two H215 Super Puma were acquired for $18 million from Airbus Helicopters within
that period.

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The new helicopters will be used to combat extremism in the country, at this time
where Mali is turning to Russia’s private military Wagner Group, and as France, 
the major security ally remodels [its security architecture.](https://www.military.africa/2021/10/russia-delivers-four-mil-mi-17-helicopters-to-mali/military.africa/2020/11/war-weary-france-plans-troops-drawdown-in-africa)

France is revisiting its military footprint in Africa’s Sahel, in view of reducing
its troops’ number as joint European task Force deploys.

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“The time has come to begin a deep transformation of our military presence in the
Sahel,” Macron told a news conference.

[Operation Barkhane](https://www.military.africa/2021/10/russia-delivers-four-mil-mi-17-helicopters-to-mali/military.africa/2018/06/operation-barkhane-french-war-in-africas-sahel)
would be replaced by ” an international alliance, with all our partners, strictly
limited to the fight against terrorism,” President Macron had said.

France temporarily [suspended joint operations between French and Malian troops on 3 June](https://www.military.africa/2021/10/russia-delivers-four-mil-mi-17-helicopters-to-mali/military.africa/2021/06/france-ends-operation-barkhane-for-international-coalition)
in favor of a new force structure in the region will see French special forces numbering
about several hundred working with other European countries in the [Takuba Task Force](https://www.military.africa/2021/10/russia-delivers-four-mil-mi-17-helicopters-to-mali/military.africa/tag/task-force-takuba)
and the Malian and Nigerian armies.