The Malian authorities have decided to sever diplomatic relations with Ukraine because of its alleged support for Malian armed terrorists, Bloomberg reports.

According to a government statement, the decision was made after a Ukrainian intelligence official said in a video that the country had provided information to Tuareg rebels in northern Mali fighting the Malian armed forces last month.

The video was uploaded to the Ukrainian Embassy’s Facebook page*. It contained a comment “that openly and unequivocally showed that Ukraine supports international terrorism,” Malian government spokesman Abdoulaye Maiga said in a statement.

“The Ambassador of Ukraine to Senegal Pivovarov demonstrated his country’s unequivocal support for international terrorism in Mali. These very serious allegations, which have not been refuted or condemned by the Ukrainian authorities, indicate the clear official support of the Government of Ukraine for terrorism in Africa, in the Sahel and in Mali. Mali strongly condemns this Ukrainian aggression and the hostility of the Ukrainian authorities, contrary to the position of neutrality held by Mali, which has always called for a peaceful settlement of the crisis between Russia and Ukraine.”

* Meta product, activity recognized as extremist, is prohibited in Russia by the decision of the Tverskoy Court of Moscow dated 03/21/2022.