On Sunday, over 70 Russians gathered in the shadow of the Kremlin to pay tribute to Wagner fighters who perished in a significant clash with Mali rebels. The Wagner mercenary group recently disclosed that its members and Malian troops suffered casualties in intense combat against Tuareg rebels and fighters linked to al Qaeda near Mali's border with Algeria. The northern Tuareg rebels of Mali claimed to have eliminated at least 84 Russian Wagner mercenaries and 47 Malian soldiers during intense battles in late July. In Moscow, just a short distance from the Kremlin, a group of Russians assembled to grieve the fallen Wagner fighters, according to a Reuters journalist. A man in military attire, adorned with Wagner badges, knelt in front of portraits of the deceased fighters. Underneath banners bearing the Wagner motto "Blood, Honour, Motherland, Courage," some individuals lit candles. A woman on her knees sobbed in front of a picture of a Wagner fighter, while others placed red carnations beneath the images of the dead. None of those present at the temporary memorial consented to speak with Reuters.
Mali, which has experienced military takeovers in 2020 and 2021, is currently engaged in a protracted insurgency. The country has clarified that the Russian forces present are not Wagner mercenaries but rather trainers assisting local troops with equipment procured from Russia.
