Foreign Ministry spokesman Heorhiy Tykhy called the allegations of interference in Mali's affairs groundless.

"This is a serious claim for someone who represents an illegitimate junta that usurped power and relies on Russian mercenaries to preserve its rule. On a serious note, we once again reject baseless claims of interference in Mali's affairs. These claims have never been supported by any factual evidence," he said on the X social network on Thursday.

Tykhy said the real threat to African stability and progress is "Russian 'Wagner' mercenaries, who bring nothing but death, destruction, and plunder wherever they go."