Russia previously accused France of stoking instability in its former colony in revenge for Bamako's push for closer ties with Moscow

Western countries may have played a role in one of Mali's largest-ever coordinated terrorist assaults, which struck Bamako's international airport, the garrison town of Kati, and three other cities across the country, the Russian Foreign Ministry has said.

In a Telegram post on Saturday, the ministry said roughly 250 fighters had targeted Modibo Keita International Airport and an adjacent military base in Bamako. Responsibility for the attack was claimed by regional Al-Qaeda affiliate JNIM and the Tuareg-dominated separatist rebel group Azawad Liberation Front (FLA). The raid was ultimately repelled by Malian forces.

Local authorities did not give an official death toll of the attack - which also reportedly targeted senior leadership - but said 16 people were wounded. Unconfirmed media reports also claimed that Defense Minister General Sadio Camara was killed in an attack on his home.

"The Russian side expresses deep concern over the unfolding events", the ministry said, adding that the fighting "creates a direct threat to the stability of Mali, a state with friendly relations with Russia," and risks "the most negative consequences for the entire surrounding region."

It added that mop-up operations are still underway and that "preliminary data indicate that Western security services could have been involved in training" of the insurgents.

Russia has a military presence in the West African country, which has been reeling under terrorist threats for years, called the Africa Corps. Established in 2023, the unit operates under the purview of the Russian Defense Ministry and assists in combating terrorism and training local forces.

In a separate statement, the Africa Corps confirmed it was involved in stabilizing the situation, adding that the attack was supported by "Ukrainian and European mercenaries" wielding Western-made weapons. The terrorist forces lost an estimated 1,000 militants and more than 100 vehicles, it added.

The Corps also released several pictures of the aftermath of the fighting and captured weapons.

Russia suggested a Western hand in the attack after Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov earlier this year said that France was "attempting to overthrow undesirable nationalist governments" in the Sahara-Sahel region, relying on "outright terrorist groups and Ukrainian militants" to do so, and using what he called "colonial methods." He has separately said that France's support for terrorists in Mali is revenge for Bamako's sovereign choice to draw closer to Moscow.

France has had long-running interests in its former colony, but has seen its influence in the region dwindle in recent years. In 2022, France ended its almost-decade-long counterterrorism mission in Mali after local authorities expelled the troops while accusing Paris of backing terrorists - an allegation French officials have denied.