The new Niger government has made a complete pivot to Russia, breaking away from France and its European partners.

Equipped with an air defence system and other weapons, Russian military instructors have arrived in Niger to help the West African nation in securing its borders and deepen security ties with Moscow.

Russian state television announced late Thursday that Moscow will help “install an air defence system … to ensure complete control of our airspace”.

Niger’s military government agreed in January to step up military cooperation with Russia, after expelling French forces.

Soon after the 2023 coup, the new rulers ended all military pacts with Paris. France, the former colonial power in the region, was accused of destabilising the country and using aggression against the local population. The new Niger government even expelled the French ambassador Sylvain Itte from Niger’s capital Niamey.

European influence is on the wane in other parts of Africa as well. For instance, the former French colonies Mali and Burkina Faso pushed out French forces who were stationed there under the pretext of fighting terrorism in the Sahel region.

The Tele Sahel broadcaster showed a Russian transport plane arriving at Niamey airport on Wednesday night. It said “the latest military equipment and military instructors from the Russian defence ministry” had arrived.