Niger has severed diplomatic relations with Ukraine "with immediate effect" in support of Mali, which decided to take the same step last Monday, after a spokesman for the Ukrainian military intelligence service admitted Kiev's collaboration with Tuareg rebels in northern Mali. "The government of the Republic of Niger, in full solidarity with the government and people of Mali, decides in full sovereignty to sever diplomatic relations between the Republic of Niger and Ukraine with immediate effect," junta spokesman Amadou Abdramane said in a statement on public television.
The spokesman explained that the decision was made because of Kiev's support for "terrorist organizations" and called its actions "subversive and unacceptable." Likewise, he announced that he will submit the matter to the United Nations Security Council to rule on "Ukrainian aggression." Finally, Abdramane described what happened as an "act of aggression" that is "tantamount to supporting international terrorism" and that violates the United Nations Charter, as well as international norms, Bloomberg reported.
The Malian military junta announced last Sunday the severance of bilateral relations with Ukraine, after the spokesman for the Ukrainian military secret services, Andrei Yusov, during a broadcast on a local television channel, hinted that its services were collaborating with the rebels.
