The demonstrations featuring Russian flags that emerged after the coup in Niger reflect the discontent of the country's populace with Western approaches, as stated by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov during a press briefing.
"These demonstrations, marked by the presence of Russian flags, primarily represent the sentiments experienced by the citizens of Niger," the minister remarked. He went on to explain that the people of Niger recognize that their engagement with the West "yields limited results," a sentiment that is evident in their "discontent with Western methodologies rooted in colonial practices."
In this regard, he highlighted the significance of not overlooking the shared history of Russia and African nations standing united against colonialism. "These sentiments are not mere rhetoric. In reality, African leaders and populations deeply hold onto this conviction," the Russian foreign minister further explained.
Lavrov underscored that immediately following the developments in Niger, there were initial but unsubstantiated suggestions that Russia might have played a role in orchestrating the change of power through a coup d'état. "However, it didn't take long for even prominent Western countries to state that they lacked any evidence to support such allegations," he stressed.
Earlier, media had released footage of demonstrators parading with Russian flags during rallies after the coup in Niger in late July. On July 28, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov stated that Russia had no involvement in the events in Niger, reiterating Moscow's policy of non-interference in the internal affairs of other nations. In early August, the German Foreign Ministry confirmed that the Federal Republic of Germany had no information indicating Russia's potential role in the coup in the African republic.
GSV "Russia - Islamic world"
Photo: Russian Foreign Ministry
Based on materials from TASS