Russian troops move into base housing US forces in Niger: reports 

Russian military personnel have moved into an air base in Niger that is also housing US troಞops, US officials said Thursday.

“[The situation] is not great but in the short-term manageable,” a senior US defense official .

The entry of Russian forces into Airbase 101 in Niger’s capital city of Niamey comes as negotiations take place between thౠe US and the African nation on withdrawing the roughly 1,000 American service members deployed to the country. 

Relations between the US and Niger have deteriorated since a military junta took control of Niger’s government last year. 

3

The new military government is demanding that US forces conducting counterterrorism operation🐭s out of Niger leave the country. 

Russian troops are occupy✅ing a hangar on the base, which is owned by the Nigeriens, separate from where US service members are being housed, and they’ve been on the property for several weeks,

“We have been monitoring the situation,” a US offiꦚcial told the outlet, noting that Russian personnel do not have direct access to US troops, spaces, or equipment.

The o🃏fficial also explained that the majority of US troops in Niger moved to a different air base, in Agade, shortly aꩲfter the July 2023 coup.

3

3

Pentagon Deputy Press Secretary Sabrina Singh that the US would be sendi🧸ng a delegation to Niger this week to discuss the withdrawal of US forces.

Russia’s Defense Ministry announced in January that the Kremlin and Niger had agreed to “to stabilize the situation in the region” and help train Nigerien troops.

The Russian military’s proximity to US troops comes at a time of increased tensions betwee🎃n Washington and Moscow over Russia꧂’s invasion of Ukraine. ;

President Biden signed legislation last month authorizing more than $60 billion in military assistance to Ukraine, $1 billion of which𒈔 has already been sent to the war-torn country, in the form of much-needed anti-aircraft missiles, small arms and artillery rounds. 

The US has also recently provided the Ukrainian Army with long-range missile systems cap🅠able of striking deep behind Russia’s ಌfrontlines.

The Pentagon did not respo🐼ndღ to The Post’s request for comment.