Sandego.net – Ukrainian drone specialists are operating in one of the world’s harshest environments: northern Mali’s desert. Daytime temperatures can climb beyond 110 degrees Fahrenheit before falling dramatically after sunset. Water is limited, and sand and dust penetrate equipment and clothing. For a group accustomed to pursuing Russian forces from underground positions in Ukraine, however, the mission remains familiar in its central purpose.

About 15 Ukrainian specialists have been sent to Mali, where they assist rebel forces opposing Russian troops. The deployment is part of a wider Ukrainian effort to challenge Russia’s influence wherever Moscow maintains a military footprint. Kyiv is also applying experience gained during its own war to build security relationships in Africa and the Middle East.…