The Facts

• Mali has severed diplomatic ties with Ukraine following a statement by a spokesman for Ukrainian military intelligence (GUR) implicating Ukraine in last month's deadly ambush on Malian soldiers and operatives from the Russian Private Military Company Wagner.

• On July 25, Tuareg rebels and al-Qaida affiliate Jamaat Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin attacked Malian and Russian soldiers near the border with Algeria. In the following three-day battle, the Malian army suffered "significant" losses. Reports put Wagner's death toll at between 20 and 80 men.

• The dispute arose when GUR spokesman Andriy Yusov informed public broadcaster Suspilne on July 29 that the Malian rebels had obtained "all the necessary information, enabling them to carry out their operation against the Russian military personnel."