A Ukrainian official has accused Moscow of orchestrating the coup in Niger, referring to alleged involvement as a “standard Russian tactic”.

Last Wednesday, President Mohamed Bazoum and his democratically elected government were removed by military leaders in the seventh military coup the country has seen in less than three years.

On Tuesday, Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to the Ukrainian president, said Russia was behind the shocking takeover.

On the social media outlet X (formally known as Twitter), Podolyak wrote, “It is now absolutely clear that Russia is behind the so-called ‘military coup’ in Niger. It is a standard Russian tactic: to divert attention, seize the moment and expand the conflict.”

“Russia has a global scenario for provoking instability to undermine the global security order,” he said.

“Its time to draw the right conclusion: only the removal of [Russian President] Putin’s clan and sending Russia to the political rebirth can guarantee the inviolability of rules and stability to the world.”