Earlier in August, Jama’a Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin (JNIM) released a video featuring two hostages who claimed they were kidnapped in the Tillaberi region while working there.
The video did not specify when or where it was filmed and did not make any ransom demands.
In emailed statements, the Russian ministry revealed that one of the hostages, Oleg Gret, is reportedly Russian while the other, Yuri Yurov, holds Ukrainian citizenship.
The ministry also noted that JNIM had abducted four individuals and killed several Nigerien soldiers during the July 18 incident.
Russia has officially requested assistance from Niger and Mali to aid in resolving the situation.
“We will continue our efforts to secure the release of the hostages,” and highlighted that collaboration with Sahel nations will increase despite the ongoing regional instability.
Since the coup last year, Niger’s junta, like the military regimes in Mali and Burkina Faso, has removed Western forces and deepened military and economic ties with Russia, the ministry affirmed.