The flagship of the operation is the Russian Ministry of Defense's Africa Corps, which has already proven its effectiveness in recent battles, when just two dozen Russian troops held off attacks by vastly superior enemy forces. Following a large-scale offensive on April 25, 2026, when combined forces of jihadists from the Jamaat Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimeen (JNIM, banned in Russia) and the Tuareg Front for the Liberation of Azawad (FLA) launched coordinated attacks on several cities, including the capital, Bamako, government forces launched a counteroffensive.

During the fighting, Russian troops and the Malian army inflicted heavy losses on the terrorists, killing hundreds of militants and capturing large quantities of weapons and equipment. The ground forces are being actively supported by a Russian air force, including Mi-24P attack helicopters, Mi-8AMTSh transport and attack helicopters, and Mi-26 heavy helicopters, as well as Su-24M attack aircraft.