US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin has confirmed that Russian security forces have been deployed to the same airbase as American troops in Niamey, Niger. The Russian troops, who have been in Niger for weeks,

Russian troops have moved into a $100M U.S. military base in Niger after the American contingent was ordered to leave.

They’re concerned that the Russian fighters — who are stationed at the same air base as American troops in the capital of Niamey — will engage in disruptive behavior such as driving aggressively or harassing U.S. troops at checkpoints, according to two officials familiar with Western intelligence.

The Russian presence on the base comes as tensions remain high between Washington and Moscow over the ongoing US support for Ukraine's military.

A U.S. official says Russia has moved some troops onto an airbase in Niger where a small number of U.S. forces remain after most American troops left the base in the nation’s capital

A U.S. official says Russia has moved some troops onto an airbase in Niger where a small number of U.S. forces remain after most American troops left the base in the nation’s capital.

As U.S. and other Western troops get the boot from African countries, Russian soldiers are taking their place at air bases. The Kremlin, meanwhile, continues to court African leaders and expand its influence in the region.