DOUALA, Cameroon 

Mali announced Sunday that it is cutting off diplomatic relations with Ukraine following an admission of Ukrainian involvement in a recent deadly terrorist attack in the West African country.

"The transitional government of the Republic of Mali has learned, with deep shock, of the subversive remarks by which Mr. Andriy Yusov, the spokesperson for the Ukrainian military intelligence agency, has admitted Ukraine's involvement in a cowardly, treacherous and barbaric attack by armed terrorist groups which resulted in the deaths of elements of the Malian defense and security forces in Tinzaouaten, as well as material damage," said government spokesman Colonel Abdoulaye Maiga in a statement.

The Malian army admitted on Monday a high death toll following clashes in Tinzaouaten in the north of the country, while the Russian-affiliated Wagner Group supporting the Malian army had confirmed Russian losses and the death of a commander following heavy fighting there.

The comments were reinforced by Yurii Pyvovarov, Ukraine's ambassador to Senegal, who openly and unequivocally displayed his country's support for international terrorism, particularly in Mali, according to Maiga.

Maiga said Ukrainian officials have done worse by announcing that there are “more results to come.”

"These extremely serious accusations, which have not been denied, show the Ukrainian government's official support for terrorism in Africa, in the Sahel, and more specifically in Mali," he declared.

The remarks by Yusov and Pyvovarov "constitute acts of terrorism and an apology for terrorism," he added.

The Malian government has therefore decided to break off diplomatic relations immediately, to refer the matter to the competent judicial authorities, and to take the necessary measures to prevent any destabilization of Mali from African states, in particular from Ukrainian embassies in the sub-region, by terrorists disguised as diplomats, and to formally alert regional and international bodies as well as states that support Ukraine to the fact that this country has openly and publicly displayed its support for terrorism.

Mali considers support for Ukraine "as support for international terrorism" and an aggression which is part of "the broader pattern of certain actors who actively support and instrumentalize terrorist groups in the region.”