Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has firmly rejected accusations that it provided weapons or support to terrorists responsible for killing Ghanaian traders in Burkina Faso, calling the claims “false information”.
The response came after veteran Ghanaian journalist Kwesi Pratt Jnr alleged that Ukrainian intelligence had supplied the militants who attacked a group of Ghanaian tomato traders in northern Burkina Faso. Pratt made the allegation in comments that spread widely on social media and other platforms.
In an official statement, Heorhii Tykhyi, a spokesperson for Ukraine’s Foreign Affairs Ministry, said Kyiv had no involvement whatsoever in arming or backing any of the extremist groups accused of killing the traders. He described the claims as misinformation and urged that they should not be given credibility.
Tykhyi also suggested that such allegations were being shared to divert attention from ongoing diplomatic engagement between Ghana and Ukraine, including recent high-level talks. He insisted Ukraine remains committed to peaceful cooperation with African nations and respects Ghana’s sovereignty.
The original claim by Pratt centered on a terrorist attack in Burkina Faso, where several Ghanaian tomato traders were reportedly killed in an assault by Islamist militants in the town of Titao, close to the Ghana-Burkina Faso border. Ghanaian authorities have said the assault resulted in multiple deaths and injuries among the traders, but did not link the attackers to Ukraine.
Ghana’s Foreign Affairs Ministry has so far not made an official statement in direct response to Ukraine’s denial, but diplomatic channels between Accra and Kyiv have been active, focusing on broader security and cooperation issues. Experts say careful communication between both governments will be crucial to managing misunderstandings and preserving bilateral ties.
