Mali may need help of thousands of Russian military instructors: Officers Union

Moscow [Russia], October 6 (ANI/Sputnik): From 1,000 to several thousand military instructors from Russia should be deployed to Mali to assist the counterterrorism effort there, Alexander Ivanov, the General Director of the Officer's Union for International Security, told Sputnik in an interview.
"Taking into consideration my perspective of the situation and the level of their armed structures, I assume that from 1,000 to several thousand instructors may be required. I cannot tell you exact numbers," Ivanov said.
In September, the Malian authorities sought the assistance of a private Russian company in the wake of France's decision to significantly reduce its military contingent engaged in the fight against terrorists. On September 30, Russia sent two Mi-171Sh and two M-175V combat helicopters to Mali. (ANI/Sputnik)