Is Ukraine Helping Al Qaeda Conquer West Africa?

The fastest-growing branch of Al Qaeda today is in West Africa. Earlier this week, former rock star Iyad Ag Ghali and his followers, known as JNIM, launched a massive uprising in the African nation of Mali, capturing several cities, killing Defense Minister Sadio Camara, and threatening Bamako, the capital. This lightning offensive by Al Qaeda had an unlikely source of support: Ukrainian-trained drone pilots.

For at least two years, Ukrainian spies have been supporting Azawad, an unrecognized ethnic Tuareg secessionist state, in its fight against the Malian government, which is backed by Russian troops...