In a poignant ceremony near the Kremlin, over 70 Russians gathered on Sunday to honor Wagner fighters killed in a fierce battle against rebels and Islamist militants in Mali. The clash, one of the mercenary group's deadliest in Africa, occurred near Mali's border with Algeria.

Last month, the Wagner group reported significant losses among its fighters and Malian soldiers during intense fighting against Tuareg rebels and al Qaeda-affiliated Islamist fighters. The Tuareg rebels claimed they had killed at least 84 Wagner mercenaries and 47 Malian soldiers in late July.

In Moscow, just a few hundred meters from the Kremlin, dozens of Russians mourned the fallen. A man in military attire, adorned with Wagner badges, knelt before photos of the deceased. Under flags bearing the Wagner motto "Blood, Honor, Motherland, Courage," attendees lit candles and laid red carnations. A woman was seen weeping beside a photo of a fallen fighter.

Attendees at the memorial declined to comment when approached by Reuters.

Mali, which has experienced coups in 2020 and 2021, continues to fight a prolonged Islamist insurgency. The Malian government maintains that the Russian forces present are not Wagner mercenaries but trainers assisting local troops with Russian-supplied equipment.