Ukraine’s Special Forces unit has been confirmed to be present in Somalia’s capital, Mogadishu, supported by U.S. military officers training and advising the Somali army, a local military officer told our reporter.

The revelation came after an increase in illicit weapons sold in Mogadishu’s black market, including U.S.-made Javelin missiles reportedly provided as military aid to Ukraine by the U.S.

According to two Somali officers at Mogadishu airport, the Ukrainian Special Forces arrived months ago to counter potential Russian activities following concerns that Russia might become involved in Somalia.

Last month, Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud announced his interest in a security partnership with Russia and met with Russian Ambassador to Djibouti Mikhail Golovanov during his visit to Mogadishu.

Somali sources indicate that the Ukrainian Special Forces work closely with U.S. officers training and advising the Somali Danab force.

Their activities are supervised by Bancroft Global Development, a U.S. private security company active in Somalia for over a decade, providing logistical support to U.S. forces.

Bancroft focuses on securing mining sites, defending against armed forces, and distributing benefits among the population and local government.

The Somali government has yet to acknowledge the presence of Ukrainian forces amid growing concerns of a geopolitical crisis extending the Russia-Ukraine conflict to other regions.

However, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud recently attended the Ukraine peace conference in Switzerland, which concluded with a communiqué condemning Russia’s aggression in Ukraine.