The Story

What are Vladimir Putin's mercenaries doing in West Africa?

When a cargo plane containing four helicopters and a large consignment of military hardware touched down in the capital of Mali last month, observers raised an eyebrow. The kit was definitely from Russia – but was this the Russian army, or something else?This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today and get one month free at: <a href="https://www.thetimes.co.uk/subscribe/digital/?utm_source=podcast&amp;utm_medium=audio&amp;utm_campaign=podcastsubs&amp;utm_content=storiesofourtimes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes</a>. Guest: Roger Boyes, diplomatic editor, The Times.Host: Manveen Rana.Clips: Al Jazeera, BBC, NBC, Euronews, France 24, Reuters. Hosted on Acast. See <a href="https://acast.com/privacy" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color:grey;" target="_blank">acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.

The Story: the flagship podcast from The Times and Sunday Times. One remarkable story, told in depth, each day. Hosts Manveen Rana and Luke Jones take you to the heart of the story you need to know with exclusive reports and investigations. Plus, each month, William Hague hosts an agenda-setting interview with a key newsmaker or thinker. Discover the story behind the story with world-class journalism from The Times and Sunday Times. The Story is available at the start of your day from Monday to Friday, with bonus ‘Inside the Newsroom’ episodes every Saturday for Times subscribers, available by connecting your subscription via Apple Podcasts. Hosted on Acast. See <a href="https://acast.com/privacy" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color:grey;" target="_blank">acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.