Russian backing for the ruling junta has not stopped rebel fighters striking significant blows in recent days Mali in turmoil after insurgents seize towns and kill defence minister Russian backing for the ruling junta has not stopped rebel fighters striking significant blows in recent days Mali in turmoil after insurgents seize towns and kill defence minister W hen Assimi Goïta, the leader of Mali’s military junta, sat down with the Russian president, Vladimir Putin , in the Kremlin last summer,