Russia criticizes France's decision to end Operation Barkhane in Mali

France's decision to end Operation Barkhane and withdraw troops from the Takuba task force does not contribute to the restoration of security in Mali, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Friday.

Lavrov said such a step creates the danger of the emergence of "enclaves of anarchy," where militants who have already prepared for such actions, will operate unhindered.

"This threatens the territorial integrity of the country, as we have repeatedly told our French colleagues," Lavrov said at a news conference in Moscow, following a meeting with his Malian counterpart, Abdulaye Diop.

Lavrov called the dissatisfaction of French authorities concerning Mali's stance to seek security help from external structures "a relapse of colonial thinking," adding that "it is time for Europeans to get rid of it (colonial thinking)."