# Is Burkina Faso helping Ukraine or Russia? Leaning toward Russia

Burkina Faso's support for Ukraine since 2022: <€1m (<0.01% of one year's GDP: its aid, refugee hosting, private donations and its other parts of support, net of money flowing back). Russia kept €749m (3.9% of GDP) more than without the war. The net is 3.9% of a year's GDP toward Russia (likely from 7.1% toward Russia to 0.80% toward Ukraine; likely toward Russia · 92%).

[Open in the map →](https://warbalance.org/#BFA)

Leaning toward Russia by

3.9% of a year's GDP since 2022

likely toward Russia · 92%

likely from 7.1% toward Russia to 0.80% toward Ukraine · €749m · ≈ 0.83%/yr

Supported Ukraine + raised Russia's earnings from trade = 3.9% of GDP toward Russia. Mostly toward Russia (mostly more fuel bought from Russia).

Chance toward Russia: 92%; 100% of the other method choices agree.

Support for Ukraine

Supported Ukraine with

<0.01%

<€1m

likely from 0.05% below zero to 0.01% above zero essentially zero

Russia's earnings from trade

Probably raised Russia's earnings from trade by

3.9%

€749m

likely from 7.1% toward Russia to 0.80% toward Ukraine likely toward Russia · 92%

Russia kept €749m (3.9% of GDP) more than without the war.

- Russia's gain: Russia kept 3.9% of GDP more (€749m; likely from 7.1% toward Russia to 0.80% toward Ukraine)
- Burkina Faso's own gain from trade with Russia: Burkina Faso kept <0.01% of GDP more from its trade with Russia (<€1m; about 0)

The two lines add up to Russia's earnings from trade; their ranges do not.

## Its story in short

- War-time fuel prices Russia kept €208m (1.1% of GDP) more because fuel prices rose with the war.
- Russian oil at a war-time discount After the sanctions, Russia sold it oil below world prices: about €89m over 2022–2026. What Russia kept on that oil is counted at those lower prices, in the part on fuel and goods it sold here: the sanctions working on prices, not a choice to buy less.
- Russian forces in the country Wagner Group or Russia's Africa Corps operated here: 2024, 2025, 2026. Paid to them and taken by their firms, at Russia's gain, against 2021: €6m.
- Mostly one part Russia kept more from fuel and goods sold here: €533m of the net's €749m.

## What decides this number

Chance toward Russia: 92%; 100% of the other method choices agree. Not certain, mostly because of how much it would have bought from Russia without the war.

## What makes up the number

Supported Ukraine with <0.01% · <€1m

Probably raised Russia's earnings from trade by 3.9% · €749m

| Russia kept more from fuel and goods sold hereC | −2.8% | €533m |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Russia kept more from war-time fuel pricesC | −1.1% | €208m |
| Russian forces paid here (Wagner / Africa Corps)D | −0.03% | €6m |
| Russia kept more from weapons sold hereD | −0.02% | €4m |
| Russia kept less from its oil bought via other countriesDown estimate | +0.01% | €3m |
| Russia kept more from services sold hereC | −<0.01% | €1m |

+ toward Ukraine, − toward Russia (in support for Ukraine, − is money it earned back or bought less from Ukraine than without the war). Letters: A reported, B measured estimate, C modelled estimate, D rough indication.

## By year

The year with the largest net amount was 2024: −€0.26bn.

| Year | Support for Ukraine | Trade: toward Ukraine (+) / toward Russia (−) | Net | Net since 2022 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [2022](https://warbalance.org/ukraine-aid-2022/) | +€1m | −€98m | −€98m | −0.51% |
| [2023](https://warbalance.org/ukraine-aid-2023/) | +<€1m | −€125m | −€125m | −1.2% |
| [2024](https://warbalance.org/ukraine-aid-2024/) | −<€1m | −€260m | −€260m | −2.5% |
| [2025](https://warbalance.org/ukraine-aid-2025/) | +<€1m | −€116m | −€116m | −3.1% |
| [2026](https://warbalance.org/ukraine-aid-2026/)\* | −<€1m | −€149m | −€150m | −3.9% |

Each year's amount: + toward Ukraine, − toward Russia. \*2026: to August.

## Trade with Russia before and after

It bought €0.18bn from Russia in 2021 and €0.62bn in 2025 (+250%). It sold <€1m to Russia in 2021 and €4m in 2025. Before the war (2018–2021), fuel was 77.8% of what it bought from Russia. For Burkina Faso: €208m paid above no-war prices, most of it in 2024. Most of this is fuel and food bought from Russia. Fuel is fungible and sold through many traders: the figure reflects what this economy bought, not a policy toward Russia or Ukraine. These are sales values at each year's prices; the totals count what the seller kept on them.

## What it bought from Russia, by fuel

Burkina Faso's purchases from Russia, 2022 to August 2026, by fuel: by its own customs records (CIF), on the map's basis (the Russian border price, FOB) and by CREA's tracker (ship data). The map's figure is the total on the map's basis.

| Fuel | Customs (CIF) | Map basis (FOB) | Tracker (CREA) | Quality |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Oil products | €2.2bn | €1.9bnrange €1.1bn to €3.1bn | not tracked | C (estimate) |
| Other goods | €0.59bn | €0.53bn | – | – |
| All goods | €2.8bn | €2.4bn | – | – |

Quality by year: 2022: C, 2023: C, 2024: C, 2025: C, 2026, January to August: C. C and D are estimates.

[Every buyer, by fuel →](https://warbalance.org/russian-oil-gas-buyers/#by-fuel)

## Sanctions on Russia

We found no sanctions of Burkina Faso's own against Russia (checked 27 October 2026). This says nothing about whether firms there follow other countries' sanctions. Russia's list of “unfriendly” states does not name Burkina Faso. Checked 27 October 2026.

[Every country's sanctions on Russia →](https://warbalance.org/countries-with-sanctions-on-russia/#BFA)

## The cost of switching away from Russian energy

Russian oil bought at a war-time discount saved it about €89m. This is not in the totals: shown for information.

## Compared with its neighbours and groups

Its direction is leaning toward Russia, so the map's ranking gives it no number.

### Neighbours by land

| Country | Net, % of GDP |
| --- | --- |
| [Mali](https://warbalance.org/country/mali/) | +0.06% · +€14m · essentially zero |
| [Niger](https://warbalance.org/country/niger/) | −<0.01% · −€2m · essentially zero |
| [Benin](https://warbalance.org/country/benin/) | −0.36% · −€65m · too close to call · 56% toward Russia |
| [Togo](https://warbalance.org/country/togo/) | −0.48% · −€43m · too close to call · 50% toward Russia |
| [Côte d'Ivoire](https://warbalance.org/country/cote-divoire/) | −0.71% · −€0.52bn · very likely · >99% |
| [Ghana](https://warbalance.org/country/ghana/) | −0.92% · −€0.68bn · very likely · 99% |
| Burkina Faso | −3.9% · −€0.75bn · likely toward Russia · 92% |

### In its region, with the same chance and direction: the nearest net shares of GDP

| Country | Net, % of GDP |
| --- | --- |
| [Senegal](https://warbalance.org/country/senegal/) | −2.1% · −€0.60bn · likely toward Russia · 76% |
| [Mozambique](https://warbalance.org/country/mozambique/) | −0.85% · −€0.16bn · likely toward Russia · 68% |
| [Namibia](https://warbalance.org/country/namibia/) | −0.83% · −€0.10bn · likely toward Russia · 77% |
| [United Arab Emirates](https://warbalance.org/country/united-arab-emirates/) | −0.71% · −€3.5bn · likely toward Russia · 97% |

## How the number is backed

16 sources back its parts: 2 official statistics, 6 research reports, 0 press reports and 2 of this project's own estimates, plus 6 method inputs. By size, 0% of its parts are reported or measured (A–B), 98% modelled (C) and 2% rough indications (D).

### Data coverage

- Aid to Ukraine: estimated no record found: 0, with a small upper bound
- Private donations: estimated national totals or a GDP-based estimate
- Services trade with Russia: estimated Eurostat, OECD-WTO and Bank of Russia data
- Refugee hosting: reported no refugees from Ukraine recorded
- Bought from Russia: estimated corrected for missing reports; only the paid share (95%) counts
- Sold to Russia: estimated partner data plus an estimate of goods reaching Russia via third countries
- Bought from Ukraine: estimated partly filled: mirror, reported
- Sold to Ukraine: estimated partly filled: estimated, mirror, reported
- Energy switching cost: estimated modelled per fuel and month
- Company taxes in Russia: reported no companies operating in Russia found

### Sources, by part

### Russia kept more from fuel and goods sold here C

- official · [UN Comtrade, IMF trade statistics and Eurostat: goods trade with Russia and Ukraine](https://comtradeapi.un.org/public/v1/preview/C/A/HS?period=2024&partnerCode=643&flowCode=M&cmdCode=TOTAL&customsCode=C00&motCode=0&partner2Code=0)
- research · [Trade with Russia for partners that do not report (Cuba, Venezuela, Syria, Libya, Iran...): tanker tracking, official statements](https://api.russiafossiltracker.com/v0/counter?format=csv&date\_from=2021-01-01&date\_to=2026-10-17&aggregate\_by=year,destination\_iso2,destination\_country,commodity\_group&commodity\_grouping=split\_gas\_oil&currency=EUR)
- research · [Russian oil exports lost to Ukraine's strikes on refineries, ports and the Druzhba pipeline, 2022-2026 (IEA Oil Market Reports, Kpler, KSE Institute, Reuters)](https://iea.blob.core.windows.net/assets/2b89a47b-34a2-40e0-90ff-68f7ccd80715/-13MAY2026\_\_OilMarketReport\_publicversion.pdf)

### Russia kept more from war-time fuel prices C

- own estimate · [War-time price windfall on Russian fuel: payments minus the same volume at the prices a no-war market expected (pre-invasion forecasts and futures: IMF, World Bank, EIA, ECB, ICE)](https://www.imf.org/-/media/files/publications/weo/2022/update/january/english/text.pdf)
- research · [Tanker shipping, insurance and ship sales serving Russian oil and LNG exports: CREA, KSE Institute, S&P Global, Windward, press reports](https://sanctions.kse.ua/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/ROT\_July-2026.pdf)

### Russian forces paid here (Wagner / Africa Corps) D

- research · [Wagner Group / Africa Corps: RUSI (2025), The Sentry, Blood Gold Report, UN Panels of Experts, US Treasury, EU and UK sanctions designations](https://www.rusi.org/explore-our-research/publications/occasional-papers/wagners-business-model-syria-and-africa-profit-and-patronage)

### Russia kept more from weapons sold here D

- research · [Russian arms exports by buyer: Rosoboronexport and FSVTS statements, SIPRI fact sheets, contract reporting (S-400, Su-35, Su-57)](https://www.sipri.org/sites/default/files/2026-03/fs\_2603\_at\_2025.pdf)

### Russia kept less from its oil bought via other countries D

- own estimate · [Laundered oil: fuel made from Russian crude, assigned to the final buyer (trading hubs pass on what they resell), valued at the Russian crude inside it](https://energyandcleanair.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/CREA\_PCC\_Refined-Oil-Analysis\_19.02.2024\_Rev\_15.04.2024.pdf)

- official · [UN Comtrade, IMF trade statistics and Eurostat: goods trade with Russia and Ukraine](https://comtradeapi.un.org/public/v1/preview/C/A/HS?period=2024&partnerCode=643&flowCode=M&cmdCode=TOTAL&customsCode=C00&motCode=0&partner2Code=0)
- research · [Trade with Russia for partners that do not report (Cuba, Venezuela, Syria, Libya, Iran...): tanker tracking, official statements](https://api.russiafossiltracker.com/v0/counter?format=csv&date\_from=2021-01-01&date\_to=2026-10-17&aggregate\_by=year,destination\_iso2,destination\_country,commodity\_group&commodity\_grouping=split\_gas\_oil&currency=EUR)
- method input · [Price levels of what was traded with Russia and Ukraine (2019-2021 = 1): each buyer's own customs unit values per fuel and for other goods, benchmark indices (CREA, World Bank, Eurostat), gas contract prices; oil at the Russian port (FOB), outliers screened](https://comtradeapi.un.org/public/v1/preview/C/A/HS?period=2023&partnerCode=643&cmdCode=TOTAL&flowCode=M)
- method input · [Expected trade without the war: models back-tested on 2008, 2013 and 2016 against holding 2021 flat (UN Comtrade, World Bank WDI and commodity prices, UN voting)](https://comtradeapi.un.org/public/v1/preview/C/A/HS?period=2021&partnerCode=643&flowCode=X&cmdCode=TOTAL)
- method input · [Ranges of the 2022-2026 total measured on the back-tests' cumulative errors; own bands tested on their own history for Mongolia, Yemen, Tajikistan, Moldova, Türkiye, Kenya, Peru and French Polynesia](https://comtradeapi.un.org/public/v1/preview/C/A/HS?reporterCode=498&period=2019&flowCode=M&partnerCode=643&cmdCode=99,2711,27,31,TOTAL)
- method input · [Russia's net gain per euro of exports (taxes plus profit above a normal return): Russian Finance Ministry, company reports, IEA, Rosstat](https://minfin.gov.ru/ru/statistics/fedbud/oil)
- research · [Russian oil exports lost to Ukraine's strikes on refineries, ports and the Druzhba pipeline, 2022-2026 (IEA Oil Market Reports, Kpler, KSE Institute, Reuters)](https://iea.blob.core.windows.net/assets/2b89a47b-34a2-40e0-90ff-68f7ccd80715/-13MAY2026\_\_OilMarketReport\_publicversion.pdf)
- research · [Russia's 2023 gasoline and diesel export ban: decree No. 1537 (21 Sep 2023), exemptions and the export volumes lost (Reuters/LSEG, Bloomberg/Vortexa, Interfax, Enerdata)](https://hydrocarbonprocessing.com/news/2023/10/russian-seaborne-diesel-exports-fell-by-20-in-early-october/)
- method input · [net-gain shares from official sector profitability (Russia: FNS/Rosstat by OKVED-2 activity; Ukraine: Derzhstat by KVED division), export duties collected and company results](https://www.consultant.ru/document/cons\_doc\_LAW\_55729/df3929054ebc0ff6d666accad51e6fedca8c75fe/)
- method input · [refugee hosting budgets, remittance mirror shares, national donation totals, Hong Kong gold 2026 and OECD ITIC freight margins](https://www.oecd.org/content/dam/oecd/en/publications/reports/2022/10/international-migration-outlook-2022\_140ace0e/30fe16d2-en.pdf)
- own estimate · [War-time price windfall on Russian fuel: payments minus the same volume at the prices a no-war market expected (pre-invasion forecasts and futures: IMF, World Bank, EIA, ECB, ICE)](https://www.imf.org/-/media/files/publications/weo/2022/update/january/english/text.pdf)
- research · [Tanker shipping, insurance and ship sales serving Russian oil and LNG exports: CREA, KSE Institute, S&P Global, Windward, press reports](https://sanctions.kse.ua/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/ROT\_July-2026.pdf)
- research · [Wagner Group / Africa Corps: RUSI (2025), The Sentry, Blood Gold Report, UN Panels of Experts, US Treasury, EU and UK sanctions designations](https://www.rusi.org/explore-our-research/publications/occasional-papers/wagners-business-model-syria-and-africa-profit-and-patronage)
- research · [Russian arms exports by buyer: Rosoboronexport and FSVTS statements, SIPRI fact sheets, contract reporting (S-400, Su-35, Su-57)](https://www.sipri.org/sites/default/files/2026-03/fs\_2603\_at\_2025.pdf)
- own estimate · [Laundered oil: fuel made from Russian crude, assigned to the final buyer (trading hubs pass on what they resell), valued at the Russian crude inside it](https://energyandcleanair.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/CREA\_PCC\_Refined-Oil-Analysis\_19.02.2024\_Rev\_15.04.2024.pdf)
- official · [Services trade with Russia (tourism, transport, business services): Eurostat, OECD-WTO BaTiS, Bank of Russia](https://sdmx.oecd.org/public/rest/data/OECD.SDD.TPS,DSD\_BATIS@DF\_BATIS,1.0/.RUS...S...?startPeriod=2010&endPeriod=2021)

## Questions

### Is Burkina Faso helping Russia?

In money terms the net is −3.9% of one year's GDP (likely from 7.1% toward Russia to 0.80% toward Ukraine; likely toward Russia · 92%). Chance toward Russia: 92%; 100% of the other method choices agree. Russia kept €749m (3.9% of GDP) more than without the war. Most of this is fuel and food bought from Russia. Fuel is fungible and sold through many traders: the figure reflects what this economy bought, not a policy toward Russia or Ukraine. The number counts money: weapons at their money value; votes, diplomacy and intent are not in it.

### Does Burkina Faso trade with Russia?

It bought €0.62bn from Russia in 2025 (€0.18bn in 2021), and sold €4m to Russia. What counts here is the change in what Russia kept from that trade (taxes and profit, not sales) against a world without the war: Russia kept €749m (3.9% of GDP) more than without the war.

### How does Burkina Faso compare with its neighbours?

The net as a share of one year's GDP: Mali +0.06%, Niger −<0.01%, Benin −0.36%, Togo −0.48%, Côte d'Ivoire −0.71%, Ghana −0.92%, Burkina Faso −3.9%.

### Where do the numbers for Burkina Faso come from?

16 sources back its parts, 2 of them official statistics. By part: Russia kept more from fuel and goods sold here: [UN Comtrade, IMF trade statistics and Eurostat: goods trade with Russia and Ukraine](https://comtradeapi.un.org/public/v1/preview/C/A/HS?period=2024&partnerCode=643&flowCode=M&cmdCode=TOTAL&customsCode=C00&motCode=0&partner2Code=0); Russia kept more from war-time fuel prices: [War-time price windfall on Russian fuel: payments minus the same volume at the prices a no-war market expected (pre-invasion forecasts and futures: IMF, World Bank, EIA, ECB, ICE)](https://www.imf.org/-/media/files/publications/weo/2022/update/january/english/text.pdf); Russian forces paid here (Wagner / Africa Corps): [Wagner Group / Africa Corps: RUSI (2025), The Sentry, Blood Gold Report, UN Panels of Experts, US Treasury, EU and UK sanctions designations](https://www.rusi.org/explore-our-research/publications/occasional-papers/wagners-business-model-syria-and-africa-profit-and-patronage). The map's panel lists every one, with its documents.

### Does Burkina Faso have sanctions on Russia?

We found no sanctions of Burkina Faso's own against Russia (checked 27 October 2026). This says nothing about whether firms there follow other countries' sanctions. Russia's list of “unfriendly” states does not name Burkina Faso.

## Nearby in the ranking

Leaning toward Russia

- [Djibouti](https://warbalance.org/country/djibouti/) · −1.6% · Leaning toward Russia · −€59m · 89%
- [North Macedonia](https://warbalance.org/country/north-macedonia/) · −2.1% · Leaning toward Russia · −€298m · 87%
- [Senegal](https://warbalance.org/country/senegal/) · −2.1% · Leaning toward Russia · −€600m · 76%
- Burkina Faso−3.9% · Leaning toward Russia · −€749m · 92%
- [Georgia](https://warbalance.org/country/georgia/) · −4.1% · Leaning toward Russia · −€1.2bn · 87%
- [Central African Republic](https://warbalance.org/country/central-african-republic/) · −4.8% · Leaning toward Russia · −€115m · 92%
- [Mongolia](https://warbalance.org/country/mongolia/) · −6.4% · Leaning toward Russia · −€1.2bn · 77%

## More about Burkina Faso

### Its parts, ranked against other countries

- [Russia's gain on fuel and goods it sold](https://warbalance.org/russia-earnings-from-fuel-and-goods/)
- [Russia's gain from war-time fuel prices](https://warbalance.org/russia-war-time-fuel-prices/)
- [Weapons bought from Russia](https://warbalance.org/buyers-of-russian-weapons/)

### Every country, by year

- [2022](https://warbalance.org/ukraine-aid-2022/)
- [2023](https://warbalance.org/ukraine-aid-2023/)
- [2024](https://warbalance.org/ukraine-aid-2024/)
- [2025](https://warbalance.org/ukraine-aid-2025/)
- [2026](https://warbalance.org/ukraine-aid-2026/)
- [All topics](https://warbalance.org/topics/)

16 sources in all; the map's panel lists every one, with its documents. [Open in the map](https://warbalance.org/#BFA) · [How this is measured](https://warbalance.org/how-it-works/)

[Українська](https://warbalance.org/uk/country/burkina-faso/)[Deutsch](https://warbalance.org/de/country/burkina-faso/)[Français](https://warbalance.org/fr/country/burkina-faso/)[Polski](https://warbalance.org/pl/country/burkina-faso/)[Nederlands](https://warbalance.org/nl/country/burkina-faso/)[Español](https://warbalance.org/es/country/burkina-faso/)

Cite as: War Balance, figures to August 2026, https://warbalance.org/country/burkina-faso/