 Russia is preparing for war in the territory of Niger with U.S. and European military forces. A Russian military cargo plane has brought a team of instructors and various equipment to assist the Nigerian Army with counter-terrorism training according to the West African nation's media reports. The Russian instructors arrived in the country on Wednesday night, public broadcast radio television Du Niger reported, airing footage of a military plane unloading cargo. We are here to train the Nigerian Army to develop military cooperation between Russia and Niger, said a man in camouflage interviewed by radio television Du Niger. We have a lot of experience in fighting terrorism and we are here to share this experience with our friends. Another Russian specialist told Sputnik, the African Corps here will be building relations and jointly forming and training the Nigerian Army, he added. We brought with us the educational and material base for the training of various specialists. The Russian Defense Ministry has yet to confirm the scope of the mission, but radio television Du Niger claimed in a face book post that the instructors will also install an air defense system in Niger. Niger's transitional leader Abdulrahman Chiani and Russian President Vladimir Putin committed to coordinating efforts to combat terrorism in the Sahel region last month. According to the Kremlin, the issue was discussed when the West African nation's leader called Putin to express solidarity with Moscow following a terrorist attack at Crocus City Hall. Since taking power after the ouster of pro-western president Mohammed Bazoum last year, the new leadership in Niami has taken measures to sever ties with former partners, citing their failure to quell jihadist violence in the Sahel, which had been the goal of their engagement. France completed the withdrawal of its troops from Niger in December after Niami ordered them to leave, accusing the former colonial power of internal meddling. Washington, however, has ruled out disengagement from Niger for now, even after Niami revoked an agreement with the U.S. on March 16 that had allowed some 1,000 American troops and civilian contractors to operate in the landlocked nation. Russia's artillery advantage over Ukraine could soon reach 10 to 1, top U.S. general. U.S. general Christopher Cavalli, the Supreme Commander of NATO's Allied Forces Europe, has warned that without U.S. support for Ukraine, Russia's artillery advantage on the battlefield will be further enhanced. According to Reuters, Cavalli said this at a hearing of the U.S. House of Representatives Armed Services Committee. Cavalli said that Russia is currently firing five artillery shells for every one fired by Ukrainian forces, and this disparity could increase to 10 to 1 in the coming weeks. If one side can shoot and the other side can't shoot back, the side that can't shoot back loses, so the stakes are very high. They're really dependent this year on us, Mr. Chairman, and without our support, they will not be able to prevail, he added. The top U.S. general in NATO also warned that without further U.S. support, Ukraine would run out of artillery shells and air defense interceptors in fairly short order. The U.S. Congress has been unable to approve additional funding for military aid to Ukraine since last autumn due to disagreements over migration policy and pressure from far-right Republicans on House Speaker Mike Johnson. Amid the months-long dispute in Congress, Johnson announced that the aid package for Ukraine would include some important innovations, including the possibility of providing aid on credit. However, disputes between Republicans in the House of Representatives may lead to the long-awaited decision on funding to support Ukraine and other allies being postponed again. Almost two months have passed since the Senate approved a $95 billion aid package for Ukraine, Israel and other allies in a bipartisan 70-29 vote. Johnson has so far refused to bring that bill up for a vote, which some lawmakers have said would likely secure enough votes to pass, despite opposition by some hard-line Republicans as well as growing Democratic concern about providing more money to Israel in its war against Hamas in Gaza.