Russia has sent an air defence system and 100 military trainers to Niger in West Africa. Military personnel from the Russian Ministry of Defence are to install the system and train Niger’s soldiers in its use, the Nigerien state broadcaster RTN reported late on Thursday. This was preceded by a telephone conversation between the head of the military junta, Abdourahamane Tchiani, and Russian President Vladimir Putin at the end of March. Until the military coup last July, Niger was the last democratic ally of the US, France and other European countries in the fight against Islamist militias in th…