The US government is considering whether to assassinate the leaders of the new military administration in Niger, who seized power in late July, the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) has said.

While the White House is “not satisfied” with events in the former French colony, it does not want to rely on military intervention by Niger’s regional neighbors, the assessment released by the SVR on Thursday claimed. Washington considers that a ‘wetwork’ solution by a proxy would be preferable to military action by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the Russian agency said.