Russia

Russia is seeking to woo African countries this weekend at a summit in the Black Sea resort of Sochi, with President Vladimir Putin promising the continent "total support."Facing isolation in the West following its full-scale offensive against Ukraine, Moscow has tried to build new partnerships across Asia, Africa and the Middle East, promoting itself as a bulwark against what it calls Western domination on the international arena."Our country will continue to provide total support to our African friends in different sectors," Putin said in a speech read out by Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov to other foreign ministers and senior officials.The Kremlin leader, not attending the conference, said Russia's relations with Africa have been strengthening "more and more" in recent years.The conference is another chance for Russia to promote its vision of a "multipolar world" a month after it hosted a BRICS summit of major emerging economies.Russia was a major player in Africa in Soviet times and has been growing in influence on the continent in recent years, including militarily.Three West African countries Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso have turned their backs on former colonial power France since coming under military rule following a string of coups since 2020 and have pivoted towards Moscow.Russian mercenaries from the Wagner group or its successor, Africa Corps, now support several African governments and Russian "advisers" work with local officials.In 2023, Russia delivered more than $5 billion in arms to Africa, according to the state company Rosoboronexport.And major Russian firms also have significant investments in the continent, such as diamond miner Alrosa in Angola and Zimbabwe and the Lukoil energy giant in Nigeria, Ghana, Cameroon and Congo.Russia's narrative blasting Western "neocolonialism" is a message that resonates with some leaders across the continent."Russia is not a colonial power" and "has never been a colonial power," said Mali's Foreign Minister Abdoulaye Diop, on the sidelines of the Russia-Africa conference on Saturday."On the contrary, it has stood shoulder to shoulder with African peoples and other peoples around the world to help them emerge from the colonial system," he maintained.Russia was a major colonial power during the 18th and 19th centuries though not in Africa conquering territory in Europe, Siberia, the Caucasus and Central Asia to expand its borders across Eurasia.Burkina Faso's Foreign Minister Karamoko Jean-Marie Traore said a partnership with Russia was a better fit for his country than its historic ties with France."The offer which has been made through cooperation with Russia, is better suited to the people" of Burkina Faso, he told AFP in an interview on the sidelines of the Sochi summit.Both are countries that have moved closer to Moscow following military coups, and where Russian military instructors are deployed to help in a decade-long fight against Islamist insurgents.But Burkina Faso's Traore dismissed the idea Burkina Faso could become too reliant on Moscow."There is no room for fear, because we know what we want and where we want to go.
And we know how we want to work with our new partners," he told AFP.But some analysts are skeptical as to how deep Russia's interest really is.In an interview with AFP, Bakary Sambe, director of the Timbuktu Institute in Dakar, questioned whether Russia's involvement in Africa was a "real strategic priority" for the Kremlin."Would Russia take the same interest in Africa," he asked, if the conflict in Ukraine "came to an end?"





Unlimited Portal Access + Monthly Magazine - 12 issues


Contribute US to Start Broadcasting - It's Voluntary!


ADVERTISE


Merchandise (Peace Series)

 


Finland Moves to Seize Shuttered Stadium From Sanctioned Russian Oligarchs


Activists in Russia-Backed Abkhazia Released After Night of Protests


Iranian Bank Cards Now Usable in Russia


Russian Doctor Jailed 5.5 Years for Criticizing War During Patient Visit


Russian Lawmakers Pass Bill Banning ‘Childfree Propaganda’


Kursk Region Official Sacked Amid Protests Over Housing Compensation


Shoigu Tells China’s Foreign Minister That U.S. ‘Containment’ Must Be Countered


Rosneft Denies Reports of Mega Oil Merger Plans


Russian Strike on Zelensky’s Hometown Kills Mother, 3 Children, Minister Says


Russia’s FSB Says It Foiled Ukrainian Railway Attack in Crimea


What to Expect from Russia at COP29


Drone Strike on Belgorod Apartment Likely Russian, Investigation Claims


Russia Faces a Wave of Bankruptcies as Borrowing Costs Skyrocket


[Russia] - Court Rejects U.S.-Russian Woman's Appeal Against 'Treason' Sentence


Russia Arrests ICC Judge Mahfoudh in Absentia – Mediazona


[Russia] - Imprisoned Mother of Kadyrov Critic Faces New Charges


[Russia] - In Numbers: How Russia's Regions Entice Ukraine War Recruits With Money


[Russia] - Russia Blocks Screenings of New Trump Biopic


[Russia] - Russia Preparing Mass Government Layoff


Kremlin Denies Reports of Putin-Trump Phone Call Over Ukraine


Germany’s Scholz Says He Plans to Speak With Putin About Ukraine War ‘Soon’


[Russia] - Russia's FSB Says It Foiled Ukrainian Helicopter Plot


Trump Told Putin Not to Escalate Ukraine War in Post-Election Call – Washington Post


Kursk Region Refugees Protest Lack of Compensation, Housing


[Russia] - What Would North Korean Soldiers Do in UkraineThe presence


Russia’s Shoigu To Visit China Next Week


Putin Finalizes North Korea Defense Deal


[Russia] - Russia Suffers Worst Month for Casualties in Ukraine-- U.K. Defense Chief


Russia and Ukraine Launch Biggest Drone Attacks of War Yet


Putin Promises Africa ‘Total Support’ in Anti-West Pitch to Continent


[Russia] - Rwanda Counting on Russia to Train Nuclear Power Specialists


Russia to Explore Mega Oil Merger – WSJ


Burkina Faso Says Country Prefers Russia Partnership Over France


No ‘Trump Rally’ for Russian Stocks, Tycoons


Russia Says Summoned Canadian Diplomat to Reject Sabotage Accusations


Russia Seeks 6 Years in Prison for Medic for Criticizing Ukraine War


Russia Designates Stand-Up Comedian Denis Chuzhoi ‘Foreign Agent’


Russian Court Sentences 2 Soldiers to Life in Prison for Massacring Family in Occupied Ukraine


Russian Police Target Romani Community in Fresh Raids, Seizing Weapons and Issuing Draft Notices


Pro-Russia Hackers Ramp Up Cyber Attacks on South Korea, Presidential Office Says


Ukrainian Drone Strike Sparks Blaze at Oil Refinery in Russia’s Saratov Region


Russian Man Jailed 13 Years for Donating $54 to Ukrainian Army


Trump’s Win Gives Optimism to Russian Brokers


Russian General Alleged to Have Organized Torture Camp Killed in Ukraine – Reports


IKEA Sells Last Remaining Warehouse in Russia


Russia Signs Security, Energy Deals With Venezuela


Putin Says 'Ready' to Talk With 'Courageous' Trump


Russian Attack on Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia Kills 4, Wounds 40


Belarusian Leader Praises Trump, Says U.S. ’Not Ready’ for Female President


What Trump Has Said About Ukraine Over the Years


Offering Concessions to Russia ‘Suicidal’ for Europe, Zelensky Warns


Putin’s Guns-And-Butter Economics Take a Blow as Russia Turns to Turkish Dairy Farmers


Hundreds of Russian Tourists Stranded on Cruise Ship in Japan


Kremlin Hints at Possible Putin-Trump Call Before January Inauguration


3 Ways Trump's Victory Will Impact the Russian Economy


Trump Advisers Push to ‘Freeze’ War in Ukraine, Pause Kyiv’s Bid to Join NATO – WSJ


U.K. Sanctions Russian Mercenary Groups, Salisbury Poisoning Suspect


Russian Court Jails Foreign Student 14 Years for ‘Promoting Terrorism’


[Russia] - Putin Appoints Sacked Komi Head to Senior Defense Ministry Post


[Russia] - Kremlin Officials Hope Trump Will Hand Putin an Advantage in Ukraine-- and Europe


Russia Sees Surge in Schengen Zone Visa Demand Despite Travel Obstacles


[Russia] - Will a Second Trump Presidency Reshape U.S.-Russia Ties Specialists Weigh In


[Russia] - Russia's Central Bank Signals 'Very Likely' December Rate Hike


Putin Oversees Launch Ceremony for Russia’s Newest Nuclear Icebreaker


[Russia] - Russia's Supreme Court Upholds Prison Sentence for Ex-Rebel Commander Girkin


[Russia] - Putin Won't Congratulate Trump Just Yet, Top Spokesman Says


Russian Officials Cautiously Welcome Donald Trump's Re-Election


Zelensky Says He Hopes Trump ‘Victory’ Will Bring ‘Just Peace in Ukraine Closer’


[Russia] - Russian Officials Welcome Donald Trump's Re-Election


[Russia] - Russian Senators Ratify Defense Treaty With North Korea


In First, Ukrainian Drones Attack Russia’s Dagestan


Moscow Behind Incendiary Packages Sent Across Europe, Lithuanian Official Says


Ukrainian Drone Slams Into Apartment Complex in Russia’s Belgorod, Governor Says


Putin Sacks Scandal-Ridden Head of Komi Republic Amid Regional Shake-Up


[Russia] - Russia Launches 'Record' Number of Satellites Into Orbit, Including 2 Iranian-Built Devices


[Russia] - Kremlin Calls Moldovan Presidential Election 'Undemocratic' and 'Unfair'


Russian Strike on Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia Kills 6, Governor Says


[Russia] - Moscow Court Upholds 12.5-Year Sentence for U.S.-Russian Man on Drug Charges


[Russia] - Governors of Russia's Rostov, Tambov Regions Resign, Kicking Off Regional Shake-Up


Russian Engineer Jailed for 16 Years on Ukraine Spying Charges


[Russia] - Estonia Wants to Ban Russian Residents From Voting


Russia Demanded 'Neutralization' of Ukraine in Early Peace Treaty & Reports


Putin Met North Korean Foreign Minister, Kremlin Says


[Russia] - Russia to Intervene Against Seoul, Pay $200M for N. Korean Troops-- South Korean Lawmaker


Over 3,300 Foreigners Have Received Russian Citizenship for Fighting in Ukraine, Official Says


Steve Jobs Was Like Hitler, Russian State TV Boss Says


[Russia] - Indonesia, Russia Kick Off First Joint Naval Drills


Russia Claims Captured Ukraine Village Near Logistics Hub: Defense Ministry


[Russia] - Moscow Denies 'Baseless' Claim Russia Behind Fake United States Election Video





66