Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Russia-Africa Summit in 2019 in Sochi, Russia. Mikhail Svetlov/Getty Images Joseph Siegle, University of Maryland Forty-three African heads of state attended the 2019 Russia-Africa summit. They had high hopes that Russia would emerge as a new source of investment and trade for the continent. Russian president Vladimir
Europe is set to counterbalance the burgeoning sway of the Kremlin in Africa, following the unsuccessful insurrection by the Wagner group, casting a shadow over its forthcoming role in the region. The private militia under Yevgeny Prigozhin’s command has provided military training and waged wars against rebels on behalf of autocratic governments, since
Natalya Chernyshova, Queen Mary University of London For Vladimir Putin, the abortive Wagner Group coup has been a humiliating affair that exposed his lack of control over military units ostensibly fighting for Russia. It was an episode that the Russian president is unlikely to forgive in a hurry. But for the Belarusian dictator,
Tracey German, King’s College London Even in such a fast-moving war, still some events have the ability to surprise. The decision by Wagner Group leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin, to launch an apparent coup attempt, leading his troops into Russia, where he occupied the military HQ in Rostov and was heading towards Moscow, appeared to
Tracey German, King’s College London One of the most notable features of Russia’s war in Ukraine has been Moscow’s increasing reliance on what are known as private military companies. Forces such as the Wagner Group led by Yevgeny Prigozhin have borne the brunt of much of the fiercest fighting, especially during the bloody
Barbara Yoxon, Lancaster University Russia is planning to buy “millions” of Soviet-era weapons from North Korea, a recent US intelligence report revealed. Britain’s defence intelligence has also confirmed that Russia is already using Iranian-made drones in Ukraine. The revelations follow a series of diplomatic exchanges between Russian president Vladimir Putin and North Korean
Matthew Sussex, Australian National University Russian President Vladimir Putin habitually rattles his nuclear sabres when things start looking grim for Moscow, and has done so long before his ill-advised invasion of Ukraine. In February 2008, he promised to target Ukraine with nuclear weapons if the United States stationed missile defences there. In August
Facts give the lie to Russia’s claim to be defending itself against an expansionist NATO. Moscow has always been the biggest threat to its neighbours, to freedom and to the whole of humanity. The regime of Vladimir Putin spends more than $300 million annually on disseminating its propaganda and disinformation in various languages
The Russian and Ukrainian governments both blamed forces aligned with the other for mortar fire in eastern Ukraine and for using the accusations as justification for increased aggression. AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda Scott Radnitz, University of Washington In the past few weeks, U.S. officials have warned several times that Russia plans to create the
Julien Théron, Sciences Po Talks between Russia and the west have failed. Moscow has described the situation in Ukraine as “intolerable” and “a matter of life or death”. The US president, Joe Biden, has predicted the Kremlin “will move in” to Ukraine. The impasse was reached when the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, insisted