Russia

Putin appoints third special envoy to Syria

Putin's decision to appoint a new special envoy for developing relations with Syria likely has several aims, including to balance military and diplomatic involvement in Russia's Syria policy.

Anton Mardasov | Russia in Syria | May 28, 2020

Russian President Vladimir Putin, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad attend a meeting in Damascus, Syria, Jan. 7, 2020. Photo by Sputnik/Aleksey Nikolskyi/Kremlin via REUTERS.

Is Russia pulling support from Libyan strongman Hifter?

While Russia doesn't want to see Khalifa Hifter’s self-styled Libyan National Army collapse, there are signs Moscow’s interests may align more closely with other figures in the country’s eastern government.

Kirill Semenov | Libya conflict | May 13, 2020

Is the new OPEC+ deal a win for Russia?

The new OPEC+ deal has some advantages for Russia but some of the potential long-term implications may be dire for Moscow.

Maxim A. Suchkov | Oil and gas | Apr 12, 2020

Intel: Why Russia is getting involved in Mideast COVID-19 fight

Syria has requested assisted from Moscow to fight the coronavirus outbreak, as Russia implements a campaign to cultivate its image as a "caring power," approaching Middle East leaders to work together against the spread of the virus.

Maxim A. Suchkov | Russian influence | Apr 9, 2020

Intel: What’s next for Russia-Turkey cooperation after Erdogan, Putin call?

On April 1, Russian President Vladimir Putin held a phone conversation with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan to discuss potential cooperation in tackling the COVID-19 pandemic, the next steps in joint efforts in Syria as well as the developments in Libya.

Maxim A. Suchkov | Idlib | Apr 2, 2020