Vol 64 No 3 | RUSSIASAHEL Resurrecting the 'Russosphere' 2nd February 2023 The spike in pro-Russian sentiment in the Sahel has been linked to an obscure Belgian activist, Luc Michel. Describing himself as a 'Stalinist', Michel, 65, founded a Belgian...
Vol 64 No 2 | RUSSIAAFRICA IN 2023 Moscow's goals are global not local 6th January 2023 President Putin's backing for authoritarian regimes in West and Central Africa bolsters his confrontation with France and the EU The Kremlin is working hard to diversify its influence in Africa and involve more of the Russian state in it, as far as international sanctions imposed after the...
DISPATCHES Vol 63 No 24 | ALGERIARUSSIAEUROPEAN UNION Moscow mounts a military show in the desert 22nd November 2022 President Tebboune's anti-terror mission with Russian forces unsettles Morocco and European governments Sending some important diplomatic signals, Algeria's joint anti-terrorist drills with Russian troops – known as Desert Shield 2022 – in the Bechar region near the border with Morocco... READ FOR FREE
DISPATCHES Vol 63 No 16 | UNITED STATESRUSSIAFRANCEAFRICA President Macron and Foreign Minister Lavrov vie for influence in pan-African tours this week 26th July 2022 Russia and its western rivals are ratcheting up the blame game over deepening international financial and production crises On parallel tracks across Africa, this week France and Russia are trying to win the information war over which state or alliance of states is responsible for the... READ FOR FREE
Vol 63 No 13 | SOUTH AFRICARUSSIA How manganese pipeline helps the ANC 23rd June 2022 The ruling party's ambivalence on Ukraine reflects its parlous finances as well as its internal feuding and ideological posturing A transparency law on political party funding has embarrassed the ruling African National Congress by revealing its links to Viktor Vekselberg, a Russian oligarch under global sanctions. This...
DISPATCHES Vol 63 No 13 | RUSSIAEUROPEAN UNIONAFRICA Key Putin ally Prigozhin loses appeal on Wagner mercenary sanctions 14th June 2022 Geopolitical rivalries are driving courtroom fights against Moscow's allies linked to private security and mining operations in conflict zones in Africa The European Court of Justice's rejection of an appeal against sanctions by Kremlin favourite Yevgeny Prigozhin, who controls private military contractor the Wagner Group, will complicate the group's... READ FOR FREE
Vol 63 No 12 | RUSSIAEUROPEAN UNIONAFRICAN UNION Deepening food and fuel crisis prompts emergency summits 2nd June 2022 AU Chief Macky Sall to meet Russia's Vladimir Putin over trapped grain stocks after EU pledges more cash for African farmers In a bid to unblock vital stocks of wheat and fertiliser, Senegal's President Macky Sall is to meet Russia's President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on 3 June. Sall,...
Vol 63 No 12 | SOUTH AFRICARUSSIA Moscow's missing tankers 9th June 2022 As Russia seeks to evade western sanctions on oil and gas exports, mystery surrounds the fate of two super-tankers loaded with 4.2 million barrels of Russian crude oil...
Vol 63 No 11 | SOUTH AFRICARUSSIA Diplomacy on ice 26th May 2022 Pretoria’s position on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is complicating its economic and political relations The international argument over how to respond Moscow's invasion of Ukraine played out, with some diplomatic grace, when Germany's Chancellor Olaf Scholz visited President Cyril Ramaphosa in Pretoria...
Vol 63 No 9 | SOUTH AFRICARUSSIA War offers Ramaphosa more options 28th April 2022 African mining and energy companies move into new markets and try to steer around sanctions on Russia Moscow's invasion of Ukraine and western sanctions complicate strategy for some South African mining companies but other African companies are benefiting as Europe scrambles for alternative sources of...