It is easy to understand what African rulers see in the mercenary group Wagner. Its fighters can be deployed quickly. It brings sophisticated arms with it and can apply force speedily and ruthlessly. Alternative sources of military muscle have flaws: United Nations missions lack robust mandates; African Union (AU) forces …

Blink and you could have missed it. Within 36 hours, the challenge mounted against the Kremlin by Yevgeny Prigozhin, the leader of the mercenary private military company the Wagner Group, was over. On Friday June 23 2023, Prigozhin ordered 25,000 of his troops on to a “march for justice”, which …

It is increasingly clear that a rattled Vladimir Putin’s political end is approaching. All that really matters now is whether it comes sooner or later. Having appeared on national television to warn of a coup attempt by traitors – and an impending civil war – Putin abruptly reversed his position …

It is “inevitable” that demands by people in Russia’s regions against Moscow will increase but how radical they become is likely to depend on how long Putin’s centralizing course remains in place, Vadim Shtepa says. The longer the Kremlin leader continues his current course, the more radical they will become. …

The Palestinian Authority expressed concern on Monday about Russia’s recent decision to open a diplomatic office in Jerusalem. Palestinian Foreign Minister Riad Malki warned that the move could set a precedent for other countries, during a meeting with the Russian Ambassador to the PA Gocha Boachidze, in Ramallah, the ministry …

Iran’s Foreign Ministry affirmed its commitment on Monday to restore its strained relations with Azerbaijan. The statement, made by ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani at a press conference in Tehran, follows a recent phone call between Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and his Azerbaijani counterpart, Jeyhun Bayramov. Kanaani acknowledged progress in …

Syria’s reintegration into the Arab League will bolster pan-Arab collaboration, said Syria’s permanent representative to the Arab League, Hussam Eddin Ala, on Monday. Ala made these remarks during his meeting with Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul-Gheit, where he presented his credentials. Ala emphasized Syria’s commitment to strengthening ties with Arab …

Prigozhin’s Rebellion Ended Quickly, but It Spells Trouble for the Kremlin Russia’s war against Ukraine has destroyed the mystique of Russian President Vladimir Putin as an untouchable autocrat. Before February 24, 2022, Putin may have looked unscrupulous and aggressive, but through his military moves in Syria, Crimea, and beyond, he …

On June 26, 2023, Russian President Vladimir Putin gave a speech to the citizens of Russia about the Wagner Group’s mutiny against the Russian government on June 24.[1] In his speech, Putin stated that “the majority of Wagner Group soldiers and commanders are also Russian patriots, loyal to their people …

In April 2023, the first trilateral political consultation between the deputy foreign ministers of Iran, India and Armenia was held in Yerevan (Shargh Daily, April 21). The three countries focused primarily on “economic issues and regional communication channels,” and “the sides agreed to continue consultations in the trilateral format” (Mfa.am, …