Russia used Navy Day to form anti-Western coalition - ISW
Putin is trying to create a coalition of countries to counter the West (photo: Russian media).
The Russian Federation used the celebration of Navy Day to attempt to form a coalition of several Asian and Middle Eastern countries against the West, reports the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).
It is noted that the naval parade in St. Petersburg featured ships from the navies of China, Algeria, and India. In total, representatives from 31 countries attended the events, including Azerbaijan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Cuba, Libya, Myanmar, Syria, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and South Africa.
The ISW report highlights that Russian Deputy Defense Minister Alexander Fomin met with the Commander of the People's Liberation Army Navy of China, Hu Zhongmin, to discuss naval cooperation between Russia and China.
Additionally, Fomin met with Myanmar’s Navy Chief, Win Htein, to discuss further naval collaboration between Myanmar and Russia.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov also met with Malaysian Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan in Kuala Lumpur, agreeing to expand Russian-Malaysian diplomatic contacts.
"Russia has recently increased its cooperation with a number of these states, including Venezuela, Cuba, India, and Vietnam," - reports the ISW.
The report also recalls that Russian President Vladimir Putin has been using nuclear saber-rattling to deter the West and influence decision-making processes in Western countries.
Putin's actions are in response to US plans to deploy medium-range missiles in Germany by 2026, aimed at demonstrating NATO’s commitment.
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock supported the US intentions, stating that Putin is continuously expanding his missile arsenal, which poses a threat to Europe.
