Russia uses Navy Day to try to create coalition against West – ISW

Russia used the Navy Day celebrations to demonstrate relations with a number of non-Western states as part of its efforts to create a supposedly Russian-led group of states to unite against the West. 

Source: Institute for the Study of War (ISW)

Details: Naval forces from China, Algeria and India showcased their ships at the Main Naval Parade in St Petersburg. Delegates from 31 nations, including Azerbaijan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Cuba, Libya, Myanmar, Syria, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and South Africa, attended the event.

Russian Deputy Defence Minister Alexander Fomin engaged in talks with Hu Zhongming, the Commander of the People's Liberation Army Navy, focusing on enhancing maritime cooperation between Russia and China. He also held a meeting with Win Htein, the Commander of Myanmar’s Navy, to discuss expanding naval cooperation.

In a separate diplomatic meeting, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Malaysian Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan met in Kuala Lumpur on 28 July, agreeing to strengthen bilateral diplomatic ties between their countries.

Recently, Russia has been expanding its cooperation with several of these nations, including Venezuela, Cuba, India and Vietnam.

To quote the ISW’s Key Takeaways on 28 July:  

• Russian leader Vladimir Putin continues to use nuclear sabre-rattling to target Western decision-making and promote Western self-deterrence.
• Russia used Navy Day celebrations to showcase Russia's relations with a number of non-Western states as part of efforts to create a supposed Russian-led group of states to rally against the West.
• Ukrainian forces conducted a drone strike against a Russian oil depot in Polevaya, Kursk Oblast, on the night of 27-28 July.
• A rebel coalition in Mali reportedly killed and wounded dozens of Russian servicemen and Wagner Group mercenaries as well as a prominent Wagner-affiliated military blogger on the Mali-Algeria border on 27 July.
• Primorsky Krai Governor Oleg Kozhemyako recently announced the creation of an independent volunteer unit to police migrants as the Russian government continues efforts to expand its control over migrants in Russia.
• Russian forces recently advanced northwest of Avdiivka, west of Donetsk City, and in western Zaporizhzhia Oblast, and Ukrainian forces recently regained lost positions on the Siversk front.
• Ukrainian military observer Kostiantyn Mashovets assessed that the Russian military may need to accumulate up to 320,000 additional personnel in Ukraine in order to achieve its reported plans to deploy 690,000 troops in Ukraine.

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