The government of Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega has authorised Russian troops, planes and ships to deploy to Nicaragua for purposes of training, law enforcement or emergency response.[1]
Russia wants to continue its military cooperation with Serbia, its main ally, while also encouraging the militarization of the Republic Srpska in terms of military influence. Although Belgrade is content with the level of cooperation it currently enjoys with Moscow, it aspires to avoid becoming a Russian stronghold in the Balkans. In reality, Russia is just one of many security players in the Balkans, competing with China and being overshadowed by NATO.[5]
In 2018, according to Russian news agencies, the agreement was signed by the C.A.R.'s Marie-Noelle Koyara and Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu outside of a state-sponsored arms show.[8]
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov announced increased military assistance for the Malian military junta while visiting Mali. Mali's efforts to put down an Islamist insurgency in the Sahel will be supported, according to Moscow.[10]
Zimbabwe and Russia plan to develop military-technical cooperation, in which the eastern European country would intensify its supply of weapons to the Zimbabwean army.[11]
On January 20, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Iranian Defense Minister Hossein Dehghan signed an intergovernmental agreement on "long term and multifaceted" military cooperation in Tehran, Iran. For the first time in 15 years, a Russian defense minister is visiting Iran, underscoring the growing military and diplomatic ties between the two countries as well as their shared opposition to American foreign policy in the Middle East and elsewhere.[16]
Lawmakers in Kazakhstan have ratified an updated military cooperation deal with Russia that replaces a previous emphasis on issues like nuclear disarmament in favor of regional security, anti-terrorism and cybersecurity.[17]