Russia's shadow: Military advisors in Algeria amid NATO tensions
The American think tank Robert Lansing Institute (RLI) reports on Russia's growing involvement in Algeria. Moscow has sent its military advisors there, including Gen. Sergey Surovikin, known as "General Armageddon."
By sending advisors to Algeria, Russia demonstrates that it has plans involving this country aimed at weakening NATO's southern flank. According to American experts, Russia also wants to diversify its African influence and move beyond Mali, the Central African Republic, and Sudan.
RLI believes that Moscow's strengthening in North Africa may indicate that it wants to exploit the current conflict between Algeria and Morocco over Western Sahara to strain Moroccan-Western ties and weaken U.S. influence in Rabat.
"Gen. Armageddon" among military experts in Algeria
American experts claim that among Russian military experts in Algeria is likely Gen. Sergey Surovikin (known as "General Armageddon"), a commander experienced in the wars in Syria and Ukraine. This information appears to be confirmed by Monday's reports from Russian media, which published a photo on the Russian embassy's channel in Algeria on Telegram. It was taken on Victory Day when the military and embassy staff visited the Serbian military cemetery from World War I in the Dali Ibrahim district of Algiers. The delegation laid flowers on the grave of a soldier from Russia.
The photo shows Surovikin walking through the necropolis next to Vladimir Tsukanov, the military attaché of Russia in Algeria. However, he was not named. He was only described as the "head of the group of military experts in Algeria."
According to RLI, the involvement of high-ranking figures like Gen. Surovikin indicates the significance of Moscow's intentions, and the alignment of Algeria's interests with Russian strategic goals, particularly in Western Sahara and Libya, may change the geopolitical contours of the Mediterranean and the Sahel.
Algeria's relations with the West are deteriorating day by day
Algerian seaports are also significant for the Kremlin, especially after losing access to the Syrian port of Tartus, which for years was the only one in the Mediterranean region capable of servicing Russian diesel-electric submarines that require regular refueling and servicing.
In connection with Russian activity in North Africa, the American think tank recently recommended that NATO increase the transparency of intelligence sharing regarding Russian activities on the African continent and that the European Union strengthen diplomatic engagement with Algeria to limit Moscow's harmful actions. It also recommended encouraging Morocco and Algeria to engage in dialogue regarding Western Sahara to limit Russia's ability to manipulate this conflict.
Meanwhile, whether under Russia's influence or not, contrary to these recommendations, France's relations with Algeria, one of the main European actors in this part of Africa, are deteriorating daily. On Monday, Algerian authorities expelled 15 French diplomats "for occupying irregular positions." On Tuesday, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot promised an "immediate and proportional response."
