In Focus | Mozambique, Russia
Moscow muscles in as protector of oil firms in Cabo Delgado
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Building on from its presence in Central African Republic and Libya, Moscow is determined to create a firm footing in Mozambique, a country that for 20 years was a Soviet outpost. Like in Bangui, the main vector for Russian influence here is military support to local forces working to combat an insurrection that has rocked Cabo Delgado province since October 5, 2017. Yet, Western oil firms present in the region are beginning to become uncomfortable with this arrangement.
Despite its domineering size the Antonov An-124's was able to land largely unobserved in Mozambique's second largest airport, deserted since is inauguration by Odebrecht in 2014. The heavyweight Russian airlifter and its cargo of military equipment touched down on Sunday, February 23, 2020, at the international airport of Nacala in the south of Cabo Delgado province after a short stopover in Egypt (read our serial). It had left Ulan-Ude's Baikal International Airport, not far from the Ulan-Ude Aviation
