The Kremlin planned to transfer an unspecified number of missiles and other military equipment to the Houthis in Yemen, but the deal was scuttled after diplomatic pressure from the US and Saudi Arabia.
This is what the Washington-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW) wrote today in its report on the war in Ukraine.
Russia's leaked plan speaks to its growing military partnership with Iran against Israel. The Kremlin probably aims to use proxies from Iran to indirectly confront the West.
The goal of this partnership is to influence the free world's decision-making.
According to the information, the Kremlin planned to transfer unspecified missiles and other military equipment to the Houthis in Yemen, but after diplomatic pressure did not do so.
Russia's reported plan underscores its growing military partnership with Iran and suggests that Russia may be aiming to use Iranian proxies to indirectly confront the West and shape Western decisions.
On August 2, CNN reported that US officials and other sources familiar with the matter said that Russia was preparing to deliver unspecified missiles and other military equipment to the Houthis in late July 2024, but abandoned the plan after diplomatic pressure from the US and Saudi Arabia.
U.S. officials reportedly said they were unsure whether the Saudi protests were the deciding factor in ending the planned transfer.
CNN's sources said at least three Russian military officials traveled to Yemen in late July 2024 to advise the Houthis and possibly assist them with live-fire exercises, which the Houthis later canceled.< /p>
U.S. officials have reportedly said Russia viewed arming and advising the Houthis as retaliation for the lifting of some U.S. restrictions on Ukraine's use of U.S.-supplied weapons for strikes on Russian soil.
p>
On June 6, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Russia would provide long-range strike capabilities to unspecified actors for strikes against the West as a "symmetric response" of the cancellation of some of these restrictions.
Russia's reported plans to support the Houthis to indirectly confront the West and threaten further escalation are in line with several Russian intelligence and hybrid operations aimed at encouraging the West to refrain from supporting Ukraine due to fears of confrontation with Russia.