- August 10, 2024
- 6:46 pm
- Middle East
In the article The Jerusalem Postprepared by Leonid Barats, examines Russia’s active support for Iran and its proxy groups, such as Hezbollah, which are involved in conflicts against Israel. As the study notes, the Kremlin regularly invites representatives of terrorist groups such as Fatah, Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis and Islamic Jihad to Moscow, which highlights Russia’s strategic rapprochement with these forces. It also mentions that Russia has expanded cooperation with Iran to the point of jointly launching satellites, allegedly used by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
Russian diplomat Alexander Rudakov said in an interview that Moscow is ready to support Hezbollah in the event of a conflict in Lebanon, claiming that Israel is using banned phosphorus bombs. Putin, according to the study, describes the situation in Gaza as “the destruction of civilians,” which also increases tensions in the region. The article emphasizes that Putin is a key figure supporting forces that pose a threat to Israel. His open support for Iran and strengthening ties with anti-Israel groups undermines security in the region, which Russia uses to increase its influence and weaken the position of Western countries, especially the United States and its allies.
The Moscow Patriarchate, the study notes, plays a critical role in Russia’s soft power, using its presence in Jerusalem to advance Russian interests. The Patriarchate provides aid to Palestinians, runs clinics, supports agriculture, restores churches, and engages in interfaith outreach, positioning the church as a protector of Christian minorities while advancing Russia’s regional interests.
Russia’s influence through NGOs such as the Imperial Orthodox Palestine Society (IOPS) is also described in the study. The organizations are led by agents close to Putin, including Sergei Stepashin and Vladimir Kalanda. Archimandrite Vassian (Zmeyev) was appointed head of the “Russian Orthodox Spiritual Mission” in Jerusalem in 2023, despite his previous accusations of espionage.
Other Russian NGOs influence local politics by infiltrating the offices of the Red Cross, the UN, and the Palestinian Authority. Russian cyber operations and disinformation campaigns have also been documented to exacerbate tensions in Israel. Russia uses bots to spread false casualty figures in Gaza, presenting footage of civilians killed in Syria.
Alexander Dugin, the chief ideologist of Russian expansion, argues in the study that Jerusalem is “originally Russian” and calls for its capture, similar to what he has previously said about Crimea and other Ukrainian territories. Russia is also building new military bases in Syria, near the border with Israel, and plans to create a military port in Port Sudan on the Red Sea, as well as new joint exercises with the Syrian army.
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