Condottiere
LE
The above quoted RUSI paper gives a good summary. France left the door open to Russia when it withdrew its forces from the CAR. It believed that diplomacy and international cooperation could achieve its aims. But.......That series of success of Russian-backed CAR forces, Rwandan and DRC forces against the rebels has immediately been exploited by a victory parade in Bangui, the CAR Capital where food stuff prices had boomed from the moment the MSR from Cameroon had been cut.
Valery Zakharov, adviser to the President of CAR on national security issues, was also seen at the march (blue suit).
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With these military results, the Russians are bringing rare good news to the Government and the population of CAR; this can only reinforce their position and develop their influence in CAR which is right next door to the mineral rich DRC.
Russia’s Strategy in the Central African Republic
As violence intensifies in the Central African Republic, Russia is expanding its military and diplomatic involvement in the conflict., On 22 December, Russia expanded its military intervention in the Central African Republic (CAR) by deploying 300 military instructors to the war-torn country...rusi.org
Moscow has thus shown again that it always plays the zero-sum game and will always seek to gain the upper hand in any diplomatic arrangement. France, like its democratic allies views diplomacy as a finding a solution to problems based on mutual cooperation and benefit, "give and take" so to speak. For Moscow it has always been "take". It only gives when forced to concede,
