Somalia’s deepening ties with Russia are more than transactional; they reflect frustration with existing security frameworks and a global contest for influence in Africa. For Moscow, Somalia is both a symbolic prize and a strategic outpost. For the West, this pivot must be read as a wake-up call: neglect and conditionality can drive even fragile partners toward revisionist powers. Whether this relationship evolves into a full military alliance or remains a bargaining chip, it marks a crucial turning point in the geopolitics of the Red Sea.
In 2025, Somalia’s growing political and military engagement with the Russia signals a dramatic shift in the Horn of Africa’s geopolitical alignment. Once a stronghold of Western influence, Somalia’s pivot toward Moscow highlights Moscow’s broader strategy to reassert itself in East Africa amid weakening U.S. and EU engagement..
