Putin Loses Allies: Why Iran and Venezuela Are Disappointed with the Kremlin.

Loss of Support from Strategic Partners

According to TSN.ua: Vladimir Putin is losing support from strategic partners against the backdrop of the war in Ukraine, particularly from Iran and Venezuela. Venezuelan elites have expressed disappointment regarding the insufficient Russian support in defending against threats, while Iran faces internal protests and external challenges.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has focused on the war in Ukraine, which, according to Venezuelan officials, has led to significant problems in relations with Moscow. Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro and his entourage consider these security relations to be a 'paper tiger.' Maduro's capture by American forces was a shock to Venezuelan elites, as they believed that Russian intelligence services, along with Cuban ones, would be able to detect a threat to his capture. However, the facts indicate that these services failed to identify any threats.

Furthermore, Venezuela complains about the failures of Russian air defense systems S-300 and Buk-M2, which also undermines trust in Russian military technologies. It is significant that Russia has not provided adequate technical support to Venezuela, which only exacerbates the sense of disappointment among Venezuelan elites.

Tense Situation in Iran

Meanwhile, in Iran, where the supreme leader is Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the situation is also tense. Protests are ongoing in the country, posing a threat to Khamenei's regime. Russian military transport planes have begun to make frequent flights to Tehran, which may indicate Moscow's attempts to strengthen ties with Iran; however, internal problems in Iran do not diminish the overall sense of instability.

Overall, authoritarian regimes that previously benefited from their close ties to the Kremlin are now facing a lack of Russian support when it mattered most, as noted by Bloomberg. This situation could indicate a gradual loss of Russia's influence on the international stage, especially among its traditional allies.

The loss of support from Iran and Venezuela points to growing problems for Russia in foreign policy, which could lead to further escalation of the situation in the region. These events demonstrate that authoritarian regimes that once hoped for support from the Kremlin are beginning to question the effectiveness of Russian strategies in security matters. Thus, this could lead to new political and economic challenges for both the countries themselves and for Russia as a whole.