For several months, rumors have been circulating about Moscow’s rapprochement with the Houthis as part of support for the armed group in its war against Israel and the West. However, in the country, Moscow is playing a double game between supporting the Houthis and formalizing its presence.
Since 2022, Abdelmalek al-Ejri, deputy spokesman for the Houthis Mohamed Abdulsalam, has been making numerous trips to Moscow to meet with the Kremlin. In 2022, he was photographed in Moscow with Hashim Ismail Ali, governor of the Central Bank of Sanaa. According to a source, the delegation made a request to Moscow to facilitate the minting of its currencies. In the end, the Russians did not follow up.
Twice, al-Ejri mentions a mission to Russia to meet with the authorities in 2024. First in January 2024, probably on the 21st during the Lenin holiday mentioned in a post. The delegation led by Houthi spokesman Mohamed Abdulsalam meets with Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov in charge of the Middle East and Africa to discuss the situation in Gaza, the role of the Houthis in the attacks on ships and the evolution of the relationship with Saudi Arabia.
Then, in early July 2024, the delegation led by Mohamed Abdulsalam met Mikhail Bogdanov again in Russia.
Beyond the Houthis’ diplomatic visits to Russia, the mutual support between Moscow and the armed group seems to be effective. In early October, Viktor Bout, the famous Russian arms dealer, was seen in Aden negotiating an arms sale for the Houthis. This information was confirmed to INPACT by different sources following the publication in the WSJ. Since September, videos have started to emerge on social networks (see here and here) and articles published about the transfer of Yemeni men to fight for Russia in Ukraine. This human trafficking network was recently confirmed by the FT.
This human trafficking network is managed by the company Al Jabri General Trading & Investment, whose owner is Abed Al Wali Abdu Hassan Al-Jabri, former commander of the 115th Houthi Brigade until 2019 and member of parliament. Created since 2022, the company, registered 1450240, is said to serve as a front for Al-Jabri to traffic weapons according to human and online sources.
Since August 19, 2024, the company has had a tour operator license according to the commercial register. This is a technique used by other fighter transport networks in Africa.
According to our research, the men are recruited in Yemen, some in restaurants in Amman, then brought to Muscat, the capital of Oman via the company which is registered near Salalah. On site, a Russian representative named Dimitri participates in the management with Mohammed Qasim Mahyoub Al-Olyani the company’s representative in Oman and member of the Houthis and Hani Mohammed Ali Al-Zuraiqi, the company’s representative in Russia. From there, the recruits leave via Dubai in Russia before being dispatched to the field.
Russia is nevertheless engaging in double-dealing. In parallel with this mutual support with the Houthis, Moscow is trying to establish a more official presence in Yemen by reopening an embassy in Aden in 2025 (the team in charge of Yemen affairs is in Saudi Arabia). In the official photos of a large Russian delegation in October 2024, we can see Alexander Kinshak, director of Middle Eastern and African affairs, as well as Pavel Korolev, 3rd secretary of the Russian Embassy in Yemen. The delegation is then talking with the Yemeni government.
Behind the scenes of the October visit, diplomatic attaché Egor Chopun Valegura prepares for 2025.
Investigations with Impact 
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