Grigory Yavlinsky on the dangerous partnership between Russia and Saudi Arabia and “Putin’s political post-modernism”, 09.10.2017
Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs already called the meeting between Putin and Saudi Arabia’s King an epochal event. It is true that the President of Russia met another civilization, the feudal epoch, in the Kremlin. This is probably the reason why the meeting was characterized as epochal. Putin’s Russia is immersing in this epoch, in feudalism, deeper and deeper. Recently Saudi Arabia was Russia’s gravest enemy, and now the “friendly” relations between the countries that suddenly intensified are as exotic as dangerous.

It is rather strange that [Russia] is giving a state reception to honour those whom they are gravely opposing in the Middle East at the same time: Russia’s army is almost directly fighting the House of Saud in Syria. It is an open secret that Saudi Arabia is one of the masterminds and main sponsors of ISIS, the very organisation that is banned in Russia. Moreover, Saudi Arabia funds Jabhat al-Nusra, another organisation banned in Russia. It was Jabhat al-Nusra that was attacking Russian militants in Syria recently (by the way, Russian militants are there despite Putin’s promise not to send land forces to Syria).

A short time ago, in 1990s and the beginning of 2000s, the House of Saud took a most active part in unfolding a bloody war in the territory of the Russian Federation: they sponsored and set up fighters in Chechnya and the North Caucasus. At that time Saudi Arabia considered the separatist processes in the south of Russia as a great opportunity for expansion and an optimal option for securing [its power] in the region. They also really tried to penetrate into Povolzhye and other regions of Russia right up to central Russia.

Then, in the mid 1990s, Saudi Arabia was promoting its ideological influence in Russia. Jihadist military strategy – the necessity of armed struggle for promoting radical Islam, extension of the sphere of influence of jihadist power, overthrow of Russia’s traditional Muslim institutions and a continuous territorial expansion – was almost openly propagandised by means of the so called charity foundations funded by the House of Saud.

Thus, for instance, according to the Middle East Institute, the House of Saud funded the issue of radical printed publication and the activity of separatists in villages of Chabanmakhi and Karamakhi, Dagestan, which actually turned into Wahhabi enclaves in the territory of the republic. The House of Saud considered these villages as a springboard for further military expansion in the North Caucasus. Moreover, it is a known fact that Saudis provided financial and technical support for a number of madrasahs in Russia that also delivered suicide bombers who exploded apartment blocks in Moscow (if we rely on the Federal Secutiry Service investigation, such a madrasah, for example, existed in Naberezhnye Chelny, Tatarstan).

According to Russia’s official media, the House of Saud is coming to Russia again after nearly 20 years but this time under the economic pretext. According to the Chechen Deputy Prime Minister, the Republic is expecting Saudi investment of tens of millions of dollars. Experts of the Middle East Institute claim Saudi Arabia’s investment in the Chechen economy will certainly be accompanied by serious ideological expansion. Until recently Turkey was doing the same thing by introducing educational programmes with ideological background simultaneously with its economic projects in Turkic-speaking regions of Russia. By the way, it is very difficult to fight such “educational foundations” under corruption in Russia. At the same time, the projects supported by European educational organisations are being accused of interference in Russia’s internal affairs and are being closed under various pretexts.

Head of the Chechen Republic has his own special relations with the House of Saud. It is suggested that this will help Putin solve the “delicate” issues with Saudi Arabia which turn out on the agenda in increasing frequency, for instance, in connection with taking hostages in Syria. And the fact that Kadyrov was given a warm welcome in Riyadh is not at all a coincidence.

The Kremlin’s flirtation with the House of Saud under the pretext of economic cooperation (and, probably, in view of promises to promote oil price improvement and help evading the sanctions) creates the prerequisites for the repetition of ideological and jihadist expansion of Saudi Arabia in the regions of Russia, especially in the North Caucasus and Povozhye. What other interest may Saudi Arabia have in Russia in the situation when the two countries are actually at war in Syria? Strengthening Kadyrov’s power?

It is likely that this “epochal” meeting between the President of Russia and the king of Saudi Arabia will come to nothing.

However, there might be “practical results”. If so, the more the results, the more long-term negative consequence we will get due to another display of Kremlin’s political shortsightedness. The House of Saud has its own definite plan: (for now) it will try to keep a dialogue with the USA while the sovereign Russia has nothing to do with their long-term strategy.
At the same time Saudis insist that Russia must cease supporting Saudi Arabia’s irreconcilable enemy, another aggressive player in the region – Iran. The Kremlin is trying to balance maneuver between two very dangerous regimes that have been at war with each other for years, and their rivalry is destabilising nears all the Middle East.
So, this is how Putin’s political post-modernism looks like:

– Russia’s war with the Sunni opposition in Syria that is sponsored by Saudi Arabia;

– Russia is bombing ISIS and Jabhat al-Nusra (in Idlib province), which are backed by Saudi Arabia;

– cynical oblivion of Saudi Arabia’s central role in the Chechen wars in 1990s and 2000s;

– ignorance of Saudi Arabia’s probable role in a large number of acts of terror that took place in Russia within 23 years;

– ignorance of the fact that the Saudis secret services are systemically promoting the jihadist ideology around the world;

– ignorance of the fact that Saudi Arabia remains the country with the most cruel medieval legislation even in comparison with other Arabian monarchies;

– Russia’s attempt to preserve the union with Iran and seeking mutual understanding with Saudi Arabia, Teheran’s major enemy in the Middle East, at the same time;

– ignorance of Saudi Arabia’s relation with Al-Qaeda and the acts of terror of 11th September;
And despite all this the Kremlin is trying to build almost allied relations with Riyadh with Kadyrov’s help.

One should also take into consideration that as a result of Kremlin’s policy Chechnya became an isolated region, which is connected with the rest of Russia not by means of state bodies or legislation, but by means of financial influence and Kadyrov’s personal devotion to Putin. The presence of a new rich and influential sponsor in Chechnya is a serious test for the supposed “devotion” and an evident threat to Russia’s security, not matter who will be head of the state in the future.

Putin mixed a thundering geopolitical cocktail by giving up any principals, ethics, values and logic in his foreign policy within the last five years. This is extremely dangerous for Russia’s present and future. Flirting with such a regime shows the lack of primary common sense. This is another step towards the path, which does not exist.