Algerian Army Chief of Staff Said Chengriha met with the head of the Russian Federal Service for military-technical cooperation Dmitry Shugaev yesterday to discuss military-technical cooperation. To tell the truth, the news is not surprising, as the strong military ties and the cordially "fraternal" relations between the two countries are now known, especially thanks to the supplies -"discreet" and with contracts free from constraints- of Russian armaments for the defense of Algiers, third among Moscow's clients after India and China. In addition to Su-30 and MiG-29 fighter planes, Mi-26 and Mi-28 helicopters, armored vehicles and Kilo-class submarines, the Algerians have also purchased the Tos-1 rocket launcher system from Russia in recent years, among others.

The meeting took place at the headquarters of the Algerian People's National Army in the capital Algiers, where the two sides also discussed regional and international issues of common interest, the Algerian defense ministry said in a statement reported by the local press. This is Shugaev's third visit to Algeria in 15 months, following his previous ones in March and November 2022.

Just one incident: together with the director general of Rosoboronexport (the Russian State agency that deals with the export of defense materials) Alexander Mikheev , the director of the Russian National Guard Viktor Zolotov, and eight deputy ministers for a total of 11 persons, since March 15 of last year Shugaev has been on the US State Department list of persons subject to asset seizure and sanctions in connection with the Russian invasion of Ukraine under EO 14024 Section 1(a) (i).

According to some analysts, the growing Russian-Algerian military cooperation worries the West. If on the one hand Moscow intensifies this cooperation to compensate for the economic losses due to the sanctions adopted for the events in Ukraine, Algiers -which has already received greater attention from Europe thanks to its energy resources, in particular from Italy and France, linked to the reduction of Russian energy supplies due to the well-known facts, he gains from it in the discussion aimed at future military orders.

Finally, let us not forget that Algeria abstained from voting on the United Nations resolution condemning the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the total war of March 2, along with nations such as Cuba and China. Russia, on the other hand, has chosen to take a neutral position in the conflict over Western Sahara, a former Spanish territory that Morocco claims in conflict with the Algerian-backed Polisario Front.