MOGADISHU (Kaab TV) – In a rare and unprecedented diplomatic move, Somalia’s Speaker of the Upper House (Senate) of the Federal Parliament, Abdi Hashi Abdullahi, has made a high-profile visit to Moscow, signaling what appears to be a deepening Russian interest in Somalia’s fractured political landscape.
The 78-year-old speaker, known for his hardline nationalist stance, has been absent from the public eye in recent months.
However, on Tuesday, the Somali Senate released a brief statement and photographs showing Abdullahi meeting with Vyacheslav Volodin, Speaker of the State Duma—the lower house of Russia’s Federal Assembly.
According to the Senate’s statement, the two parliamentary leaders discussed strengthening bilateral ties between Somalia and Russia, particularly in legislative cooperation and representation.
Both sides agreed to form a Somalia–Russia friendship committee aimed at promoting long-term parliamentary and governmental cooperation, the statement said.
“They emphasized the importance of exchanging experiences and best practices in legislation and public representation,” the statement read. “The Speaker expressed his gratitude for the warm welcome and noted that enhanced cooperation would further strengthen the relationship between the two countries.”
Russian Footprint Expanding in the region
Abdullahi’s visit comes amid a noticeable uptick in Russian diplomatic activity in Somalia and the wider Horn of Africa region.
While the autonomous regions of Puntland and Jubaland have recently severed ties with Mogadishu, and Somaliland continues to operate independently, Moscow has stepped up its efforts to gain influence—particularly in southern Somalia’s troubled part.
Russia had earlier attempted to court Somaliland, eyeing the strategic Berbera port along the Red Sea, but Hargeisa rebuffed those overtures in favor of a potential U.S. partnership.
In contrast, Somalia’s federal government has welcomed Russian delegations.
In April 2025, Mikhail Bogdanov, Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister and Special Presidential Representative for the Middle East and Africa, visited Mogadishu and met with senior Somali officials, including President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud.
The Somali Ministry of Foreign Affairs later confirmed that Foreign Minister Ahmed Moallim Fiqi hosted a luncheon in honor of the Russian delegation, although details of the meetings remain undisclosed.
Earlier this year, in February, the Russian state news agency Sputnik launched its first African editorial center in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Analysts view this move as part of Moscow’s effort to expand its information and influence operations in Africa, amplifying pro-Russian narratives in the region amid the ongoing war in Ukraine.
Who is Vyacheslav Volodin?
The man hosting Speaker Abdullahi in Moscow, Vyacheslav Volodin, is more than just a parliamentary leader.
He is a key figure within Russia’s political elite, closely aligned with President Vladimir Putin and often categorized among the “siloviki”—a term used for officials from Russia’s security and intelligence services who now dominate political power.
A former Deputy Prime Minister and former Head of the Government Executive Office, Volodin is a senior member of the ruling United Russia party. He is widely known for his unwavering support for Putin and once famously declared: “If there is Putin, there is Russia. If there is no Putin, there is no Russia.”
Volodin has been sanctioned by the United States, European Union, United Kingdom, and other Western governments for his role in backing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and supporting repressive domestic legislation.
Also present at the Tuesday meeting was Somalia’s Ambassador to Moscow, Mohamed Abukar Subeyr, a former employee at the Somali Prime Minister’s Office.
According to parliamentary sources and insiders at the Somali embassy, Subeyr played a key role in facilitating the meeting.
He is reportedly facing financial and personal challenges, and has been linked to dealings with Russian state security. On one occasion, he was even reported to have met with representatives of the Wagner Group.
The visit by Somalia’s upper house speaker to Moscow marks a potential pivot in Somalia’s foreign alignment, as Russia seeks to fill political vacuums and expand its influence across Africa.