RUSSIA RELATIONS WITH KEY LATIN AMERICAN PARTNERS

Cooperation between Russia and selected countries in Latin America and the Caribbean (including Cuba, Nicaragua, Venezuela and Brazil) has been developing since the 2000s. For the Russian Federation, the primary value of this region lies in its geographical proximity to the United States. In the last two decades Russia has played roles such as an investor in the energy sector, a supplier of arms and armaments; it also provided the Sputnik V vaccine against COVID-19. For Latin American countries, relations with Russia afford greater autonomy compared to those with the US, as well as diversification of their export markets. The objective of this article is to analyze the main dimensions of mutual cooperation and relations between Russia and its key partners in LAC region and to demonstrate how the Russian invasion of Ukraine has altered these dynamics. Russia has forged lasting partnerships with three authoritarian regimes in the region: Nicaragua, Cuba, and Venezuela. Furthermore, Brazil, a member of the BRICS alliance, plays a pivotal role in Russia's strategy to challenge U.S. dominance in the region and promote a multipolar world order. Since the beginning of its invasion of Ukraine in early 2022, Russia has been intensifying its efforts to gain partners and bolster its image as a global power. The analysis revealed that after two years of full-scale war Russia’s relations with its key partners in Latin America remain more political or geopolitical than commercial in nature, yet these relations are mutually beneficial. Futhermore, despite the heterogeneous nature of LAC countries, Russia enjoys considerable political support for its actions in this region.