Venezuela, Iran, Mali: Why Russia is Facing Increasing Criticism?

Russia has watched the fall of its allies without military intervention, including the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime in Syria at the end of 2024, the capture of Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela in January 2026, and the assassination of Ali Khamenei in Iran in February 2026. The withdrawal of the Russian Afrika Korps from Kidal in Mali has also raised doubts about Russia's reliability as a guarantor power. These events fuel criticism of Moscow's ability to support its partners under external pressure.