Russia Doubles Down on Iraq Despite COVID-19
... Nonetheless, Maksimov, the Russian ambassador, said that no official requests had been received yet. In his interview, he said, “Recent developments have undoubtedly attracted more interest in Russia’s air and missile defense systems, particularly S-400 anti-aircraft missile systems. Yet it is premature to get to specifics. So as I said before, if we receive the request from Iraq, we will work on it.” It also remains to be seen whether the two sides will cut a deal that entails different regional risks and could invite US sanctions. Besides, implementation would require a stable government in Baghdad. As snap parliamentary elections are possible in Iraq, serious discussions about military and technical cooperation may be postponed until a new government has been formed....
