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The Algerian army is in disarray with Russian supplies running low
acceleration Algeria To find an alternative to the Russian weapons, which have declined greatly due to the war effort in Ukraine.
Algeria has long been the third buyer of Russian weapons, which make up more than 80% of its arsenal. The war in Ukraine has disrupted major deals, including a $7 billion buyout Russian weapons.
Russia lost its tanks and directed its war industry to meet the needs of its army in Ukraine Where her assumptions of blitzkrieg failed. in making way for what appears to be a protracted war of attrition on both sides.
Algerian kingmaker and chief of staff Said Chengriha raised the army’s budget to a record $23 billion. This year while struggling to find suppliers. He visited France as well Brazil to conclude supply deals.
However, replacing Russia would prove to be a herculean task and a long-term endeavor that would disrupt the interoperability of its Russian arsenal.
Even Russian dealerships are like a bunch Wagner They complain of a shortage of weapons supplies. The head of the paramilitary group, Yevgeny Prigozhin, said that he had received only 10% of the promised weapons.
While Russia burns its weapons stockpile and returns long-discontinued Soviet-era tanks to service. And Russian arms exports are declining to supply the war effort.
Western sanctions
Deals have also been hit Russian weapons From Western sanctions along with the Russian military industry. And the Center for International Strategic Studies said in a recent report that the sanctions disrupted the supply chains of the Russian defense industry. Especially in the fields of semiconductors, night vision technology and avionics.
And the war in Ukraine was also a difficult test for Russian military equipment. And yet, progress Ukrainian resistance backed by Western armament, put up fierce resistance
Maintenance is also an issue where it will struggle Algerian army To receive Russian technicians and engineers for compensation.
Algerian-Russian relations after the invasion of Ukraine
Algeria and Moscow began to develop economic and security relations between them in the sixties of the last century, when they became Russia The main supplier. arms to Algeria at a time when the newly independent country sought to build up its army.
This close defense relationship continues to this day. Since 2002, nearly 76 percent of the imports have come Algeria. of weapons from Russia, Algeria is regularly one of the top five destinations in the world for Russian weapons.
In October 2022, Algeria hosted the Russian Navy to conduct joint naval exercises; According to some reports. The following month, the two sides conducted another joint exercise along the Moroccan border. Although Algerian officials denied this news.
But despite this affinity, you try Algeria Constantly achieving a balance between its relationship with Russia and its desire to adopt the principle of non-alignment. on the world stage.
This position sometimes poses a challenge to its historical relationship with Moscow, especially recently in the UN session after Russian invasion,. When, in April, Algeria voted in favor of a United Nations General Assembly resolution recognizing “the aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine.”
Whereas, since the beginning of the war, it abstained from voting in five sessions of the General Assembly on war-related resolutions. On the other hand, Algeria benefited from the secondary effects of the Russian invasion, most notably the desire of European countries to stop relying on Russian natural gas.
For example, Algeria is now the largest supplier of natural gas to Italy, which previously imported most of its natural gas from Russia.
Reprioritizing defense?
Adoption may turn Algeria The historical Russian military support is also a weak point because the effects of the Ukraine war. It impedes Moscow’s ability to sell arms and weapons-related equipment, given that the invasion effectively hampered Russian arms exports. all over the world.
If Algeria is considering looking elsewhere, it will have many options given its status as a major arms importer. Beyond Russia, Algeria imports most of its defense equipment since 2002 from China (about 7%) and Germany (about 6%). and Italy (about 3%).
It is likely to seek China In particular, to bridge the Russian gap, given that the United States described China in 2019 as the fastest growing exporter of weapons in the world over the past fifteen years. The People’s Republic has used its sales from Armed drones To Algeria and other countries in the region as a starting point for marketing other, more advanced platforms.
Washington may also consider using the possibilities of arms sales and security cooperation, particularly with regard to counterterrorism. As a way to pull Algeria out of orbit Moscow.
This desire helped push the US Secretary of Defense during Trump’s presidency, Mark Esper, to visit Algeria in 2020, and that was the first visit. It is being undertaken by a US Secretary of Defense while he has been in office since 2006, at a time when there was, “the opportunity, perhaps to pave the way” for the establishment of bilateral defense relations,. According to a US defense official.
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