Rashad al-Alimi, Chairman of Yemen's Presidential Leadership Council, has accepted the credentials of Russia's new Ambassador to Yemen, Yevgeny Kudrov, according to a statement from al-Alimi's office.
The credential presentation ceremony took place at the Maashiq Palace in Aden, Yemen's temporary capital. During the meeting, Ambassador Kudrov conveyed greetings from Russian President Vladimir Putin, along with wishes for "health and well-being to the Council head, and security, stability, and peace to the Yemeni people."
The council chairman pledged to "provide the Russian Ambassador with all necessary support and assistance for the successful performance of his diplomatic mission and for strengthening the historical relations between the two friendly countries." He also "highly appreciated Russia's position, which consistently supports the Yemeni people, their constitutional legitimacy, and national institutions across all international platforms."
In late May, Putin and al-Alimi held talks in the Kremlin, where the Russian leader highlighted prospects for developing economic cooperation between the two nations, including in mining and energy sectors. The Yemeni official, in turn, emphasized his government's hope for Russian assistance in resolving the country's conflict. Putin appointed Kudrov as Ambassador to Yemen on October 1.
Yemen has been engulfed in conflict since August 2014, pitting government forces against Houthi rebel supporters from the "Ansar Allah" movement. The conflict escalated significantly in March 2015 with the intervention of a Saudi-led coalition. The civil war has caused a unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe, with UN data indicating over 24 million Yemenis—approximately 80% of the population—requiring humanitarian assistance, while internally displaced persons exceed 4 million.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Based on materials from TASS