Putin appoints former pro-Polisario diplomat as ambassador to Morocco

Russian President Vladimir Putin has appointed Igor Belyaev as ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to Morocco, Russian state media reported on Tuesday.

The diplomat is already well acquainted with the region, having served as Russia’s ambassador to Algeria from July 2017 to May 2022. During that time, he stood out for statements favorable to the Polisario, particularly after Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced in March 2022 his support for Morocco’s autonomy plan for the Sahara.

In an interview with an Algerian media outlet in April 2022, Igor Belyaev claimed that Spain had come under «pressure from certain parties». He also stressed that «historically, and because of its status as a former colonial power, Spain bears a special responsibility toward the Sahrawi people. For decades, the Spanish government supported the rights of the Sahrawi people.»

Those remarks prompted reactions, especially because they departed from the diplomatic restraint generally observed by ambassadors. One month after that media appearance, Igor Belyaev was relieved of his duties in Algiers.