#BREAKING: Russia’s Ambassador to Yemen still alive and well

A report on the scourge that is Fake News in the Middle East, and an ambassador’s murder that never was.

Americans have finally discovered the difficulty of following the news in the new fast moving world where every activist, proxy operator, and peon is an “independent journalist.”

Fake News.

On January 14, Saudi Arabian news outlets reported that the Russian Ambassador to Yemen, Vladimir Dedushkin, had been injured or even killed inside the Russian Embassy by intruding gunmen. The reports stated that the embassy had been stormed by gunmen of unknown affiliation, and the ambassador had been executed. The news spread across the world, spreading fear into the minds of observers in and outside of Yemen that the security situation for diplomatic personnel in the country had deteriorated to a point of no return.

The Russian Embassy in Sana’a, Yemen, is a proverbial fortress. Its security presence is only rivaled by the American and British embassy in the city. Fortress walls made to sustain RPG and VBIED attacks, multiple layers of security, Russian Special Forces operatives as part of the embassy quick reaction force on the inside, and loyalist Yemeni troops on the outside that receive extra financial incentives to not only do their job, but to do it well.

Tweet deleted by #Saudi media site that claimed #Russia‘s ambassador to #Yemen has been killed in capital Sanaa. #KabsahKlowns pic.twitter.com/12ZFFMYkg5

— Haykal Bafana (@BaFana3) January 14, 2017

As the news of the Russian Embassy falling and the death of yet another Russian Ambassador, the second one in as many months in the region spread across the world, a representative of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs pushed back: there had been no attacks on the compound, and no one had been shot. As a result of the Saudi Arabian news agency Barqs, the Russian media apparatus has gone on the offensive, stating through a multitude of accessible outlets that there had been no incident.

The Russian Embassy in Sana’a also denied the events when queried over the phone by Lima Charlie News. The Ambassador was stated as being otherwise occupied, but will be making a public appearance “shortly”, according to the person at the Embassy. Through the Russian News Agency TASS, the Embassy spokesperson had previously reiterated that “nothing like that has taken place here.”

Seemingly, what is ongoing here, is an attempt by Saudi outlets to cause a poorly structured PSYOPS and fake news campaign to disrupt Russian interests in the region. This probably in retaliation for Russia moving closer to Iran, and their moves in Syria and Egypt, which have been countering Saudi interests.

Ambassador Vladimir Dedushkin: #SaudiArabia has a decisive role in resolving #Yemen conflict https://t.co/aob7ro2t5X pic.twitter.com/weKZ5NBeEc

— MFA Russia ?? (@mfa_russia) November 6, 2015

Mr. Dedushkin has been the Russian representative in Yemen since August of 2013, and has on a number of occasions pinned blame of the current situation in Yemen on Saudi Arabia. In early November 2015, he was quoted as saying, “Saudi Arabia, in my view, has a decisive role in resolving this [the Yemeni] conflict. The key to its settlement is in the hands of Riyadh.” In early 2016, Dedushkin was mentioned as playing a major part in a Russian offer made to former Yemeni President Saleh of safe passage to Russia. Saleh was to live out his life under the protection of the Russian Federation, in exchange for him leaving Yemen and taking no part in subsequent Yemeni matters. This plot was leaked by Ahmed Obayed bin Dagher, Presidential Advisor to President Hadi.

In April of 2015, the Russian Consulate General in Aden was damaged by a Saudi led airstrike. This attack prompted the Russian diplomatic personnel in Aden to be evacuated out of the country or to the Embassy compound in Sana’a.

John Sjoholm, Lima Charlie News

John Sjoholm is Lima Charlie’s Middle East Bureau Chief, Managing Editor, and founder of the consulting firm Erudite Group. A seasoned expert on Middle East and North Africa matters, he has a background in security contracting and has served as a geopolitical advisor to regional leaders. He was educated in religion and languages in Sana’a, Yemen, and Cairo, Egypt, and has lived in the region since 2005, contributing to numerous Western-supported stabilisation projects. He currently resides in Jordan. Follow John on Twitter @JohnSjoholmLC

Lima Charlie World provides global news, featuring insight & analysis by military veterans, intelligence professionals and foreign policy experts Worldwide.

For up-to-date news, please follow us on twitter at @LimaCharlieNews