On 2 March, UN General Assembly called on Russia to “immediately” withdraw from Ukraine. A large – overwhelming – majority passed this resolution. 141 countries voted in favor, 35 abstained – including China. Besides Russia, only Belarus, Syria, Eritrea, and North Korea voted against. These five countries are the ones that still support Putin to a lesser or greater extent.
The African country is also referred to as the “North Korea of Africa.” Arbitrary arrests, extra-judicial killings and torture are the order of the day here. As a result, the EU imposed sanctions against the country. For years, the autocratic president Isaias Afewerki has ruled Eritrea, which is also primarily isolated internationally. However, Eritrea’s location on the Horn of Africa makes it geopolitically interesting for Russia, so Afewerki is naturally not opposed to a donor.