UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Russia agreed Thursday to send a military unit of up to 150 personnel to help protect U.N. peacekeepers in South Sudan, where fighting has displaced hundreds of thousands of people and raised fears of a return to civil war..
The U.N. Security Council voted unanimously to authorize the deployment for a year. It will be the first time Russia has sent troops to a U.N. peacekeeping mission since 1994, when it contributed a battalion to the U.N. Protection Force in Bosnia and Herzegovina..
The Russian unit will be based in the capital, Juba, and will be responsible for protecting the U.N. mission’s headquarters and other key facilities. It will also be able to conduct patrols and provide security for U.N. personnel and civilians in the area..
The deployment of the Russian unit comes at a time of heightened tensions in South Sudan, where fighting between government forces and rebels has escalated in recent months. The conflict has displaced more than 200,000 people and raised fears of a return to the civil war that ravaged the country from 2013 to 2018..
The U.N. mission in South Sudan, known as UNMISS, has been operating in the country since 2011, when it was established to support the implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement that ended the civil war. UNMISS has a mandate to protect civilians, monitor human rights, and provide humanitarian assistance..
The deployment of the Russian unit will bring the total number of peacekeepers in South Sudan to over 17,000. The mission is currently led by Lieutenant General Shailesh Tinaikar of India..
Russia’s decision to send troops to South Sudan is a significant development, as it marks the first time the country has contributed to a U.N. peacekeeping mission in over two decades. It is also a sign of Russia’s growing interest in Africa, where it has been seeking to expand its influence in recent years..
The deployment of the Russian unit is likely to be welcomed by the U.N., which has been struggling to contain the violence in South Sudan. The mission has been criticized for failing to adequately protect civilians, and the addition of Russian troops could help to improve security in the country..
However, the deployment of the Russian unit is also likely to raise concerns among some Western countries, which have been critical of Russia’s human rights record and its role in the Syrian civil war. The United States, in particular, has been skeptical of Russia’s intentions in Africa, and it is likely to closely monitor the deployment of the Russian unit in South Sudan..
The deployment of the Russian unit is a complex issue with potential implications for the conflict in South Sudan and for Russia’s role in Africa. It remains to be seen how the deployment will affect the situation on the ground and whether it will help to bring peace and stability to South Sudan..
