France, Sept. 25 -- Since the war in Gaza erupted in 2023, governments around the world have been making their voices heard, whether they are staunch supporters of Israel or pleading the Palestinian cause. But Russia's position, which has received little media coverage, is harder to define.

"I'm struck by the silence of the Russian press on the latest events in Gaza," says Jean de Gliniasty, research director at the French Institute for International and Strategic Affairs (Iris) and a former ambassador to Moscow. "So far, there's been no strong reaction."

YetMoscow's involvement in the Middle East crisis goes back decades, and it has played a significant role.

In 1948, the Soviet Union became the first state to recognise Israel, which ...