By A Correspondent | ZimEye | In the wake of a diplomatic controversy, Zimbabwe’s Presidential Spokesman George Charamba has rushed to defend President Emmerson Mnangagwa following a video showing Mnangagwa pleading for military support from Russian President Vladimir Putin. Charamba’s statement, issued two days after the video surfaced, emphasizes the pursuit of peace and collaboration between Zimbabwe and Russia.

Charamba’s message reads:

“**FRUITS OF ENGAGEMENT IN THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION**: President ED Mnangagwa’s visit to Russia has been a runaway success; it has built on remarkable progress registered during the Russia-Africa Summit. That Zimbabwe was the only other country invited, alongside Bolivia, speaks volumes in terms of where Zimbabwe stands in the estimate of the Russian Federation. Only a few months ago, Zimbabwe celebrated the release of wheat grain and tonnes of fertilisers from the Russian Federation, as part of drought mitigation and resilience building against the El Niño factor.

During this visit, Agriculture came under special spotlight, with the Russian Federation making very clear and concrete commitments in the area, including sharing very specialized technology on food security and food sovereignty, in wet and dry times. The responsible Minister and Ministry will be following up sooner. Talks focused on Energy, both in the sense of boosting Zimbabwe’s power generation through nuclear, and in building a skills base for such sensitive technologies. On Science, Technology and Innovation, Zimbabwe boasts over 400 students pursuing studies in different disciplines in the Russian Federation. More than half of these are on scholarships offered by the Russian Government. There is burgeoning collaboration in Space Technology, with November this year as the month during which a major joint project will be announced. Also under discussion was Transport and Communications. NRZ team was in the Russian Federation, and concrete arrangements were arrived at.

Diplomatically, Russia and Zimbabwe continue to work towards a peaceful, polycentric world in which international affairs are conducted through UN rules and systems. #EngagementAndReengagement.”

Charamba’s statement seeks to shift the focus from Mnangagwa’s plea for military support to the broader successes of his visit to Russia. He highlights significant achievements in agriculture, energy, education, and technology, framing the trip as a triumph of diplomatic engagement and mutual cooperation.

The message concludes with an emphasis on peace and the pursuit of a balanced international order, countering the narrative of desperation and dependence depicted in the video. This attempt to reframe the situation underscores the importance of Zimbabwe’s relationship with Russia and the strategic importance both nations place on their partnership.