Amidst swirling accusations of supplying arms to the Houthi rebels, Russia has reiterated its support for the internationally recognized Yemeni government. Yevgeny Kudrov, chargé d'affaires at the Russian embassy in Yemen, confirmed this support on Tuesday, October 8th, during a meeting with Yemeni Foreign Minister Shaya Al-Zindani, according to the official Saba news agency.

The meeting covered a range of topics, including bilateral relations, regional and international issues of mutual concern, and the current political situation in Yemen. Kudrov emphasized Russia's readiness to assist Yemen across various sectors.

This statement follows a denial from the Kremlin on Monday, October 7th, refuting Western reports alleging that Russia is supplying arms to the Houthi group, which is designated a terrorist organization by several countries. The Kremlin dismissed a Wall Street Journal report detailing alleged attempts by Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout to sell small arms to the Houthis as "fabricated."

The Wall Street Journal report stated that Bout, released in a 2022 prisoner exchange with the US after serving a sentence for arms trafficking, had resumed international arms dealings. Over the past few months, numerous reports in American and Western media have surfaced, claiming Russia is supplying the Houthis with missiles and weapons in response to Western arms shipments to Ukraine.

This is the first official Russian response to these allegations. The Houthis have recently escalated attacks on maritime targets in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, claiming these actions are in retaliation for the ongoing conflict in Gaza. The timing of Russia's renewed pledge of support to the Yemeni government comes against a backdrop of increasing international scrutiny of its alleged involvement in the Yemeni conflict.