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Yury Barmin, an analyst of Russia’s foreign policy in the Middle East, is a MENA expert at the Russian International Affairs Council. Yury holds a master's degree in international relations from the University of Cambridge. On Twitter: @russia_mideast
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![Members of Libyan National Army (LNA) commanded by Khalifa Haftar, get ready before heading out of Benghazi to reinforce the troops advancing to Tripoli, in Benghazi, Libya April 13, 2019. REUTERS/Esam Omran Al-Fetori - RC1B9C0FEEB0](/sites/default/files/styles/article_header/public/almpics/2019/05/RTX6RIW2.jpg/RTX6RIW2.jpg?h=a5ae579a&itok=uvCfwli0)
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Yury Barmin
![Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz meets with Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia March 5, 2019. Bandar Algaloud/Courtesy of Saudi Royal Court/Handout via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS PICTURE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. - RC13B1B19C40](/sites/default/files/styles/article_header/public/almpics/2019/03/RTX6PQIT.jpg/RTX6PQIT.jpg?h=a5ae579a&itok=r5oueuTO)
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Yury Barmin
![MOSCOW, RUSSIA - JUNE 14: Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia, FIFA President Gianni Infantino and President Wladimir Putin of Russia look on during the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia group A match between Russia and Saudi Arabia at Luzhniki Stadium on June 14, 2018 in Moscow, Russia. (Photo by Amin Mohammad Jamali/Getty Images)](/sites/default/files/styles/article_header/public/almpics/2018/06/GettyImages-974440260.jpg/GettyImages-974440260.jpg?h=a5ae579a&itok=2tWq5fNF)
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Yury Barmin
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Yury Barmin
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Yury Barmin
![Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov (R) and co-chair of the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) Selahattin Demirtas arrive for a meeting in Moscow, Russia, December 23, 2015. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov - GF10000274576](/sites/default/files/styles/article_header/public/almpics/2017/09/RTX1ZUOS.jpg/RTX1ZUOS.jpg?h=a5ae579a&itok=1NqISOY9)
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Yury Barmin
![Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov (R) welcomes General Khalifa Haftar (L), commander in the Libyan National Army (LNA), during a meeting in Moscow, Russia August 14, 2017. REUTERS/Sergei Karpukhin - RTS1BPNE](/sites/default/files/styles/article_header/public/almpics/2017/08/RTS1BPNE.jpg/RTS1BPNE.jpg?h=a5ae579a&itok=j-VawBEW)
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Yury Barmin
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Yury Barmin
![A member of East Libyan forces holds his weapon as he stands in front of a destroyed house in Ganfouda district in Benghazi, Libya, January 28, 2017. REUTERS/Esam Omran Al-Fetori - RTSXTD1](/sites/default/files/styles/article_header/public/almpics/2017/02/RTSXTD1.jpg/RTSXTD1.jpg?h=f7822858&itok=zFkplEhi)
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Yury Barmin
![Russian President Vladimir Putin meets with Jordan's King Abdullah at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia January 25, 2017. REUTERS/Alexander Nemenov/Pool - RTSXBNR](/sites/default/files/styles/article_header/public/almpics/2017/01/RTSXBNR.jpg/RTSXBNR.jpg?h=f7822858&itok=dO7d04Jx)
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Yury Barmin
![General Khalifa Haftar, commander in the Libyan National Army (LNA), leaves after a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Moscow, Russia, November 29, 2016. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov - RTSTRWB](/sites/default/files/styles/article_header/public/almpics/2016/12/RTSTRWB.jpg/RTSTRWB.jpg?h=f7822858&itok=LGblvums)
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Yury Barmin