Central African Republic Prime Minister Felix Moloua headed a delegation that has already departed for Saint Petersburg, Russia, on a week-long trip to "synchronize watches" with Russian officials as part of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) according to the Russian embassy in Bangui on Saturday.
 
On social media, the Russian embassy in Bangui wrote, "A delegation of the Central African Republic led by the head of government is headed for Saint Petersburg on a working visit."

It is worth noting that Alexander Bikantov, the Russian ambassador to the country, accompanied Molua to the Bangui airport ahead of the delegation's trip.

According to the embassy, the visit will last approximately a week and the program is being worked out. The goal of the visit, as declared by the Russian mission, is to "synchronize watches" with Russian officials in continuation of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF).

SPIEF is an annual international business meeting in St. Petersburg. In 2022 the forum took place from Jun 15 until June 18.

Head of Russian House in CAR survives assassination attempt

The press attache of the Russian Embassy, Vladislav Ilin, confirmed on December 16 that an assassination attempt against the general director of the Russian House in the Central African Republic (CAR), Dmitry Syty, has left Syty hospitalized in Bangui.

"This morning, an assassination attempt was made against the general director of the Russian House Mr. Syty. He is in hospital," Ilin said, adding that the location of the attack was at Syty's residence, not on the territory of the Russian embassy.

A package is said to have been sent to the head of the Russian humanitarian mission containing an explosive that detonated in Syty's hands. The Russian Embassy stated that Syty's condition wasn't life-threatening.

France could be behind it 

Considering that he had previously received threats, the Central African Republic's police regarded the attack as a terrorist act, and the Commonwealth of Officers for International Security (COIS) alongside the Central African Armed Forces training services (FACA), and CAR police, decried the attack and called the perpetrators “real terrorists.”

In a separate but related incident, the government of the Central African Republic announced, on November 28, that "a plane coming from a neighboring country bombed at night a camp containing Russian soldiers and allies in the north and left, causing only damage." 

“The enemies of peace in the Central African Republic have shown their true colors. They act like real terrorists, targeting the Russian humanitarian mission,” the COIS told Sputnik. “The friendly ties between Russia and the Central African Republic and the growing cooperation between the two countries are the point of frustration for some world powers who could be responsible for the attack on Dimitry Syty.”
 
The COIS suggested that “a French military contingent could be behind this terrorist attack,” since the attack came a day after the announcement from France that the final 47 French soldiers left the CAR.

Read more: Last 47 French troops left the Central African Republic