The Russian Embassy in Yaoundé has confirmed to MMI News that it transmitted a message of congratulations from President Vladimir Putin to President Paul Biya on 30 October 2025, following Cameroon’s disputed 12 October presidential election.
This confirmation comes after an MMI News verification effort that began when the Civil Cabinet of the Presidency posted two documents on 30 October, claiming to show a congratulatory message from the Russian leader.
The first document bore the Russian Embassy’s seal, while the second—purporting to be a letter from President Putin—lacked an official Kremlin letterhead, reference number, or presidential signature.
Following the publication, MMI News contacted the Russian Embassy for confirmation. In a written reply sent to MMI, the Embassy stated:
“We can confirm that the Embassy transmitted a congratulatory message from President Vladimir Putin to President Paul Biya on the 30 October 2025 via diplomatic channels. Please check the Embassy’s official web-site: https://cameroun.mid.ru/en/.”
The Embassy has also published a brief notice on its website confirming that:
“On 30 October 2025, H.E. Vladimir PUTIN, President of the Russian Federation, conveyed a congratulatory message to H.E. Paul BIYA, President of the Republic of Cameroon, on the occasion of his re-election to the highest office of the state.”
The online statement adds that relations between Moscow and Yaoundé, established in 1964, “have traditionally been friendly” and that the Embassy is committed to promoting cooperation in political, commercial, economic, cultural, and humanitarian fields.
However, neither the Embassy nor the Kremlin’s official platforms (kremlin.ru, mid.ru, or state outlets like TASS*) have so far released the actual text of President Putin’s message.
Diplomatic observers contacted by MMI say this could indicate that the Civil Cabinet’s published version was either a translation draft or a summary, not the official Kremlin document.
Western governments, including the European Union, and several U.S. legislators have meanwhile criticized the government’s handling of post-election protests.
So far, only the African Union Commission and the transitional governments of Gabon, Chad, and Guinea have publicly congratulated Biya.
MMI News will continue to monitor both Russian and Cameroonian official sources and update this report if the full text of President Putin’s message becomes available.
