Putin gives green light to his Defence Minister to bring Middle East fighters to support Russia
March 11, 2022, 5:41 pm

Putin gives green light to his Defence Minister to bring Middle East fighters to support Russia

Russian president Vladimir Putin/Facebook

The Middle East Eyes reported, Russian President Vladimir Putin has given the green light to bring in 16,000 volunteer fighters from the Middle East to help in the conflict with Ukraine.

During a Security Council meeting on Friday, Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said that there were thousands of fighters in the Middle East who were ready to pick up arms and fight with Russian forces in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine.

It was not clear where these alleged volunteers would come from, or why they would fight for Russia. The US Pentagon said earlier this week that Russia was recruiting people in Syria to fight in its ranks, though little evidence of that claim has been forthcoming.

Russia is one of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's closest allies, and has fought in Syria against rebel groups since 2015. Russian mercenaries hired hundreds of Syrians, both pro-Assad militiamen and ex-rebels, to fight in the 2019-2020 Libyan war.

In this photo, Russian missiles targeted maternity and children's hospital in Mariupol, Ukraine (File photo: Euromaidan Press)

Shoigu also proposed that western-made Javelin and Stinger missiles captured by the Russian army in Ukraine should be handed over to Donbas forces.

Putin said of the volunteer fighters during the televised Security Council meeting: “If you see that there are these people who want to be there of their own accord, not for money, to come to help the people living in Donbas, then we need to give them what they want and help them get to the conflict zone.”

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He added: “As to the delivery of arms, especially western-made ones which have fallen into the hands of the Russian army - of course I support the possibility of giving these to the military units of the Luhansk and Donetsk people’s republics.”

“Please do this,” he told Shoigu.

Putin also ordered Shoigu to prepare a separate report on strengthening Russia’s western borders “in connection to the actions that Nato countries are taking in this direction.”

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The Russian invasion of Ukraine began on 24 February after Putin formally recognised the breakaway Ukrainian territories as independent states.

Source: MEE

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).

Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.