It has lengthy been suspected that Vladimir Putin’s ambitions don’t cease at Ukraine.

European allies have argued that serving to Kyiv maintain regular within the face of Russian aggression is stopping the Kremlin from seizing sovereign territory in different nations.

And whereas Russia has not taken another territory outdoors of Ukraine for the final three years, there’s little doubt that Moscow is making an attempt out new methods of extending its affect to different components of the world.

Right here’s a have a look at simply three of the newest examples the place the Kremlin is making an attempt – and, in some circumstances, failing – to exert its affect on different smaller nations.

As soon as a part of the Soviet Union, Georgia borders Russia, Turkey, Azerbaijan and the Black Sea.

The nation’s October election was anticipated to replicate the rising physique of help for leaning extra intently in the direction of Europe – and away from Putin’s grasp.

The incumbent, pro-Russia, authoritarian Georgian Dream celebration was subsequently anticipated to be kicked out of workplace.

However the celebration, who deny any Kremlin hyperlinks, received by a landslide in what can solely be seen as a victory for Russia.

The shock consequence shortly sparked an intense backlash and widespread hypothesis that the election was stolen.

The nation’s impartial president, Salome Zourabichvili, declared the election had been a “Russian particular operation”, echoing Moscow’s identify for the Ukraine battle, the “particular army operation”.

Stories of voters’ ID playing cards being confiscated, movies of poll stuffing, voter intimidation and violence on the polls all started to flow into on social media.

Then in late November, the Georgian Dream celebration determined to droop negotiations on becoming a member of the EU – triggering mass protests.

During the last week, demonstrators have been flocking to the streets, calling for recent elections whereas the phrase, “no to Russia” has been graffitied across the parliament constructing.

Instantly after the election, the nation additionally fell right into a constitutional disaster because the 4 opposition teams refused to enter parliament over what they mentioned have been falsified elections.

Throughout the first session of parliament on November 25, solely the members of the Georgian Dream attended whereas a number of thousand protesters fought riot police outdoors.

However prime minister Irakli Kobakhidze, of the Georgian Dream, has refused to barter, baselessly claiming the protests are funded from abroad.

The Georgian Dream PM has additionally been utilizing the identical language as Putin relating to this protest.

Each have in contrast it to Ukraine’s 2014 Maidan revolution, when Kyiv’s then-president was kicked out by pro-EU forces – permitting Russia to maneuver in to seize the Crimean peninsula.

Nevertheless, Putin insists he has nothing to do with the chaos.

He informed reporters: “We’ve got no relations with them, with the Georgian management. None in anyway. However I simply marvelled at their braveness and agency character, which they confirmed as a way to defend their perspective. ”

In the meantime, an opposition chief Nika Gvaramia informed the BBC: “It’s a liberation combat. We all know who we’re preventing with, and that’s Russia.”

One other former Soviet republic, Moldova is land-locked between Romania and Ukraine.

It has been in the same wrestle as Georgia in latest months, as voters take into account aligning themselves extra in the direction of the EU.

Professional-European incumbent Maia Sandu fought pro-Russia Alexandr Stoianoglo – whom she fired as her prosecutor common – within the presidential election final month, and received, however not with out a bloody combat.

Sandu secured the primary spherical of the vote with 42.4%, simply shy of the 50% wanted to safe the presidency, whereas her rival lagged behind her on 26%.

Nevertheless, Sandu had been anticipated to win comfortably on the primary spherical, particularly amid Moldova’s ongoing makes an attempt to affix the EU.

The election then needed to go to a run-off.

Sandu quickly claimed there was proof 300,000 votes had been purchased and warned “thieves” needed to take Moldovans’ votes.

It’s thought she was alluding to the Russian oligarch who was promising money handouts to anybody who would help his calls to inform the EU a “agency no” .

The nation’s election fee additionally warned that votes from Russia, Belarus, Azerbaijan and Turkey have been being illegally transported, too.

Very similar to in Georgia, the Kremlin denied interference, saying: “We resolutely reject any accusations that we’re one way or the other interfering on this. We aren’t doing this.”

Sandu’s nationwide safety adviser additionally warned there was “large interference” from Russia throughout the electoral course of that had “excessive potential to distort the end result”.

In the meantime, the EU’s high diplomat Josep Borrell and the European Fee mentioned there was “unprecedented interference by Russia”.

Sandu received within the run-off spherical by 55% of the vote, following a police try to replace the nation every day about simply how many individuals had been arrested for receiving funds in alternate for votes.

Sandu’s victory additionally comes after one in every of her casual marketing campaign slogans gained traction: “They can’t steal as a lot as we are able to vote.”

Syrian president Bashar al-Assad is a powerful ally for Russia and provides one other method for Putin to claim himself within the Center East.

Putin additionally has to stay in Syria for commerce causes as Russia’s presence within the nation helps forestall a Qatar-Turkey pure gasoline pipeline being arrange which may threaten the dominance of Russian gas within the area.

So Russia has been offering rockets to Syria after al-Assad misplaced management over the nation’s second largest metropolis, Aleppo, final week.

Russia efficiently launched a army intervention to bolster Assad’s military in 2015, and recaptured Aleppo from insurgent forces the next yr.

On the time, Putin boasted to his defence minister: “There isn’t a query that liberating Aleppo from radical teams […] was executed with the direct involvement and even a decisive affect of our service personnel.”

The Kremlin has saved round 5,000 troops in Syria since, simply as a safety measure.

However this time the sudden rebellion is completely different and Russia is just not ready to cope with it.

The Russian militant Wagner group has gone, after their chief died below mysterious circumstances final yr, and Moscow has its arms full with Ukraine.

Actually, Assad allegedly requested Iran for help as a substitute of Russia this time consequently, though the Kremlin tried to regain management of the scenario by saying Putin had mentioned the scenario with Iran over the telephone this week.

Nevertheless, if Assad is kicked out by the rebels, Moscow will lose its management within the Center East – and injury its status not solely as an ally, however as a heavyweight on the worldwide stage.

And it’s not wanting constructive – Russia has already pulled a few of its assets from Syria to combat in Ukraine, and Assad’s troops should not constructed to combat.

Putin’s stronghold is wanting extra weak than ever.