Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan begins a three-day state visit to Russia, marking the first official trip by a Tanzanian head of state to Moscow since 1969. Multiple outlets report that the visit includes meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Tanzania’s move comes as relations with Western countries have deteriorated in recent months, with Western governments and observers criticizing Tanzania’s handling of dissent and its election-related security environment. Several reports link the worsening Western criticism to violence and alleged abuses associated with Tanzania’s 2025 elections, which Western-linked reporting characterizes as involving unlawful killings and mass detentions. One outlet also describes that Hassan’s government faced increased scrutiny after her disputed 2025 re-election, when she received a reported 98% of the vote, and that a Russian delegation met her after the October election, allegedly bringing a message from Putin. Another outlet notes the visit includes travel with a business delegation. The reporting describes the visit as occurring amid frayed ties between Tanzania and Western partners, while Tanzania-Russia engagement deepens.