Following Saudi Arabia's lead, Qatar refused for many years to have diplomatic relations with the Soviet Union. This changed in the summer of 1988, when diplomatic relations between the two states were established on 2 August.[1] The Soviet Union opened its embassyinDoha on 12 November 1989, and Qatar opened its embassy in Moscow on 14 November 1989.[2]
On November 29, 2011, Russian Ambassador to Qatar, Vladimir Titorenko, was allegedly assaulted by Qatar airport security and customs officers when he refused to have his suitcase scanned at the airport.
Relations again became strained on February 7, 2012, when reportedly, after a diplomat from Qatar warned Russia of losing the support of Arab League about upcoming resolution on the Syrian uprising, which Russia and China later vetoed, the answer came harsh from Russian UN ambassadorVitaly Churkin who replied that If you talk to me like that, there will be no Qatar today and boasted about Russian military superiority over Qatar. Later, Russia denied all these accusations.[9]
In 2010, the Russian state-owned Yamal Reindeer Company began producing canned, halal reindeer meat for export to Qatar. Production commenced at the direction of the governor of the energy-rich Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous District, who proposed it during a meeting with Qatari officials.[10]
During a visit to Doha on 12 February 2007, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed an agreement to establish the Russian-Qatari Business Council.[11][12] As of 4 December 2018, the chairman of the council is Ahmet Palankoev, a Russian businessman.[13]
During the Russo-Ukrainian war, Qatar mediated between Russia and Ukraine for the return of children to their parents in Ukraine. In October 2023 and December 2023, ten Ukrainian children were reunited with their families.[14][15] In addition, 11 children arrived in Ukraine in February 2024.[16] In March 2024, another group of Ukrainian children was flown from Russia to Ukraine.[17]
