Vladimir Putin in China as Russia slams Israel - analysis

Chinese President Xi Jinping described Russian President Vladimir Putin as his "old friend" during talks in Beijing. Russian state media highlighted this conversation, showing how important this is to them.

"Dear President Putin, my old friend, we welcome your participation in the Third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation," the Chinese leader said. 

Russia’s leader is in China to discuss the Belt and Road Initiative, and the two countries have grown closer in the wake of the war on Ukraine. Both oppose the US-led world order, support Iran, and have condemned Israel over the last week after Hamas massacred more than 1,400 people in Israel.

"Mutual participation in major diplomatic events hosted by the two parties is our great long-term tradition," Xi said to the media. “The Third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, which is taking place in Beijing on October 17-18, has brought together over 4,000 people from over 140 countries. Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in China as the forum’s chief guest,” TASS news said.

Russia slammed Israel for Islamic Jihad's attack on Gaza hospital

Russian statements have slammed Israel for the explosion at a hospital in Gaza. Without waiting for evidence, Moscow sought to exploit the tragedy, much as Iran sought to do.

Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova condemned Tuesday’s massive blast at a hospital in Gaza as a criminal act, Russian media said. She says Russia views it as a crime. The deputy chair of Russia’s National Security Council, Dmitry Medvedev, described the deadly strike on a hospital in the Gaza Strip as a "heinous military crime," and also bashed the US.

This is the same theme coming out of Tehran, leading to questions about whether countries such as Russia, Turkey, and Iran have coordinated responses because they want to weaken US influence in the region. 

Russia may try to make inroads in the Middle East in the wake of this. Russian media has numerous stories about the explosion and also appears obsessed with it, which is unusual because Moscow has carried out airstrikes on hospitals in Syria and Russian media never focuses on these issues.