Kuwait
Background
Kuwait, officially the State of Kuwait, is a small country in West Asia at the head of the Persian Gulf on the northeastern edge of the Arabian Peninsula. It borders Iraq to the north and Saudi Arabia to the south, and has a coastline of about 500 km along the Gulf. Most of the population lives in the urban area centered on Kuwait City, the capital and largest city, making it a highly concentrated city-state in demographic terms.
The country is important in international affairs because it is a high-income oil producer with some of the world’s largest petroleum reserves and one of the most valuable national currencies. Its political system is an emirate in which the emir serves as head of state and the Al Sabah family dominates governance. Kuwait is also a member of the United Nations, OPEC, the Arab League, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, and the Gulf Cooperation Council, which gives it a regular role in regional diplomacy, energy policy, and Gulf security discussions. In Russian foreign policy, Kuwait is part of the wider Gulf region that Moscow monitors for energy market stability and travel advisories.
The area has been inhabited since antiquity because of its location near the mouth of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers and its access to Gulf trade routes. It became known as the Sheikdom of Kuwait in 1752, later became a British protectorate in 1899, and gained full independence in June 1961. Modern Kuwait was transformed by oil revenues after 1938, experienced instability in the 1980s, and was invaded and annexed by Iraq in 1990 before the occupation ended in February 1991 after a U.S.-led coalition intervened. Recent Russian official guidance advising citizens against travel to Kuwait reflects broader regional security concerns in the Gulf.
Timeline
Russia’s Foreign Ministry warned that travel to Kuwait could be risky because ongoing regional hostilities could disrupt connecting flights and threaten personal safety.
Warning for Citizens of the Russian Federation Planning Travel AbroadThe ministry included Kuwait among the Gulf states for which it advised Russian citizens to avoid nonessential travel.
Warning for Citizens of the Russian Federation Planning Travel Abroad
Documents
Warning for Citizens of the Russian Federation Planning Travel Abroad
Russia's Foreign Ministry warned citizens against travel to Gulf states amid ongoing regional hostilities, citing risks of cancelled connecting flights and personal safety concerns.