"The fact that the Angolan state voted to abstain does not imply that the Angolan state has aligned itself, either on the side of Ukraine or on the west side, which has been sanctioning Russia on various issues, much less defending Russia", said the Angolan expert in international relations Osvaldo Mboco.
Angola "is a pacifist country that strives for peaceful diplomatic means and instruments to find the solution to various problems," he said.
"And any strategy that Angola has been carrying out at an international level and it would not be different for the issue of Russia and Ukraine", said Osvaldo Mboco, in declarations to Lusa.
According to the analyst, it also "does not imply that if you voted against Russia's offensive, you would be opening a diplomatic incident, or else creating any embarrassing situation with Russia due to the historical ties that Angola has with the Russia".
The UN general assembly on Wednesday passed a resolution condemning the Russian invasion of Ukraine, with the support of 141 of the 193 member states of the United Nations.
The text "deplores" Russian aggression against Ukraine and "demands" Moscow to put an end to this military intervention and immediately and unconditionally withdraw its troops from the neighboring country.
The resolution had only five votes against (Russia, Belarus, Syria, North Korea and Eritrea) and 35 abstentions, including those of Angola and Mozambique.
Angola, recalled political scientist Olívio Quilumbo, "has a relationship with Russia that dates back to independence", and which was "very important for the maintenance of the political power of the MPLA [Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola]".
"And, therefore, Angola's relationship with Russia goes far beyond diplomatic relations."
For Olívio Quilumbo, Angola's abstention from the UN resolution "was an interesting and even peaceful position, insofar as having a side between two powers Russia and the United States of America and positioning itself between one or the other would imply compromising" .
"It implies a commitment, and the relationship that Angola has with Russia is one of great alliance, especially on the part of the Government, it is Angola's defensible ally in the UN Security Council", he noted.
In the opinion of the political scientist, the Angolan Government, by abstaining, "found the best political comfort" in the context of the conflict, but admitted that if there is "a direct clash between Russia and the West [...] Angola will have to position".
"Therefore, the abstention was the least comfortable for a State that has a Government with a very strong relationship with Russia, as is the case of Angola, both are autocratic States and defend themselves according to their needs", concluded Olívio Quilumbo.
In the early hours of February 24, Russia launched a three-pronged military offensive in Ukraine, with ground forces and bombings in several cities. Kiev authorities have so far accounted for more than 2,000 civilian deaths, including children, and, according to the UN, the attacks have already caused more than 100,000 displaced people and at least 836,000 refugees in Poland, Hungary, Moldova and Romania.
Russian President Vladimir Putin justified the "special military operation" in Ukraine with the need to demilitarize the neighboring country, saying it was the only way for Russia to defend itself and guaranteeing that the offensive would last as long as necessary.
The attack was condemned by the international community at large, and the European Union and the United States, among others, responded by sending arms and ammunition to Ukraine and strengthening economic sanctions to further isolate Moscow.
