Russia-Zimbabwe talks overshadowed by 'hitman' allegations

A high-powered delegation of 11 Russian officials arrived in Harare this week for a strategic meeting with Zimbabwe's Minister of Finance, Professor Mthuli Ncube, in a bid to deepen bilateral financial cooperation and explore new avenues for investment.

The visit follows Minister Ncube's recent official trip to Moscow, where he met with his Russian counterpart. This week's follow-up engagement underlines the growing partnership between Zimbabwe and Russia, particularly in the areas of finance, infrastructure, and agriculture.

The Russian delegation included representatives from some of Russia's largest banking institutions, signalling a serious intent to foster financial partnerships and explore investment opportunities across various sectors of Zimbabwe's economy.

"This is a critical step toward deepening our economic ties," said a Ministry of Finance official. "The discussions were constructive and focused on long-term financial cooperation, with an emphasis on investment-backed development."

However, the visit was clouded by unsubstantiated reports from certain media outlets, which falsely alleged that the Russian delegation was composed of "hitmen" on a mission to target high-profile Zimbabwean political figures. The allegations specifically named businessman Alexander Zingman and Oleg Vodchits as central figures in the alleged plot.

Both Vodchits and Zingman have strongly denied the accusations, calling them "slanderous" and "completely false."

"Contrary to the claims made by unscrupulous media outlets, I and Alexander Zingman were not part of the Russian delegation," said Mr. Vodchits, who clarified that he arrived in Zimbabwe later for unrelated business under his company Aftrade DMCC, which focuses on agricultural mechanization.

"Mr. Zingman is currently on vacation with his family and was never part of this delegation," Vodchits added. "His work as a Consul and business leader is fully transparent, focused on bringing legitimate investment into Zimbabwe."

Vodchits also refuted claims that Zingman had faced legal issues in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), saying that the investigation mentioned in reports was merely a routine personality check and resulted in no charges.

Aftrade DMCC, owned by Zingman, has been a key player in supporting Zimbabwe's agricultural transformation, working with the government to modernize farming infrastructure and increase productivity.

Despite the media controversy, officials on both sides emphasized that the meeting between the Russian delegation and Zimbabwe's Finance Ministry marks a positive development in diplomatic and economic relations.

As Zimbabwe continues to look East for investment and partnership amid Western sanctions, Russia's growing interest in the country could provide much-needed capital and technical support — particularly in the financial, energy, mining, and agriculture sectors.

Analysts say the move underscores Zimbabwe's broader diplomatic strategy of diversifying international partnerships while promoting economic growth and infrastructure development.

Government officials have urged the public and media to remain focused on factual reporting, noting that unverified allegations only serve to distract from meaningful progress.

"Zimbabwe and Russia share a long-standing relationship," said a government spokesperson. "What we're seeing now is a move from historic ties to active, forward-looking cooperation."

The Finance Ministry confirmed that technical teams from both sides would continue to work on implementing investment proposals and identifying priority sectors for future collaboration.