Nicholas Maduro President of the Bolivian Republic of Venezuela

“From Venezuela, all our support for President Vladimir Putin, Venezuela’s brother,”

President of Cuba Miguel Diaz-Canel Bermudez: Thank you very much, dear President Putin. ... We appreciate all efforts of the Russian Federation and your role in orienting the world towards multi-polarity, in encouraging it to move in this direction. In this sense, you have a very strong leadership role. I would also like to exchange views on this.

... I was very interested in your speech on the reunification of a group of regions with Russia. You made a very meticulous, clear-cut analysis of the events since the Soviet Union’s disintegration, denouncing the role that the imperialist powers tried to play. You made a very thorough analysis of what is happening in the world. You made it clear that the world should come to its senses and described those who are imposing their rules on us. You explained why they impose these rules on us and why they violate them later.

I think this is very structured thinking and analysis, and it is worth sharing with the world. I was happy to listen to this speech. We have identical approaches and views on global issues."

Daniel Ortega Saavedra, Nicaraguan President

We salute the great Russian people, you, your government, and the families of all Russia, in these moments of great challenges... to you, comrade President Vladimir Putin, our affection, in revolutionary brotherhood.

Kim Jong Un president of the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea

“Russia has risen for a sacred fight to protect its national sovereignty and safety against hegemonic forces,” Kim said ahead of negotiations on Wednesday. “We will always stand together [with Russia] against imperialism.”

Xi Jinping President of the Peoples Republic of China

Xi, for his part, praised Putin, saying: “Under your strong leadership, Russia has made great strides in its prosperous development.”

Beijing and Moscow are friendly neighbors and reliable partners, Xi Jinping said upon his arrival in the Russian capital on a state visit.

“It gives me great pleasure to once again set foot on the soil of Russia, our friendly neighbor, and pay a state visit to the Russian Federation at the invitation of President Vladimir Putin,” the Chinese leader said.

“On behalf of the Chinese government and people, I wish to extend warm greetings and best wishes to the Russian government and people,” he added. “China and Russia are friendly neighbors and reliable partners connected by shared mountains and rivers,” Xi Jinping stressed.

“Ten years ago, I paid my first state visit to Russia as Chinese President, and together with President Putin, opened a new chapter in the all-round development of China-Russia relations,” the president said.

Do they really love him though? My sense was mainly that this was an “enemy of my enemy is my friend” type of situation. Russia’s breakaway from western economies is an opportunity for countries in the global south. As such it makes sense that the left in those countries would aim to foster positive relations with Putin and the Russian government. That’s regardless of what they privately think about the guy.