Mercy in Russia's foreign policy: Russia's first medical diplomacy in Africa and its role in shaping Russian-Ethiopian relations in the late 19th and early 20th centuries; Милосердие во внешней политике России: первая медицинская дипломатия России в Африке и ее роль в формировании российско-эфиопских отношений в конце XIX — начале XX вв

The object of study of this article was the political, diplomatic, military assistance of the Russian Empire to Ethiopia at the end of the 19th century. in defending their independence. The subject of study was the role of Russian doctors of the Russian Red Cross Society (RRCS) in eliminating the consequences of the humanitarian disaster in Ethiopia as a result of the Italo-Abyssinian War of 1895-1896. for the independence of Ethiopia. The article notes that in the second half of the 19th century. The leading states of Europe began the colonial division of Africa. Ethiopia (Abyssinia) was able to maintain independence thanks to political, diplomatic, and military assistance from Russia. Russia had its own political, economic, and religious interests in Africa, but they were not colonial in nature. Russia was interested in an independent Ethiopia and contributed in every possible way to this. The authors focus on the role of RRCS doctors in eliminating the humanitarian disaster due to the lack of medical care for the wounded as a result of the Italo-Abyssinian War of 1895-1896. The authors came to the conclusion that the versatile assistance of Russia allowed Ethiopia to defend its independence, the highest ideas of humanism and the impeccable work of the medical personnel of the RRCS sanitary detachment laid a strong and reliable foundation for the subsequent stages of development of bilateral relations between St. Petersburg and Addis Ababa. © 2025 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.