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There were OTL attempts by the Russians at establishing a colony in the Horn of Africa within the borders of French Somaliland or Djibouti. However, the Cossack colonists sent to settle the Sagallo colony soon got themselves in trouble by raiding native settlements which alerted French authorities who kicked them out as the Russian government distanced themselves. These colonization attempts were inspired by the leader of the Cossack expedition having previously met with the Emperor of Ethiopia to establish diplomatic and military links between the Ethiopian and Russian Empires.

Let's say the Cossacks don't wreak havoc on native settlements and a Russian Somaliland colony is established with the consent of the French who withdraw. The Russians expand to control the OTL borders of French Somaliland as they cement their rule and even potentially expand into southern Eritrea. Russia soon begins to expand her influence into Ethiopia against Anglo-Italian expansion, declaring themselves the protectors of Orthodox Christianity.

What happens next?
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