As early as in 1556, Patriarch Joachim of Alexandria sent a letter to the Russian Tzar Ivan IV, asking the Orthodox monarch to provide some material assistance for the Saint Catherine's Monastery in the Sinai Peninsula, which had suffered from the Turks.

Poznyakov's delegation visited Alexandria, Cairo, and Sinai, brought the patriarch a fur coat and an icon sent by the Tzar.

In the 1950s, Gamal Abdel Nasser's independent and anti-imperialist policy earned him enthusiastic support from the Communist government of the USSR.

In 1955, Egypt made a major arms deal with Soviet Union, and from then, teams of Egyptian officers were trained in Eastern Bloc countries.

The relationship went sour within years after the death of Nasser, when the new president, Anwar Sadat, started re-orienting the country toward the West.

Lieutenant General Anatoly Pushkin claimed that 1500 Soviet pilots and air defense experts engaged in combat for Egypt during the war.

Intergovernmental relations improved after the fall of Communism in the USSR, and Russia's appearance as an independent political actor.

Fahmy stated that Egypt wished to return to Soviet-level relations with Russia, and Shoigu hinted that there may be military cooperation between the Russian and Egyptian navies and air forces.

[20] Sisi made his second visit on August 12 at the Black Sea resort of Sochi, and it was his first to a non-Arab or African country since his inauguration as president two months earlier.

[21] In September 2014, a preliminary deal was reached between both countries to buy arms worth $3.5 billion from Russia, despite international sanctions on Moscow as a result of its involvement in the war in Donbas.

In Summer 2020, Egypt received five Su-35 jets from Russia, despite a threat from the United States that it would violate international sanctions.

In fact, the country has encouraged the Mir payment system to stimulate Russian trade and tourism with Egypt.

[37][38] In August 2023, a Russian drone attack on the port of Izmail in southern Ukraine destroyed 13,000 tons of grain destined for Egypt and Romania.

[40] Russians constitute the largest group of outsiders to visit Egypt, while Russia is popular with Egyptian tourists as well.

[citation needed] As of 2015[update] Egypt is the most popular tourist destination for Russians traveling abroad—a basic vacation package including flight, hotel and meals can be purchased for as little as US$1,000.

[42] In 2006, the Egyptian Russian University was opened in Badr City, Cairo, offering training in pharmacy and engineering.