[2] Yuri Sepelev was appointed as the first Soviet ambassador to Lesotho, in concurrence with his posting to Maputo, on 24 April 1983, and presented his letter of credence to Basotho King Moshoeshoe II on 9 June 1983.

The South African government responded angrily to the announcement, and reminded Jonathan of a promise he made in 1965 not to allow an embassy of any communist country in Lesotho so long as he was Prime Minister.

[4] Vincent Makhele, the Basotho Minister of Foreign Affairs, visited Moscow in September 1984 for discussions with officials in the Soviet government.

[2] Soviet inroads in Lesotho suffered a setback when Jonathan was overthrown in January 1986 in a military coup which was led by Justin Lekhanya.

[6] Makase Nyaphisi, until 2012 the Basotho Ambassador to Russia and succeeded by Matlotliso Lineo Lydia Khechane-Ntoane, presented his credentials to Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on 5 February 2010.