Author: M Barbu

The Man Behind Putin’s Military

How Sergey Shoygu Paved the Way for Russia’s Ukraine Assault

On February 25, barely 24 hours after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Russian forces reached Kyiv. Even accounting for Russia’s vastly superior firepower, the speed of the military advance has been startling. But it also has highlighted something else: the extent to which the Kremlin’s entire pressure campaign on Ukraine has been driven by the Russia military. In contrast to many previous efforts by Moscow to achieve political goals in the West—or to exact retribution on a perceived enemy—the Ukraine offensive has not been driven by the Federal Security Service (FSB), Russia’s security agency, which has often drawn the lion’s share of Western attention. Instead, it has been shaped from the outset by old-fashioned military power projection: first by amassing an overwhelming force on the border and then, with the world watching, quickly and efficiently putting that force to use.

Xi Jinping’s Faltering Foreign Policy

Regardless of whether Beijing had advance warning of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s decision to issue a statement last month outlining a “no limits” partnership with Moscow was arguably the single biggest foreign policy blunder of his nearly ten years in power. Russian President Vladimir Putin will receive the overwhelming share of the blowback for his unprovoked assault on Ukraine, but Xi’s public declaration, coupled with Beijing’s continued diplomatic support for Moscow, has undermined China’s reputation and provoked renewed concerns over its global ambitions. Indeed, the intensifying war in Ukraine has already prompted calls for Taiwan to improve its defense capabilities and has given security partnerships such as NATO, the Quad, and AUKUS a renewed sense of purpose.

Strategic Implications for Africa from Russia’s Invasion in Ukraine

The invasion of Ukraine is a wake-up call to the implications of Russia’s attempts to export its governance model to Africa—with sobering consequences for African sovereignty and stability.

It’s commonly held that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s objective for invading Ukraine is to install a puppet regime that is pliable to Moscow’s interests. If so, this would be consistent with the approach Russia has taken with its forays into Africa in recent years.

Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei: To Reduce Our Defensive Capabilities And Regional Involvement Because Of The Sensitivities Of Others Would Be Naive And Amateurish

Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said in a March 10, 2022 public address which aired on Channel 1 (Iran) that making concessions to the U.S. and other super powers would have put Iran in “great danger.” He explained that it is “naive and amateurish” to say that Iran should reduce its “defensive force” and its “foreign defense capabilities,” and he emphasized that Iran’s strategic “depth” is a result of its regional involvement. In addition, he said that the nuclear issue is about Iran’s scientific progress and its future technology.

Africa On Russia-Ukraine Crisis And Future Relations

As oftentimes said, Russia and Africa have traditional and cordial relations. Both have common understanding and position on global questions at international platforms, especially at the United Nations. At the UN General Assembly in March 2022, Africans were sharply divided with their votes, since then have divergent views and worse, afraid of contradictions and confrontations posed by the Russia-Ukraine crisis and effects on future diplomatic relations.

Putin Hums ‘Georgia On My Mind’ – Analysis

What did Russian President Vladimir Putin think when he ordered his troops into Ukraine? Ray Charles’ ‘Georgia on mind’ must have been humming in his head.

A slightly altered version, ‘Palestine on my mind,’ was undoubtedly on Egyptian athlete Ali Farag’s mind when he condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine on Sunday as he won Britain’s Optacia squash championship.

War in Ukraine disrupts key supply chains – and lives

It can be hard to measure the ways that Russia’s war in Ukraine has disrupted the global supply of parts and raw materials needed to complete a variety of products – from cars to computer chips.

But cutting off one of those supply links brought a “depressing feeling” to Andrey Bibik, head of the Interpipe steel plant in Dnipro, Ukraine. He spent the first hours of the war winding down his bustling 24-hour operation and sending almost everyone home.