"Representatives of some 40 countries that took part in Saudi-hosted Ukraine peace talks this weekend agreed that any peace treaty to end Russia’s war against Ukraine must be based on respect for the territorial integrity of Ukraine and the U.N. Charter, the Ukrainian government said on Sunday.
Russia did not take part in the talks. But China, a longtime ally of Russia, attended the gathering in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. (Politico : 6 August 2023) (my emphasis) (cf also: Laura Kelly : The Hill : 7 August 2023)
DW News : 7 August 2023 : YouYube
A rather critical outcome from this conference is the fact that,
“China did not object, as it has never objected that Ukraine’s territorial integrity should be respected,” Igor Zhovkva, deputy head of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s office, told POLITICO." (ibid Veronika Melkozerova) (my emphasis)
"Cracks have started to show in the partnership between China and Russia, and the war in Ukraine appears to be the leading point of contention.
While Beijing has maintained what it claimed to be a neutral position since the start of the invasion, refusing to condemn Moscow and claiming NATO expansion had contributed to igniting the war, the People's Republic has also called for an end to the conflict." (Express : 10 August 2023) (my emphasis)
"Vladimir Putin's top military aide, Sergei Shoigu (right), was left red-faced after he admitted the Ukraine war had backfired on Russia.
...
He used his opening remarks to the meeting to describe how there was a "manifold increase in the threats to Russia's military security in the western and northwestern strategic directions"." (Express : 10 August 2023) (my emphasis)
And if this was not enough to increase Putin's desperate treading of 'political' water, the Associated Press reports that,
"The ruble dropped against the United States dollar in trading Friday in Moscow to its lowest level since the first month of the war in Ukraine.
...
Friday’s value was the lowest point since March 28, 2022, state news agency Tass reported." (Associated Press : 4 August 2023) (my emphasis) (cf also: Yahoo Finance (Bloomberg News) : 9 August 2023)
Putin's desperation is further exemplified by the fact that,
"Alexander Lukashenko (left) is believed to have kicked out from Belarus members of the Wagner Group .
The close ally of Vladimir Putin had agreed to have the mercenaries set up camp in his country after their attempted coup against the Russian leader in July.
...
But reports have now emerged suggesting Lukashenko refused to finance their stay in the country and the mercenaries are being "bussed" back to Russia.
According to the VChK-OGPU Telegram channel, operations to remove all Wagner Group men began earlier in the month, with a second phase scheduled to take place on August 13." (Aurora Bosotti : Express : 9 August 2023) (my emphasis)
This volte-face .... this total change of position .... of Alexander Lukashenko just may have something to do with the fact that,
"The Polish government announced Wednesday that it is planning to deploy an additional 2,000 troops to its border with Belarus, twice the number the Border Guard agency had requested, as fears of illegal migration rise." (ABC News (Associated Press report) : 9 August 2023 : (my emphasis)
Like the "cracks [that] have started to show in the partnership between China and Russia" (ibid Aurora Bosotti) , are cracks now beginning to appear between Putin and Lukashenko?
Putin's continuing failures on the political and the economic fronts is being mirrored by his failures on the battlefront in his war with Ukraine.
"Ukrainian forces have again damaged a key bridge linking Russian-controlled Crimea to mainland Ukraine using Western-supplied Storm Shadow missiles, according to a Russian-backed official in southern Ukraine.
...
Experts say Ukrainian strikes hone in on crucial Russian military bases and infrastructure. The Chonhar Bridge passes through northern Crimea, linking the Russian military logistics hub at Dzhankoi to Melitopol, a city in Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia region, which is occupied by Russian forces." (Newsweek : 6 August 2023) (my emphasis)
"Vladimir Putin could soon be forced to say farewell to what has long been considered to be the top achievement of his decade-long Ukrainian campaign.
Russian forces unilaterally annexed Crimea in 2014 following a fake referendum, after which Moscow deployed a large contingent of troops to the area.
...
But with Ukraine now slowly pushing forward with its counteroffensive in the wider context of the ongoing war with Russia, Putin's men have grown increasingly aware their stay in the [Crimea] ... is now temporary." (Express : 9 August 2023) (my emphasis)
"Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Russia may find itself without ships by the end of the war if it continues to attack Ukrainian ports.
...
While Russia's conventional naval power dwarfs Ukraine's, Ukraine has been needling Russia's fleet with maritime drones. At the end of July, Ukraine demonstrated the capabilities of a fast and powerful new sea drone when it launched a strike on the Kerch Bridge in Crimea, Ukraine." (Business Insider : 8 August 2023) (my emphasis)
As Darya Tarasova, Tim Lister and Radina Gigova now inform us,,
" The founder and former CEO of Russia’s largest internet company, Arkady Volozh (right), has slammed Vladimir Putin’s “barbaric” war in Ukraine, becoming one of the most prominent Russian businessmen to express criticism of what Russia still calls euphemistically its “special military operation.”
....
“I am totally against Russia’s barbaric invasion of Ukraine, where I, like many, have friends and relatives. I am horrified by the fact that every day bombs fly into the homes of Ukrainians,” said Volozh, describing himself “as a “Kazakhstan-born, Israeli tech entrepreneur, computer scientist, investor, and philanthropist.”" (CNN Business : 10 August 2023) (my emphasis)
The sanctions are part of continuing efforts to place restrictions on the economy of Russia and its wealthiest powerbrokers, a response to its invasion last year of Ukraine and the ensuing war." (AP : 11 August 2023) (my emphasis)
...
Vladimir Putin has "failed to decisively resolve" the fallout of Wagner's June rebellion, it said.
"Wagner-affiliated sources claimed that the main Wagner forces will 'activate' at the end of August but did not elaborate," said the ISW.
It added speculations about defence minister Sergei Shoigu taking over Russian military operations in Africa from Wagner are "angering Wagner personnel".
Wagner forces may be withdrawing because Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko refused to finance the group after Russia declined funding, said the ISW, citing a Russian insider." (Sky News : 11 August 2023) (my emphasis) (cf also: Aurora Bosotti )
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