Is Putin preparing to step into the abyss?

The meeting between Putin and North Korea's Kim Jon Un in Vladivostock underscores Putin's desperation in obtaining ammunition to feed his soldiers in Ukraine.

As reported by  Nicolle Wallace (left),

"These two leaders are expected to met for discussions where, reportedly, an arms deal .... North Korea will receive food aid and military support from Russia, while Russia would get ammunition and artillery in its brutal war against Ukraine" (MSNBC : 12 September 2023) (my emphasis)

MSNBC : 12 September 2023

 Fox News : 13 September 2023 : YouTube

As CBS News also reports,

"North Korean leader Kim Jong Un told Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday that his country offers its "full and unconditional support" for Russia's "sacred fight" to defend its security interests, in an apparent reference to the war in Ukraine. Kim said North Korea would always stand with Russia on the "anti-imperialist" front.
...
Kim called North Korea's relations with Russia his nation's "first priority."
...
Asked whether Russia would help North Korea build and launch satellites, Putin was quoted by Russian state media as saying "that's why we have come here." (CBS News : 13 September 2023) (my emphasis)

Just prior to Putin's and Kim Jon Un's meeting, Tom Watling reports that,

"Vladimir Putin has issued a chilling warning to the UK over claims British special forces are disrupting Russian nuclear power plants.

The Russian president said the UK could face "serious consequences" over claims they are teaching Ukrainian troops how to disrupt the power lines.

He provided no evidence for his comments, made during a morning session at the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok, far eastern Russia."  (Express : 12 September 2023) (my emphasis)

As also reported by Jessica Baker, Will Stewart, and Ellie Doughty,

"[Putin] accused the UK's elite forces of training Ukrainian troops to damage atomic power lines on his territory and warned there would be "serious consequences".
[...]

He further alleged the group had been trained under the supervision of British instructors, asking: "Do [the British] understand what they are playing with, or not?

“Are they provoking our response at Ukrainian nuclear sites, nuclear stations, or what?

“Does the British leadership, or the Prime Minister [of the United Kingdom] know what their special services are engaged with in Ukraine?

“Or do they have no clue at all? I assume this is possible, too." (The Sun : 12 September 2023) (my emphasis) 

This threat from Putin against the UK, that served as the backdrop to his meeting with Kim Jon Un, follows on from a report of Ben Ashton that,

"Ukraine staged a devastating attack on a key Russian naval base just hours before Vladimir Putin shook hands with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

At least 24 people have been injured and two warships were reportedly damaged as a barrage of missiles rained down on Sevastopol port on Wednesday morning.

Blistering strikes sparked as many as seven massive explosions and a shipyard went up in flames after the port in annexed Crimea was bombarded.

Terrifying footage filmed from residents nearby showed multiple blasts and huge flashes of light over the city, which is the headquarters of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet.

The Russian defence ministry said ten cruise missiles hit the port – also known by the name Ordzhonikidze – and claimed that seven had been shot down. (Microsoft Start (Metro Article) : 13 September 2023) (my emphasis)

It is this type of attack on Putin's forces in occupied Ukraine's Crimea that Putin now praises 'PARSA' Musk for preventing a surprise attack on Russian forces in Crimea last September.

As reported by Aljazeera,

"Russian President Vladimir Putin has hailed tech billionaire Elon Musk as an “outstanding person” and businessman whose SpaceX company has become a key player in the space transportation industry.

Putin’s public praise of Musk on Tuesday comes days after the South African-born and United States-based entrepreneur said he refused a Ukrainian request last year to activate his Starlink satellite communication network in the Russian-annexed Crimean port city of Sevastopol to aid an attack on Russia’s Black Sea fleet, saying he feared complicity in a “major” act of war. (Aljazeera : 13 September 2023) (my emphasis)

As Rachel Maddow (left) quotes from Ronan Farrow's recent article in The New Yorker, "Elon Musk's Shadow Rule",

"Mr Musk has had direct conversations with Russian officials ..."

She goes on to explain that,

"We have seen Mr. Musk post very obviously pro-Russian propaganda after these conversations ... You [Ronan Farrow] connect that communication ...[ .... ] in time to Mr. Musk's decision to cut off this crucial communications asset for the Ukrainian military ..." (MSNBC : 12 September 2023) (my emphasis)

MSNBC : 12 September 2023

It is therefore no coincidence given that :-

• Asked whether Russia would help North Korea build and launch satellites, Putin was quoted by Russian state media as saying "that's why we have come here." (ibid CBS News : 13 September 2023)
•  Ukraine staged a devastating attack on a key Russian naval base just hours before Vladimir Putin shook hands with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. (ibid Ben Ashton)
•  Vladimir Putin has issued a chilling warning to the UK over claims British special forces are disrupting Russian nuclear power plants. (ibid Tom Watling)
•  Russian President Vladimir Putin has hailed tech billionaire Elon Musk as an “outstanding person" (ibid Aljazeera),

as reported by Alessandra Scotto di Santolo (left),

"Officials in Ukraine fear desperate Putin is plotting a barrage of missile strikes in the bitter war within weeks.

Nataliya Humeniuk, the head of the Joint Coordination Press Centre of the Defence Forces of Southern Ukraine issued the stark warning as she warned of threats from Russia.
...
The potential for missile strikes is concerning during the bitterly cold autumn and winter months.

Recent military activity in the Black Sea from Russian troops has fuelled the speculation and fears within Ukraine. " (Express : 12 September 2023) (my emphasis)

Is Putin preparing to step into the abyss?

 

 

 

(to be continued)