Putin's paranoid desperation.

As Putin continues to flail in his attempts to gain international support for his invasion of Ukraine by embracing North Korea's Kim Jon Un, the Ukrainian counter-offensive gathers momentum.

Aljazeera has just reported that,

"Ukraine said its forces attacked two Russian patrol ships operating in the Black Sea and destroyed a sophisticated “Triumf” surface-to-air missile defence system in Russian-occupied Crimea, with military analysts describing the loss of such equipment as “tactical failures” by Russia.

The attacks reported on Thursday followed a day after Kyiv said it had carried out a missile strike that badly damaged a Russian submarine and a naval landing ship that were undergoing repairs in a shipyard in the Crimean port of Sevastopol, home to Russia’s Black Sea Fleet." (Aljazeera : 15 September 2023) (my emphasis) 

As also reported by Tom Balmforth (left) and Yuliia Dysa (right),

"Ukraine said on Thursday it attacked two Russian patrol ships and destroyed a sophisticated air defence system in the west of occupied Crimea, ramping up its strikes to challenge Moscow's dominance in the Black Sea region.

The attacks come a day after Kyiv said it seriously damaged a Russian submarine and landing ship undergoing repairs in a missile strike on a shipyard in the Crimean port of Sevastopol, home to the Russian Black Sea Fleet.

The Ukrainian military, in a post on Telegram messenger, said it hit two Russian patrol boats in the southwest of the Black Sea, causing "certain damage" in a morning attack." (Microsoft Start (Reuters article) : 15 September 2023) (my emphasis) (cf also: Tom Watling, Maia Snow, and Alessandra Scotto di Santolo : Express: 14 September2023)

Euro News Video : Microsoft Start (Reuters article) : 15 September 2023 

Compounding Putin's current woes, Alessandra Scotto di Santolo (left) reports that,

"In a recent conference, Russian President Vladimir Putin made desperate attempts to reassure his country during the sharp decline of the national currency - the ruble.

But his reassurances seemed to lack any substantial backing from German Gref, the head of Russia's largest lender, Sberbank.

While Putin expressed support for the central bank's actions in response to the currency's plunge, his statements appeared more like a scramble to maintain a sense of control rather than a well-founded strategy.
...
In contrast to Putin's attempts to downplay the severity of the ruble's decline, Gref openly criticised the authorities for their inadequate efforts to stabilise the currency. (Express : 13 September 2023) (my emphasis)

Express : 13 September 2023

Added to which, as reported by YeniSafak,

"The US State and Treasury departments announced further sanctions Thursday on more than 150 individuals and entities in connection with Russia’s war in Ukraine.​​​​​​​

"As part of today’s action, the U.S. government is targeting individuals and entities engaged in sanctions evasion and circumvention, those complicit in furthering Russia’s ability to wage its war against Ukraine, and those responsible for bolstering Russia’s future energy production," Secretary of State Antony Blinken (right) said in a statement." (YeniSafak : 15 September 2023) (my emphasis)

As the Ruble continues its precipitous fall in value, and the noose begins to tighten around the necks of those trying to evade and circumvent international economic sanctions against Putin's invasion of Ukraine, Stephen Groves, Lisa Mascaro and Matthew Lee report that,

"Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is expected at the White House and on Capitol Hill next week as he visits the U.S. during the United Nations General Assembly.

Zelenskyy’s trip comes as Congress is debating President Joe Biden’s request to provide as much as $24 billion in military and humanitarian aid for Ukraine as it fights the Russian invasion.

An administration official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive visit, said Zelenskyy will meet with Biden at the White House next Thursday. The trip to the Capitol was confirmed by two congressional aides granted anonymity to discuss the plans." (Associated Press : 15 September 2023) (my emphasis)

 

WGN-TV Chicago Video : Microsoft Start (AP article) :15 September 2023

Significantly,  as reported by CBS News,

"The Biden administration has tapped former Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker to lead an effort to rebuild Ukraine's economy.

President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced the appointment on Thursday, just moments after the Treasury imposed a raft of new sanctions on Russia and Russian operatives for their role in the war on Ukraine.

Pritzker, a Chicago native, will be tasked with coordinating public and private investments in Ukraine, and working to open markets and businesses shut down by the Russian invasion." (CBS News : 14 September 2023) (my emphasis)

CBS Chicago : 14 September 2023 : YouTube

The Korea Bizwire also reports that,

"South Korea has clinched an agreement with Ukraine to offer low-interest loans to the war-torn nation to help its reconstruction projects, the finance ministry said Friday.

Kim Hyung-tae, South Korea’s ambassador to Ukraine, and Ukrainian First Vice Prime Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko signed the agreement in Kyiv earlier this week to provide loans via the Economic Development Co-operation Fund (EDCF), according to the Ministry of Economy and Finance." (Korea Bizwire : 15 September 2023) (my emphasis)

All of which is adding to Putin's paranoia.

As reported by Dagens Nyheter, a Swedish daily newspaper,

"Conversations with Russian soldiers about what it's like to work for Vladimir Putin have often been seen, read, or heard.

Now, Vitaliy Bryzhatiy, a former employee of the Federal Protective Service, who guarded Putin's dacha in annexed Crimea, has spoken out.

In an interview with independent television channel Dozhd, he revealed that the Kremlin leader trusts no one, not even his bodyguards. Bryzhatiy fled the country following Russia's invasion of Ukraine." (Dagens : 11 September 2023) (my emphasis)

And let us recall that, "Russian President Vladimir Putin has (recently) hailed tech billionaire Elon Musk as an “outstanding person” and businessman whose SpaceX company has become a key player in the space transportation industry." (Aljazeera : 13 September 2023)

It now transpires that,

"U.S. Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall does not shy away from commenting on controversy — even as it relates to the world's richest person and a key Department of Defense contractor.

Kendall weighed in Tuesday after SpaceX CEO Elon Musk acknowledged withholding Starlink satellite service to Ukraine as it planned a surprise attack on Russian forces last year. The disclosure sparked criticism of Musk, and Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., called for a probe into SpaceX.
...
The public frenzy, triggered by a revelation in Walter Isaacson's new "Elon Musk" biography, added fuel to an already simmering debate about whether the U.S. government and allies are too reliant on SpaceX —and particularly its founder and chief executive — for national security matters." (Morgan Brennan : Microsoft Start (CNBC article) : 14 September 2023) (my emphasis)

 Sky News : 14 September 2023 : YouTube

 Jill Lepore (left) recently wrote a penetrating article about Musk that mentions the Fascist "apartheid" background of Musk's upbringing, and that Musk's biographer, Walter Isaacson,

"...in his account of Elon Musk’s childhood, barely mentions apartheid himself." (The New Yorker : 11 September 2023) (my emphasis)

Lepore also enlightens us with the fact that his grandfather, " ... wrote a tract entitled, “The International Conspiracy to Establish a World Dictatorship & the Menace to South Africa,” that blamed the two World Wars on the machinations of Jewish financiers." (ibid Lepore)

She also informs us that Musk's father,

" ..... Recently, he warned Elon, in an e-mail, that “with no Whites here [in South Africa], the Blacks will go back to the trees.” (ibid Lepore)

In Greek mythology, the myth of Icarus has become synonymous with excessive pride and foolhardiness. (History Cooperative)

And like Icarus, the "boy who flew too high", Musk is now having his 'wings' singed by his excessive pride and foolhardiness as regards Putin's war with Ukraine.

Like Putin's embrace of North Korea's Kim Jon Un, his effusive embrace of "PARSA" Musk, who prevented the armed forces of Ukraine from attacking Putin's invading army in Crimea, is yet another signal of Putin's paranoid desperation.

UPDATE 1 : 18 September 2023

James Gordon (right) (03.32 am 18 Sept 2023) has reported that,

"Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says he believes World War Three could become a reality if the U.S. does not continue to support Ukraine having already contributed roughly $70 billion towards the effort.

Speaking on 60 Minutes Sunday night, Zelensky compared Russian President Vladimir Putin to Adolf Hitler.

'The whole world [has to] decide whether we want to stop Putin, or whether we want to start the beginning of a world war. We can't change Putin. Russian society has [lost] the respect of the world,' Zelensky said.

'They elected him and re-elected him and raised a second Hitler. They did this. We cannot go back in time. But we can stop it here.'" (Mail Online : 18 September 2023) (my emphasis)

And as Zelensky sounds alarm bells about Putin's paranoid behaviours, Mike Corder (right) reports that,

"Ukraine's legal battle against Russia over allegations of genocide used by Moscow to justify its 2022 invasion resumes Monday at the United Nations' highest court, as Russia seeks to have the case tossed out.

Hearings at the International Court of Justice, also known as the World Court, will see Ukraine supported by a record 32 other nations in a major show of support." (Yahoo News (AP Article) : 07.02 BST 18 September 2023) (my emphasis)

As I stated in my previous blog post (13 September 2023), "Is Putin preparing to step into the abyss?".

 

 

 

(to be continued)