Putin now throwing 'everything' at Ukraine as a last resort.

In my blog entry of  20 February 2015 I wrote that,

"Two words rather sums it up viz. "Russlandversteher or Putinversteher"

As the Economist (May 10th 2014) pointed out many months ago,

"When Germans add the word Versteher (one who understands) to a term, they generally mix flattery with irony. So a Frauenversteher (one who understands women) is usually a man who boasts excessively about his knowledge of the opposite sex. The label is now being attached to so-called Russlandversteher or Putinversteher: members of the [German] elite or intelligentsia who gush with empathy for Russia and its president, Vladimir Putin, on talk shows, in journals and at dinner parties." (my emphasis)" (blog entry : 20 February 2015)

I also reported that,

"German Chancellor Angela Merkel told supporters that "Germany and France together, will not ease off on doing everything so that Ukraine can go its way and have its territorial integrity -- but we want to do it with Russia, not against Russia." (Fox News : February 20, 2015) (my emphasis)" (ibid blog entry : 20 February 2015)

Fast forward to October 7 2023 and an essay in the Times argues that,

"Revival of the Danube axis spells trouble for Ukraine.

"Unjust peace with Putin is becoming increasingly attractive to central European leaders who are allowing economic anxiety and latent Russophilia [ read: 'Putinversteher']  to drive a wedge between them and the Zelensky government." (Times : 7 October 2023) (my emphasis) (cf also: Piotr H. Kosicki : The Atlantic : 4 October 2023)

As Kate Nicholson (left) also reports,

"A pro-Kremlin nationalist, Robert Fico, has just been voted into power in Slovakia ...
...
Fico wants “immediate peace negotiations”, too and end economic sanctions against Moscow.

[Robert Fico (right)] ... is known to be particularly friendly with Russia, and has made it clear that his role model is the Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orban." (Microsoft Start (HuffPost article)) : 6 October 2023) (my emphasis)

As Kate Nicholson further reports,

"But in mid-September, things started to go south as Warsaw prepared for its parliamentary elections in October 15.

On September 19, Zelenskyy accused some unnamed EU members of “feigning solidarity while directly supporting Russia”.

Warsaw summoned Ukraine’s ambassador to Poland – shortly afterwards, Polish PM Mateusz Morawiecki announced his country would not be sending arms to Ukraine anymore.

He claimed Poland needed the arms for himself." (ibid Kate Nicholson)

More disconcerting for Ukraine's president Zelensky, Hans von der Burchard reports that,

"German Chancellor Olaf Scholz sought to justify his reluctance to supply Ukraine with Taurus cruise missiles on Thursday by naming constitutional constraints and the risk of an “escalation of the war.”
...
Yet Christian Mölling, the deputy director of the German Council on Foreign Relations and a renowned security expert, argued on X, formerly Twitter, that Germany would not take an active role in the war once it hands the cruise missiles over to Ukraine, and denounced Scholz’s concerns as “smoke grenades.” (Politico : 5 October 2023) (my emphasis)

CRUX : 3 October 2023 : YouTube

Let us not forget that pre-unification, Germany was comprised of TWO independent political states viz. Soviet East Germany and West Germany.

With unification, those Germans who lived in East Germany and were culturally, politically, and socially inculcated with the ideology that today is the very foundation of Putin's rationale for his war with Ukraine, are now fully incorporated into the body politic of Germany.

Consequently, as the Economist article of 2014 explained,

"... Russlandversteher or Putinversteher: members of the [German] elite or intelligentsia who gush with empathy for Russia and its president, Vladimir Putin, on talk shows, in journals and at dinner parties .. " (Economist (May 10th 2014))

The political 'brouhaha' about continuing to finacially support President Zelensky in Ukraine's war with Putin in the US Congress is also cause for concern.

As reported by Steve Holland (left),

"President Joe Biden expressed fears on Wednesday that U.S. aid to Ukraine could be hurt by congressional chaos and said he will give a major speech soon to make the case for why it is necessary to help Ukraine repel Russian invaders.

Republican infighting in the House of Representatives has complicated budget negotiations and prompted Biden to go from confidence that an agreement will be made on Ukraine aid to now expressing worries about funding his top foreign policy priority." (Reuters : 4 October 2023) (my emphasis)

Reuters : 4 October 2023

As also reported by Tom Porter,

"At the Valdai Club conference Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin gloated over the potential impact of Western support for Ukraine ebbing.

"Imagine, if the supply is cut off tomorrow, you'll have a week to live, when the ammunition runs out," Putin told the conference.  (Yahoo News (Business Insider article) : 6 October 2023) (my emphasis) 

Against the backdrop of this political 'wobble' in support for Ukraine, Alessandra Scotto di Santolo (right) reports that,

"Russian officers are evacuating their families from the southern town of Tokmak as Ukrainian forces make advances.

In response, Vladimir Putin's troops are rapidly building bunkers and concrete trenches near the frontline in Zaporizhzhia, according to the UK Ministry of Defence.

The fortifications are aimed at protecting Russian soldiers and command centres from heavy Ukrainian artillery and drone attacks, reflecting Russia's concerns about a possible Ukrainian breakthrough in the ongoing conflict." (Express : 7 October 2023) (my emphasis)

Putin will now throw 'everything' at Ukraine as his defeat on the battleground looms large.

UPDATE 1 : 9 October 2023

Max Hunder reports that,

"Ukraine's air force expects a record number of Russian drone attacks on its soil this winter, its spokesperson Yuriy Ihnat said on Sunday, as Kyiv girds for a second winter of mass bombardment of its energy facilities. (Reuters : 8 October 2023) (my emphasis)

As also reported by James Callery and Will Stewart and Matt Strudwick,

"President Vladimir Putin has threatened the West with total nuclear destruction, leaving 'no chance of survival' in the event of a strike on Russia.

In a ranting anti-US speech, the dictator said his powerful 'Satan-2' and 'Flying Chernobyl' missiles are ready for deployment in an ominous doomsday warning. (Mail Online : 5 October 2023) (my emphasis)

BANG Showbiz : Microsoft Start : 8 October 2023

Tom Malley and Ellie Doughty also report that,

"Speculation over the Russian president's health has hit an all-time high amid rampant rumours of body doubles, cancer treatment, and even a diagnosis of Parkinson's disease." (The Sun : 8 October 2023) (my emphasis)

It would be foolish to ignore Putin's latest threats of 'nuclear armageddon'. 

 

 

 

(to be continued)