The noose is rapidly tightening around the neck of Putin.

The dust is beginning to settle on the shifting of the international 'political' tectonic plates over the spectacular and devastating advances of the army of Ukraine into Russia's Kursk and Belograd oblasts.

inews on Microsoft Start: 18 August 2024

Thus, as YP Rajesh (left) reports,

"Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi (right) will visit Ukraine, the Indian foreign ministry said on Monday, his first trip to the war-torn country since its conflict with Russia and about a month after he met President Vladimir Putin in Moscow." (Reuters: 19 August 2024) (my emphasis)

Bear in mind, as YP Rajesh further reports,

"New Delhi is seeking to deepen its relationship with the West while keeping ties intact with old friend Russia."

 This sudden Indian development comes on the heels of the army of Ukraine consolidating its position in the Kursk and Belgorad Russian oblasts, and Putin raging at his generals for allowing the Ukrainian army to enter and overwhelm Russian towns and villages as evidenced by the blowing up of the second Kursk bridge.

As Arpan Rai (left) reports,

"Volodymyr Zelensky is asking his closest allies to help Ukraine with more logistics for promised ammunition as he presented a nightly update on the frontline actions.
.....
He added: “However, when it comes to supplies from our partners, we need things to speed up. There are no holidays in war. We need decisions—we need timely logistics for the promised aid packages. I’m specifically addressing the United States, the United Kingdom, and France.” (The Independent on Microsoft Start: 19 August 2024) (my emphasis)

The Independent on Microsoft Start: 19 August 2024

David Parsley (left) also reports that,

"The UK is still considering granting permission to Ukraine to use its long range Storm Shadow missiles on Russian territory, i has learned.
...
UK defence sources dismissed reports over the weekend that suggested the US has delayed permission for Kyiv to use the British-donated long-range missiles to strike targets inside Russia, following a request from Keir Starmer to President Joe Biden to approve the move.
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Ministry of Defence (MoD) sources also stressed that the Government does not comment on the operational detail of specific equipment, but added that Ukraine does have a legal right to defend itself by attacking Russian territory under Article 51 of the United Nations Charter." (inews on Microsoft Start: 18 August 2024) (my emphasis)

As also reported by  Steve Goldstein (right),

"European defense contractors traded sharply lower on Monday after a report Germany would stop providing new military aid to Ukraine.

The Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, citing internal documents and letters from Finance Minister Christian Lindner, said Berlin will continue to provide previously approved assistance, and future aid will come from proceeds on frozen Russian assets." (Market Watch: 19 August 2024) (my emphasis)

And once again Putin, via his Belarus puppet Lukashenko, is threatening 'nuclear war' by invoking the Putin mantra about NATO involvement in his war with Ukraine.

As reported by John Dunne,

"Belarus leader Aleksandr Lukashenko has again warned of nuclear war and has deployed troops along the length of his country’s border with Ukraine. (left: Lukashenko and Putin)

He has regularly suggested that WW3 could be triggered if Ukraine’s western allies becoming even more embroiled in Ukraine’s battle against Russia.
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"If they send NATO troops [to Ukraine], this will start WW3." (London Evening Standard: 18 August 2024) (my emphasis)

But as Hamish de Bretton-Gordon (right) correctly writes,

"It must be made clear, even to the most timid leaders in Europe, that the nuclear option is not actually available to Putin. The West both can and should remove the shackles it has put on Ukraine and allow that bold nation to fight with its hands free, using its Western weaponry to its full range and capability.

This decisive action by Ukraine is an opportunity for Starmer and his new team to make decisions that could hasten peace in Eastern Europe." (The Telegraph on Yahoo News: 15 August 2024) (my emphasis) 

As his troops flounder in Kursk and Belgorad, the noose is now rapidly tightening around the neck of Putin.

 

 

 

(to be continued)