Will Putin's 'siloviki' now act to depose him?

 Brad Lendon (left) from CNN reports that,

" As the early stages of Ukraine’s counteroffensive against Russian invaders is unfolding on the battlefield, hundreds of warplanes from some of Kyiv’s biggest supporters are in the skies over Germany as NATO holds its largest aerial war games ever.

“Air Defender 2023” is bringing together 250 warplanes – including 190 fighter jets – and 10,000 troops in drills designed to boost the alliance’s preparedness and ability “to protect against aircraft, drones and missile attacks on cities and critical infrastructure,” according to a NATO press release." (CNN : 14 June 2023) (my emphasis)

CNN : 14 June 2023

As Amy Guttman (left) [US Ambassador to Germany] stated at the press conference,

"I would be pretty surprised if any world leader was not taking note of what this shows in terms of the spirit of this alliance, which means the strength of this alliance. And that includes Mr. Putin" (ibid Brad lendon) 

What is even more significant is the fact that,

"Alliance members are making plans to supply Ukraine with F-16 fighter jets of the same variety that are participating in the current war games." (ibid Brad lendon) (cf. also: blog entry Monday, 22 May 2023)

Furthermore, as reported by Sylvie Corbet,

"The leaders of France, Germany and Poland met in Paris Monday for talks focusing on
military support for Ukraine’s counteroffensive and future security guarantees to be given to the country, ahead of a NATO summit in July.
...
In a show of unity, the three leaders insisted they would continue to support Ukraine for as long as necessary.
...
He [Macron] promised to continue deliveries of weapons, ammunition and armored vehicles “over the coming days and weeks." (ABC News : 12 June 2023) (my emphasis)

No doubt Putin was well aware of this formidable aerial war games of NATO, as well as the show of unity by France, Germany, and Poland.

In his recent comments about his war with Ukraine, Putin threatened to grab yet more land from Ukraine whilst, at the same time, offering 'peace talks' if the West desists from sending more arms to Ukraine.

As reported by the Associated Press (quoted by ABC News),

"Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday alternated threats of a new Russian offensive to grab more Ukrainian land with statements about the Kremlin's readiness for peace talks.
...
Putin said Moscow could respond to alleged Ukrainian incursions and shelling of Russia's border regions by carving out what he described as a “sanitary zone” to prevent Kyiv from launching such attacks.
...
The Russian leader said ending the hostilities in Ukraine depends on the United States. He argued that the fighting would end immediately if the U.S. and NATO stop providing Ukraine with weapons." (ABC News : 13 June 2023) (my emphasis)  

UPDATE 1: 16 June 2023

 As reported by Victor Jack and Jacopo Barigazzi,

"Bulgaria’s new defense minister said the country is looking to step up its support for EU efforts to supply Ukraine with the ammunition it needs to continue fighting Moscow’s troops.
...
“We are very clearly aiming at joining this coalition,” Todor Tagarev told POLITICO in an interview. “I think we will be able to provide some of the required ammunition for Ukraine.” (Politico : 15 June 2023) (my emphasis)

Putin must be aware that he is "whistling in the wind" by saying that, "the fighting would end immediately if the U.S. and NATO stop providing Ukraine with weapons."

And as Putin changes his tone from "hawk" to "dove", Tom Watling reports that,

"Wagner Group financier and internally recognised war criminal Yevgeny Prigozhin (right) issued yet another rebuke of the Armed Forces of Russia stationed in Ukraine on Tuesday in what he claimed was merely his update on the ongoing Ukrainian counter-offensives.
...
Russian forces are “not doing enough to fight back against” the rapidly advancing Ukrainian troops, the Wagner Group leader has claimed. As Russian President Vladimir Putin baselessly suggested during a meeting with military journalists on Tuesday that his forces had destroyed 160 Ukrainian tanks and 360 armoured vehicles since the beginning of the counter offensive, Yevgeny Prigozhin shrugged off the claims as inaccurate, saying Ukraine had suffered only “normal combat losses”. (Express : 13 June 2023) (my emphasis)

It is therefore no coincidence that, as reported by Kate Whitfield (left),

"Rampant speculation about the health of Russian President Vladimir Putin has persisted for months, with some sources now claiming his closest allies are getting nervous about his imminent demise.
...
The intelligence, leaked from the Pentagon, marked one of the most serious leaks of US intel in recent years.
...
It claimed that Russian National Security Council Secretary Nikolay Patrushev and Russian Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov were behind the plot to “sabotage” Putin’s war effort. (Express : 13 June 2023) (my emphasis)

Furthermore, we now learn from John Varga (right) that,

"The Chechen rebel leader [Ruslan Kutaev] pointed to the creation of private militias by Russian oligarchs as evidence that Kremlin elites were preparing for political turmoil and conflict.
...
Russia's defeat in Ukraine will spark vicious infighting between Kremlin elites that will plunge the country into a new civil war, according to a Chechen rebel leader. He also predicted that Chechens would rise up and overthrow their brutal President Ramzan Kadyrov and a new state unifying all the peoples of the Caucasus would emerge from the revolution's ashes." (Express : 11 June 2023) (my emphasis)

UPDATE 2: 16 June 2023

Perhaps more ominously, and underscoring the fact that his closest allies are getting nervous about Putin's imminent demise, Kate Whitfield reports that,

"Now, however, as the war rumbles on and speculation surrounding Putin’s ill health or a possible coup mounts, experts have said that Xi might be implementing further steps to pave the way for a continued partnership post-Putin.
...

“In spite of all the greetings to and from Putin that Xi and Mishustin (left) exchanged, the obvious question arises: Why was [Russian Prime Minister] Mishustin invited and not Putin? This cannot have gone down well with the Russian leader.”

Mr Åslund argues these recent events are "perhaps the best evidence we have that China may be looking beyond Putin and seeking to cultivate alternative relationships in Russia". (Express : 16 June 2023) (my emphasis).

Putin is, no doubt, aware that he is living on 'borrowed time'.

This may account for the fact that Putin is now relying on Lukashenko to come to his aid.

 As reported by Andrew Osborn,

"Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said on Tuesday that Russian tactical nuclear weapons would be physically deployed on the territory of Belarus "in several days" and that he had the facilities to host longer-range missiles too if ever needed.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday that Russia, which will retain control of the tactical nuclear weapons, would start deploying them in close ally Belarus after special storage facilities to house them were made ready on July 7-8." (Reuters : 13 June 2023) (my emphasis)

Cocooned from the rest of the world in his bunker, his health failing, and his war with Ukraine crumbling in his hands; Putin has nowhere else to go.

Members of his 'siloviki' are well aware of the danger that Putin now presents.

The only way out for them is now to rid themselves of Putin.

 

(to be continued)

Putin is now at his most dangerous.

In the wake of the Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 (MH17/MAS17) that was shot down by Russian-controlled forces on 17 July 2014, while flying over eastern Ukraine, I wrote in my blog entry of 30/7/2014 that,

"Now six days ago, (25th July 2014) Alexander J. Motyl (left) posed the following question:

" Is Putin evil? His actions certainly are, if by evil we understand behavior that willfully, consciously and purposely destroys human life. Perhaps we can call his actions undeniably evil and Putin himself "evil enough." Evil enough for what? Evil enough for condemnation by people of good will." (CNN : 25 July 2014) (my emphasis)

(CNN (Reuters video) : 25 July 2014)

Fast forward to 2023 and Alexander J Motyl's words written in July of 2014 now ring loudly from the past as Putin's forces blew up a part of the Nova Kakhovka dam in Kherson.

As reported by Maroosha Muzaffar, Andy Gregory, Tara Cobham, and William Mata,

"Volodymyr Zelenskyy tells residents to evacuate as water gushes from destroyed Nova Kakhovka dam in Kherson near Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.
...
The head of Ukraine’s Kherson region has said that the water will reach critical levels within five hours after a huge dam was blown up today near the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.

Ukrainian authorities have asked residents in flood-prone areas to evacuate as water gushes out from the destroyed Nova Khakova dam in the southern Kherson region." (The Independent : 6 June 2023) (my emphasis)

(BBC News : 6 June 2023)

NATO now finds itself in an awkward situation.

As reported by Alessandra Scotto di Santolo (left),

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said the “outrageous act [of Russia blowing up the Nova Khakova dam in the southern Kherson region] demonstrates once again the brutality of Russia’s war in Ukraine.”
....
"The recent attack on civilians will be high on the agenda when NATO heads of state and governments meet in Vilnius next month. Ukraine's formal pathway to NATO membership will, at very least, be discussed.
....
[ ] there is a substantial risk that any overstepping of the lines might cause an escalation from Russia, given Putin would see this as legitimising his offensive.
...
"The West is facing the most unpredictable and delicate security environment since the Cold War. For this reason, we have seen a restricted response from NATO since the full-scale invasion started." (Express : 6 June 2023) (my emphasis)

(EU27 : 6 June 2023 : YouTube)

Besides the downing of  Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 in 2014 (imp. cf: Hague Court : inquirer net: 6 June 2023) by Putin's then militia in the Donetsk region of Ukraine, let us also recall the cynical blowing up of Russian apartments in 1999 by the then FSB, when Putin was the head of the FSB. 

As I wrote in my blog entry (11 August 2016),

"As inevitably as the sun will rise to-morrow morning, Putin is repeating his pretext for escalating the war between Russia and Ukraine that he did when he was head of the FSB in 1999, and oversaw the Moscow apartment bombings that he used as a casus belli to start his war with Chechnya.

Let us for a moment remind ourselves that those 1999 apartment bombings in Moscow led to the deaths of 293, and injured more than 1000 people, whilst at the same time spreading a wave of fear across the country. (cf Wikipedia)

There is enough evidence that exposes the fact that these bombings were staged by the then FSB under Putin. (cf Wikipedia)" (blog entry

11 August 2016)

Just as Putin blamed the 1999 Moscow apartment bombings on Chechen operatives, we now have his media 'mouthpieces' in Moscow pushing a disinformation narrative that the Nova Kakhovka dam was destroyed by Ukraine itself.

(BBC News : 7 June 2023) and (CBS News : 6 June 2023)

In similar vein, we now also have none other than Putin's defence ministers pushing a disinformation narrative that,

"In a statement early Monday morning, the Ministry of Defence in Moscow claimed it had killed 250 Ukrainian soldiers and destroyed tanks - or if this was the long-anticipated Ukrainian counteroffensive.

Russia says it has thwarted a large Ukrainian attack in the eastern province of Donetsk, although it's not clear if this is the start of a long-anticipated Ukrainian counteroffensive." (Euro News : 5 June 2023) (my emphasis)

Unfortunately for Putin and his generals, Matt Murphy (left) reports that,

"A fresh row has broken out between the Wagner Group and the Russian military, as long-simmering tension between the groups threatens to spill over.

Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin dismissed Russia's claims to have inflicted heavy losses on Ukraine in the Donbas when Kyiv attempted offensive action.

Prigozhin said the claims were "simply wild and absurd science fiction". (BBC News : 6 June 2023) (my emphasis)

The international horror at what Putin and his generals have unleashed by blowing up the the Nova Kakhovka dam cannot be concealed.

Already there are growing 'political' fissures between Putin and his 'siloviki', and amongst the 'siloviki' themselves. 

ABC Net reports that,

"Russian mercenary leader Yevgeny Prigozhin (left) says Kremlin factions are destroying the state by trying to sow discord between him and Chechen fighters.
...
He said that row had now been settled but infighting in the Kremlin had opened a Pandora's Box of rifts. (ABC Net : 3 June 2023) (my emphasis)

With the international fallout following the destruction of the Nova Kakhovka dam, the start of Ukraine's counter-offensive, and the accelerating infighting in the Kremlin; Putin is now at his most dangerous.

 

(to be continued)

Putin is now having sleepless nights.

In my blog entry (Monday, 24 April 2023) I wrote that,

"South African authorities will have to grapple with whether to enforce an International Criminal Court warrant against Russian President Vladimir Putin if he follows through on plans to attend the BRICS Summit -- which also includes Brazil, India and China -- this August in Johannesburg." (ibid Dylan Robertson)

South African president Cyril Ramaphosa (left) now finds himself in a rather difficult and tricky political position on this issue.

Is the Rieaz Shaik interview (Dylan Robertson), in which the political position of South Africa towards Putin's war with Ukraine was made internationally public, a prelude to laying the political ground for Putin to attend the BRICS conference in South Africa without having to be arrested? "

This issue has now taken centre stage on the International political scene.

As reported by Inquirer.net,

"South Africa is mulling its options over an International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin should he accept an invitation to a BRICS summit in August, a South African government official said.

A member of the ICC, South Africa would theoretically be required to arrest Putin under the warrant issued in March by the court, which accused him of the war crime of forcibly deporting children from Russian-occupied territory in Ukraine." (Inquirer.net  (Reuters) : 1 June 2023) (my emphasis)

WION : 31 May 2023 : YouTube

Indeed, as reported by vnexplorer,

"South Africa is exploring the possibility of moving the BRICS summit in August to China to avoid the legal dilemma it faces of having to arrest Russian President Vladimir Putin if he visits South Africa, officials say.
...
South African official sources confirmed that Pretoria was in fact seriously considering moving the summit to China — with a second option to hold the summit virtually — for all the five presidents of the bloc, which also includes China, India and Brazil." (vnexplorer : 2 June 2023) (my emphasis)

As also reported by Mouad Boudina,

"In a statement of utmost importance, South Africa’s Foreign Minister, Naledi Pandor, (left) expressed that the legal intricacies surrounding the potential engagement of Russian President Vladimir Putin in the forthcoming summit of the esteemed BRICS group of nations, scheduled for August, are presently under meticulous examination by the South African government." (weafrica24 : 1 June 2023) (my emphasis)

Let us remind ourselves that, as reported by Yevhen Kizilov (right),

"Ukrainian children who have been illegally deported to Russia are given new names and dates of birth as Russia makes every effort to force them to forget their native country." (Ukrainska Pravda : 31 May 2023) (my emphasis)

Iryna Vereshchuk, Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister, is quoted as saying,

"[Ukrainian children] are taken to all corners of Russia, where their identities are changed; they are given new names, surnames, and dates of birth. [Russia is] making every effort to assimilate them, in essence committing an act of genocide against our children, by forcibly russifying them, giving them [Russian] passports, and doing everything to make these children forget their homeland, their language, and their culture, and to make them accept, as [Russia] puts it, a new reality." (ibid Yevhen Kizilov)

It is this crime of Putin's that Naledi Pandor is now 'legally' attempting to sweep under the carpet of the upcoming BRICS summit in Johannesberg.

Putin, however, may have to let South African president, Cyril Ramaphosa, off the ICC hook by preferring to stay in Russia as the people of Moscow get a small taste of what Ukrainians have been suffering under for months viz. lethal drones dropping over their heads.

As reported by Andrew Roth and Pjotr Sauer,

"Moscow has been targeted with a large-scale drone attack for the first time in its 15-month-old war in Ukraine, marking a new inflection point in the conflict, with the Kremlin threatening to take the “harshest possible measures” in response to the strikes.

Russia continues to pummel Ukraine with deadly missile and drone strikes on a near-daily basis. Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, faced its third air raid in 24 hours on Tuesday morning." (The Guardian : 30 May 2023) (my emphasis)

Guardian News : 31 May 2023 : YouTube

Furthermore, Putin's growing precarious hold on power may be making him wary of a possible 'coup' if he leaves Russia.  

As reported by Tom Watling,

"The international war criminal [Yevgeny Prigozhin (left)] once known as “Putin’s chef” has launched an extraordinary attack describing the Russian leader as a “complete a**hole moron”.
...
In his latest rant, he accused the Russian war cabinet of “collecting [artillery shells] in warehouses … instead of spending a shell to kill the enemy and save the lives of our soldiers”.

He then accused the “happy grandfather” [Putin] of “thinking this is good for him”, adding that while he may be proved right, if he is not, it will make him “a complete a**hole moron”. (Express : 10 May 2023) (my emphasis)

The Telegraph : 1 June 2023 : YouTube

If Putin's worries about a 'coup' against him if he should attend the BRICS summit in South Africa, even more worrying for him, as reported by Patrick Tucker,

"NATO is unlikely to vote to admit Ukraine as a member when the alliance summit convenes in July, but it ought to offer the beleaguered country “concrete and tangible security guarantees,” French President Emmanuel Macron (right) said Wednesday.
...
“I think we have to build something between the security provided to Israel and a full fledged membership,” he said. “I think we need to talk concrete and tangible security guarantees.”  (Defense One : 31 May 2023) (my emphasis)

Channel 4 News : 2 June 2023 : YouTube

And as reported by Missy Ryan, Catherine Belton and Emily Rauhala,

"The Biden administration and its NATO allies are developing plans for securing ongoing military support to Ukraine beyond the country’s current offensive, hoping that long-term security pacts will create a strong deterrent against future Russian aggression and potentially alter the battlefield calculus of President Vladimir Putin." (Washington Post : 1 June 2023)  (my emphasis)

The shadows dancing around his bunker walls at night is now giving Putin sleepless nights.

UPDATE 1 : 3 June 2023

 Eirian Jane Prosser reports that,

"A woman who claimed for years to be the secret mother of Vladimir Putin has died in poverty age 97, it was revealed today.

Vera Putina for decades said the Russian President was her son, born to her after she had an affair with a married man.

The dictator has never publicly acknowledged these claims, despite the woman producing pictures of her son, which showed an uncanny resemblance to the now 70-year-old Russian leader." (Mail Online : 1 June 2023) (my emphasis)

In my blog entry of (5/12/2014) I wrote that,

"But before we consider some of the highlights of his speech (Dec. 4, 2014) which could, indeed, have been written by Stalin himself, let us pause for a moment to listen to the words of   Vera Putina, who has always claimed to be his real mother." (blog entry : 5/12/2014)

 

In a later blog entry (8/10/2016) I wrote that,

"Given the fact that Putin has always lied to the world about his real mother, Vera Putina [1] [2] [3], and that he invented a story about 'a cornered rat' that he found in his surrogate parents' flat in St. Petersburg, it should come as no surprise that, being now cornered himself on the international stage, he is dangerously lashing out, bringing the world precipitously to the brink of war. (blog entry : 8/10/2016)

The above links [2], and [3] point to the reporters who investigated the truth about Putin's real mother, and who subsequently were killed and/or died under suspicious circumstances.

  Putin & real Mother                        Putin and classmates in Georgia

   

 

(to be continued)

Is Putin's transfer of nuclear warheads to Belarus his last throw of his dice?

Holly Ellyatt (left) reports that,

 "Russian President Vladimir Putin slammed countries that he said were trying to “impose their dominance” and rules on others, saying Wednesday that those that do were “completely ignoring the sovereignty” of other states.
...
There was not a whiff of irony from Putin, a leader who over his 23 years in power in Russia has overseen a systematic program of interference in other countries’ internal affairs and sovereignty, most recently, in Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine 15 months ago." (CNBC : 24 May 2023) (my emphasis) 

This delusion of Putin, that he has NOT “completely ignored the sovereignty” of Ukraine, serves as the very bedrock upon which he invaded and started his current war with Ukraine.

And Sky News now reports that,

"Russia has already begun the transfer of tactical nuclear weapons to Belarus, according to Alexander Lukashenko.
...
Russia's Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu (left) said the move was due to an "extremely sharp escalation of threats on the western borders of Russia and Belarus". (Sky News : 25 May 2023) (my emphasis)

One should be in no doubt that those 'tactical' nuclear weapons will be aimed at Ukraine as the impending defeat of Putin occupying forces in Ukraine looms ever larger.

In the recent words of the head of Wagner Group, Yevgeny Prigozhin (right),

"We stormed in an aggressive manner and stomped our boots all over Ukraine while looking for Nazis," Prigozhin said. "We approached Kyiv, s**t our pants, and retreated. Next onto Kherson, where we also s**t our pants and retreated, and nothing seems to be working out for us."

He said the vague goals stated by his long-time associate President Vladimir Putin and other Russian officials at the beginning of the war, as aiming to "denazify" and "demilitarize" Ukraine, had failed." (CBS News : 25 May 2023) (my emphasis)

CNN : 25 May 2023 : YouTube

More significantly, as reported by Fred Pleitgen,

"Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin says his troops will leave Bakhmut to Russian military forces and criticized Russia's elite and the failure to achieve the war's objective of weakening Ukraine." (CNN : 25 May 2023) (my emphasis)

Added to which, as reported by John Varga (left),

"Daring attacks in the Belgorod region have shown the Russian resistance movement is real and that Vladimir Putin is no longer in control of the security situation inside his own country, the political representative for the Freedom of Russia Legion has told Express.co.uk.
...
Ilya Ponomarev (right), a former Russian MP and the political representative for the Legion told the Express that the attacks had sown panic among both the civilian and military administrations in Russia." (Express : 23 May 2023) (my emphasis)

Al Jazeera : 23 May 2023 : YouTube

And if this were not enough to further shake Putin's confidence in his political survival, France 24 (Tokyo AFP) reports that,

"Japan announced fresh sanctions against Russia on Friday over its invasion of Ukraine, targeting its military as well as the construction and engineering sectors.
.....
The latest embargo by Tokyo follows the Group of Seven summit Japan hosted last week in Hiroshima, where the bloc's leaders agreed to "starve Russia of G7 technology, industrial equipment and services that support its war machine". (France 24 (Tokyo AFP) : 26 May 2023) (my emphasis)

Added to which,

"Hundreds of thousands of South Korean artillery rounds are on their way to Ukraine via the United States, after Seoul’s initial resistance toward arming Ukraine, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday.

The Journal, citing unnamed sources, said Seoul had reached a “confidential arrangement” with Washington to transfer the shells to the US to be delivered to Ukraine, after the Biden administration asked its Asian ally last year for artillery support." (Hyonhee Shin and Ju-min Park : Reuters : 25 May 2023) (my emphasis)

In a tacit admission of defeat in Ukraine Putin's glove-puppet, Dmitry Medvedev, has now announced that,

"Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, who regularly makes blunt remarks about the Kremlin’s war in Ukraine, said Friday that the conflict was likely to drag on for years.

“This conflict is for a very long time. It’s all for decades, probably,” said Medvedev, who is now the deputy head of the Russian Security Council — directly under Russian President Vladimir Putin — during a visit to Vietnam, according to Russian state-owned newswire RIA Novosti." (Nicolas Camut : Politico : 26 May 2023) (my emphasis)

Hindustan Times : 26 May 2023 : YouTube

What is even more interesting is that Medvedev actually mentions the dreaded word, "ceasefire".

As Nicolas Camut further reports,

“As long as there is such power [in Kyiv], there will be, say, three years of cease-fire, two years of conflict, and then everything will happen again,” [Medvedev] added. (ibid Nicolas Camut)

However, Putin is not in any frame of mind to accept anything less than the utter military defeat of Ukraine's forces, and for Ukraine's President Zelensky to be removed from power.

Why else has he "already begun the transfer of tactical nuclear weapons to Belarus"?

UPDATE 1: (27 May 2023 @ 07.38)

Iwan Stone reported that,

"Ukraine's defence ministry has claimed Russia is planning to simulate a major accident at Europe's biggest nuclear power station in an attempt to thwart a long-planned Ukrainian counteroffensive to retake territory occupied by Russia." (Mail Online : 27 May 2023) (my emphasis) (cf Also: David Ljunggren : Reuters : 26 May 2023)

As also reported by Alexander Butler,

"Russia poses a 'direct threat' to Britain and will be 'vindictive' if it loses the war in Ukraine, the outgoing head of the RAF has warned.

Air Chief Marshal Sir Mike Wigston, 55, said Russia's military was a threat to Britain and Moscow's aggression would only get worse if Vladimir Putin was ousted.

It comes as Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov slammed the West for creating 'serious obstacles' in Ukraine and the Kremlin confirmed it had moved tactical nuclear weapons to Belarus." (Mail Online : 27 May 2023) (my emphasis)

Putin's latest attack on a hospital in Dnipro (26 May 2023), and Lavrov's outburst that the West is creating 'serious obstacles' in Ukraine, underscores the the real danger of Putin pressing the 'nuclear button'.

CNN : 26 May 2023

UPDATE 2: (27 May 2023 @ 20.01) 

Laura Kuenssberg (left) has just reported that,

"Russia has warned Western supplies of weapons to Ukraine risk escalating the war to levels not seen so far.

Andrei Kelin, Russia's ambassador to the UK, told the BBC his country had "enormous resources" and it was yet to "act very seriously

 ...
He added: "Sooner or later, of course, this escalation may get a new dimension which we do not need and we do not want. We can make peace tomorrow." (BBC News : 27 May 2023) (my emphasis)

 

James Landale & Francesca Gillett : BBC News : 28 May 2023

What is even more disturbing, as reported by BBC News, is that,

"Hundreds of Germans working in the education and cultural sectors will be expelled from Russia next month, the German foreign ministry says.
...
Within days, Chancellor Olaf Scholz revolutionised Germany's foreign policy by boosting military spending and committing to send weapons direct to Ukraine.

Mr Scholz kept his promise. When, in January, Germany announced it would send Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine, Russia accused it of abandoning its "historical responsibility to Russia" arising from Nazi crimes in World War Two." (BBC News : 27 May 2023) (my emphasis)

No longer, it would seem, is Putin merely 'sabre rattling' when threatening to use his nuclear arsenal. 

 

(to be continued)

Putin rejoicing his 'pyrrhic' victory in Bakhmut

Setting off the past week of tumultuous political developments supporting Ukraine in Putin's war with Ukraine; the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, personally arrived in Japan to attend the current G7 Summit meeting.

As reported by  Dasha Livitovna (right),

"While the world awaits Ukraine’s spring battlefield offensive, its leader, Volodymyr Zelensky, has launched a diplomatic one. In the span of a week, he’s dashed to Italy, the Vatican, Germany, France, Saudi Arabia and the UK to shore up support for defending his country. This weekend he’s in Japan at the G7 conference in Hiroshima." (Independent.ie :21 May 2023) (my emphasis)

Joe Middleton : Independent : 19 May 2023

As also reported by Tessa Wong (left),

"The Ukrainian president arrived in Hiroshima on a French government plane, after a stopover in Saudi Arabia.

His hastily-organised visit prompted G7 leaders to issue a statement early, in which they condemned Russia.

They also warned against "economic coercion", which Beijing is accused of using against several countries." (BBC News: 21 May 2023) (my emphasis)

Zelensky's attendance at the G7 Summit in Japan coincides with,

"The White House said US president Joe Biden informed his allies at the conference in Hiroshima that it will allow the advanced planes to be donated to Kyiv.

Mr Biden, who is attending the G7 with other members France, Italy, Germany, Japan and Canada, as well as the EU, also announced training for Ukrainian pilots." (Joe Middleton : Independent : 19 May 2023) (my emphasis)

NBC News : 19 May 2023 : YouTube

And as reported by Inês Pereira (left),

"Joe Biden pledged a “shared and unwavering commitment” to stand with Ukraine during his speech at the G7 summit.

The US president said: “This morning I once more shared and assured President Zelensky together with all G7 members and our allies and partners around the world that we will not waver. Putin will not break our resolve, as he thought he could two years ago, almost three years ago.” (Independent :21 May 2023) (my emphasis)

(Independent :21 May 2023) (my emphasis)

Not only did Zelensky meet with US President Biden at the G7 Summit, he also met with India's Prime Minister Narenda Modi.

As reported by HT News Desk,

"At the meeting, PM Modi stressed that the ongoing Russia-Ukraine was a major issue impacting the entire world.

“But I don’t see this as a political or economic issue, for me this is an issue of humanity, an issue of human values,” the prime minister told Zelensky during his opening remarks.

"You know more than any of us what is the suffering of war but when our students came back from Ukraine last year, the description of the circumstances they gave then, I could understand the pain felt by you and Ukrainian citizens," he added. (Hindustan Times : 20 May 2023) (my emphasis)

Firstpost : 21 May 2023 : YouTube

And whilst the attendees at the Tokyo G7 summit are expressing their “shared and unwavering commitment” to stand with Ukraine, Putin is already preparing to dole out medals for the Wagnerite criminals who are claiming to have "liberated" Bakhmut. 

As reported by Sky News,

"Vladimir Putin has congratulated the Wagner Groups of mercenary fighters and the Russian army today for what he called the "liberation" of the eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut.
...
"All those who distinguished themselves will be presented with state awards," it said. (Sky News : 21 May 2023) (my emphasis)

But, as Lloyd Lee (left) points out,

• "Russia claimed victory over Bakhmut after a month long battle over the eastern Ukrainian city.
•  But experts have said even if that's true, the area provides little to no strategic advantage.
•  Now, Russia will have to expend resources in the city while also preparing for Ukraine's counterattack."  (Business Insider : 22 May 2023) (my emphasis)

Putin does not seem to comprehend that his 'alleged' victory in Bakhmut is nothing more nor less than a "pyrrhic" victory i.e. a victory that inflicts such a devastating toll on the victor that it is tantamount to defeat. Such a victory negates any true sense of achievement or damages long-term progress. (cf. Wikipedia)

And whilst Putin is clinging to a pyrrhic victory in Bakhmut, many are now politically scrambling to immediately set in motion a 'peace' mission to end Putin's war with Ukraine.

As reported by Lindsay Dentlinger (right),

"President Cyril Ramaphosa says African leaders hope to travel on a peace mission to Ukraine and Russia as soon as possible in efforts to resolve the conflict between thens.

President Ramaphosa said he floated the African peace mission idea to Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in two separate phone calls over the weekend.He said that both leaders were receptive to the offer and were prepared to receive the delegation in both Moscow and Kyiv.

Ramaphosa said that he tabled the initiative on behalf of the presidents of Zambia, Senegal, Congo, Uganda, Egypt and South Africa. (Eyewitness News : 16 May 2023) (my emphasis.)As also reported by Gerard O’Connell,

"Pope Francis’ peace mission, which he first announced on April 30, appears to be underway. This was confirmed by the Vatican on May 20 when it announced that Pope Francis has entrusted Cardinal Matteo Zuppi .... with “the task of conducting a mission, in accord with the Secretariat of State, that may contribute to reducing the tensions in the conflict in Ukraine, in the hope, never dismissed by the Holy Father, that this could open to paths of peace.” .. (America The Jesuit Review : 20 May 2023) (my emphasis) However, as Jared Gans reports,"Former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch urged caution about reaching peace in the conflict between Ukraine and Russia, arguing that Russian assurances should be met with some skepticism." (The Hill : 19 May 2023) (my emphasis)                                                          

Putin may, indeed, be rejoicing his "pyrrhic" victory in Bakhmut, but the international political walls continue to close around him. (to be continued)