Putin's 'siloviki' are beginning to politically fight amongst each other.

Like the fall of Victor Yanukovich, who fled Ukraine in 2014 during the Maidan freeedom uprising in Kiev; hours before the fall Damascus  (The Times of Israel: 8 December 2024)  to Syrian rebels, and the fleeing from Syria of Bashar al-Assad, Felix Light reports that,

"Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on
Saturday it was inadmissible to allow what he called a terrorist group to take control of Syrian lands.

He was speaking in the Qatari capital Doha after meeting the Turkish and Iranian foreign ministers following a rapid advance by Syrian rebels led by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) militant group that threatens President Bashar al-Assad's rule." (Reuters: 7 December 2024) (my emphasis)

Lavrov's panic may have something to do with the fact that, as reported by Andrew Osborn,

"Two strategically-important Russian military facilities in Syria and Moscow's very presence  in the Middle East are under serious threat from rapidly advancing insurgents, Russian war bloggers have warned....

Russian war bloggers, some of whom are close to the Russian Defence Ministry and whom the Russian authorities allow greater freedom to speak out than the military, say the most immediate threat is to the future of Russia's Hmeimim airbase in Syria's Latakia province and to its naval facility at Tartous on the coast. (right)
...
The Tartous facility is Russia's only Mediterranean repair and replenishment hub, and Moscow has used Syria as a staging post to fly its military contractors in and out of Africa. (Reuters: 7 December 2024) (my emphasis)   

And just a few days before Bashar al-Assad was entering the 'private' jet that secretely whisked him out of Syria from Baghdad to a destination unknown, Lidia Kelly (left) reported that,

"There are no grounds yet for negotiations on how to bring the war in Ukraine to an end, Russia said on Wednesday, in comments about peace talks that have become more frequent since Donald Trump won the U.S. presidential vote in November.
...
Valentina Matviyenko (right), speaker of the Federation Council, Russia's upper house of parliament, said on Monday that there could be attempts to begin peace talks with Ukraine in 2025.
(Reuters: 4 December 2024) (my emphasis)

These 'attempts' to begin 'peace talks' about Putin's war in Ukraine are suddenly developing an 'urgency' of their own amongst Putin's 'siloviki'.

Least of all is the fact that,

"The Ukrainian defense industry has unveiled a missile weapon prototype that can be scaled up for production
...
On December 6, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that the Defense Forces had received several dozen Peklo missile-drones, which the Ukrainian manufacturer had created in record time - in a year." (Espreso: 7 December 2024) (my emphasis)

Futhermore. as Ukrinform reports.

"President Volodymyr Zelensky shared the news on Telegram, according to Ukrinform.

"The second batch of F-16s from Denmark has arrived in Ukraine. This is an example of leadership in defending lives that sets Denmark apart. The aircraft from the first batch, provided by the Danish people, are already intercepting Russian missiles, saving our people’s lives and our infrastructure," the President noted" *Ukrinform: 8 December 2024_ (my emphasis)

And as  Oren Liebermann (right) also informs us,

"Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Saturday announced a $1 billion military aid package for Ukraine as he forcefully argued for US leadership around the world.
...
The package, which includes more drones and ammunition for a critical rocket system, brings the total US security assistance to Ukraine to $62 billion since the war started nearly three years ago, a key component of keeping Kyiv in the fight. Russia has suffered more than 700,000 battlefield casualties since the war began, Austin said, and “squandered” more than $200 billion." (CNN: 7 December 2024) (my emphasis)

Is it any wonder that the dyed-in-the wool Soviet Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov, is now also threatening  'nuclear war' on Ukraine as the sweat runs down his panicked brow? 

As David Averre reports,

"Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov (left) has declared Russia will 'keep sending messages' in the form of devastating strikes on Ukraine if Western officials continue their course of action in supporting Kyiv.

Lavrov said that Moscow doesn't want a war with the United States but will use 'all means' to defend its interests in an interview with former Fox News host and X broadcaster Tucker Carlson." (Daily Mail on MSN: 6 December 2024) (my emphasis)

So whilst Putin 'siloviki'  Valentina Matviyenko talks about beginning peace talks with Ukraine in 2025, Putin 'siloviki' Lavrov is, like Putin himself, threatening WW3 with the West.

 Putin's 'siloviki' are beginning to politically fight amongst each other. 

UPDATE: 9 December 2024: 02.52 GMT

 Like Victor Yanukovich (left), who fled Ukraine into  the welcoming arms of Putin in 2014 during the Maidan Revolution of Dignity, we now have Bashar al-Assad (right) fleeing Syria in December 2024 into the arms of a panicked Putin, seeking asylum from  the Syrians baying for his blood.

As Sky News reports.

"Syria's ousted President Bashar al Assad has arrived in Moscow, Russian state media has confirmed.

Mr Assad and members of his family arrived in the Russian capital on Sunday, a Kremlin source told the TASS news agency.

The source added: "Russia, for humanitarian reasons, has granted them asylum." " (Sky News: 9 December 2024) (my emphasis) 

It remains to be seen how Putin's increasingly fractious 'siloviki' will react to this news.

 

 

 

(to be continued)

Will Putin's 'siloviki' now allow Putin to destroy Russia?

With the Russian economy teetering on the edge of collapsing into 'freefall', and Trump moving closer to taking over the reigns in the White House, panicked Putin is throwing everything at Ukraine to 'break the will' of the people of Ukraine, and to ensure that any 'peace negotiations' about his war with Ukraine will be entirely on his terms.

As Max Seddon (right) reports,

"He [Konstantin Malofeyev, a Russian tycoon] warned that “the world is on the brink of nuclear war” after Kyiv fired US- and UK-made long-range missiles into Russian territory, and Putin responded by firing an experimental nuclear-capable ballistic missile at Ukraine.
...

Malofeyev (left), however, argued that if the US did not agree to roll back its support for Ukraine, Russia could fire a tactical nuclear weapon. “There will be a radiation zone nobody will ever go into in our lifetime,” he said. “And the war will be over.” (Financial Times: 2 December 2024( (my emphasis) (cf also: Moscow Times: 3 December 2024)

Furthermore, as Newsweek reports

"Chinese banks are refusing to work with sanctioned financial institutions in Russia, delivering another blow to the economy, which has been hit hard by Russian leader Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine.
...
Now trade between Russia and China faces another barrier after most Chinese banks terminated their relations with Russian credit institutions, general director of investment and consulting firm First Group, Alexey Poroshin, told the Russian daily broadsheet newspaper Izvestia." (Newsweek: 3 December 2024) (my emphasis)

 

Newsweek: 3 December 2024 

Besides Ukraine, Putin is further beset by problems in Syria and Georgia, as reported by CNN.

CNN: 2 Dec 2024 : YouTube

It is therefore no wonder that, as reported by the Times of India,

"Russian President Vladimir Putin has approved a massive defense budget for 2025. Putin allocated a staggering $126 billion to national defense. The record defense budget amounts to 32.5 percent of Russian government spending. Russia's military spending has surged dramatically in the past two years." (Times of India: 3 December 2024) (my emphasis)

Times of India: 3 December 2024 

It is thus no co-incidence that one is reminded of the Holodomor 'genocide' (1932 to 1933) perpetrated against the people of Ukraine by Stalin (right), 

 "... as a means to punish Ukrainians for resisting Soviet policies and to suppress their nationalist sentiments." (Wikipedia)

In 2024, Putin's current 'insane' assault on the people of Ukraine is, likewise,

"... a means to punish Ukrainians for resisting his invasion of, and theft of, Ukrainian land, including Crimea, and to destroy their democratic sentiments."

Putin may wish to believe that the West will buckle under the weight of his insane and indiscrimanate near 'carpet' bombing in Ukraine, as well as his closeness to making a reality of his 'nuclear' threat, but this is not so.

US President Biden (left: with Zelensky), as reported by The Associated Press on Wyoming Public Media,

"The U.S. is preparing to send Ukraine an additional $725 million in military assistance, including counter-drone systems and munitions for its High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, which could indicate more of the longer-range missiles are headed to the battlefield.
...
President Joe Biden has pledged to spend all of the military assistance funds Congress approved this year for Ukraine before the end of his administration on Jan. 20, which before Monday's announcement included about $7.1 billion in weapons that would be drawn from the Pentagon's stockpiles." (The Associated Press on Wyoming Public Media: 3 December 2024) (my emphasis)

Furthermore, as Nicholas Cecil reports,

"The West should give Ukraine more weapons now to strengthen its hand in possible peace talks, Nato’s chief is urging. 

Mark Rutte (right) issued the rallying cry for more military aid for Kyiv ahead of a meeting of the alliance’s foreign ministers in Brussels.

“We will all need to do more,” he said.

“The stronger our military support to Ukraine is now, the stronger their hand will be at the negotiating table.” (The Standard: 3 December 2024) (my emphasis) 

The Independent on MSN: 6 Dec 2024

What is even more frightening for Putin is the fact that,

"Ukraine has conducted a test on new domestically made missiles and is ramping up missile production, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Tuesday.

Zelenskiy said on the Telegram messaging app that he had received
reports from his military on the test.

"We can thank our Ukrainian missile developers. We are speeding up the production," he said, without providing further details." (Yuliia Dysa (right): Reuters: 3 December 2024) (my emphasis)

Will Putin's 'siloviki' now allow Putin to destroy Russia?

  

 

 

(to be continued)

Putin has opened the "Pandora's Box" of WW3.

In my last blog entry (20/11/2024 11:25 GMT) I stated that,

"Putin is opening the "Pandora's Box" of WW3.".

As  Mikey Smith (right) now reports,

"Vladimir Putin has threatened the UK with strikes from a “new” kind of missile - as Russia warned Britain it was now “directly involved” in the war.

It comes in a week where Russia has repeatedly stoked fears that the war could extend beyond Ukraine - dragging Western allies including the UK in to the fighting." (Mirror: 21 November 2024 : 21:26 GMT) (my emphasis)

In an interview on Sky News, Andrei Kelin (left), Russian Ambassador to the UK, stated that,

"Britain is now "directly involved" in the Ukraine war after its Storm Shadow missiles were used to strike targets inside Russia, according to Moscow's ambassador.

Speaking to Sky News, Andrei Kelin also warned the West to carefully consider the lower bar Russia has established for using nuclear weapons." (Sky News: Friday 22 November 2024 07:49, UK) (my emphasis)

He further stated what Putin threatened viz.,

"We believe that we have the right to use our weapons against military facilities of the countries that allow to use their weapons against our facilities," Mr Putin said." (ibid Sky News)

Sky News: Friday 22 November 2024

 

And whilst the UK and France have stated that,

"The UK and France will do "everything that is necessary" to support Ukraine and achieve lasting peace, Foreign Secretary David Lammy has said in a newspaper piece co-written with his French counterpart, Jean-Noel Barrot, external." (BBC News: 22 November 2024) (my emphasis),

whilst German Chancellor Olaf Scholtz (left) is maintaining that,

"‘I refused to supply Taurus to Ukraine' – Scholz is trying to gain votes, telling the Germans that they are not in danger of the Hazel Bush [Putin's recent ICBM missile used on Ukraine in Dnipro].

"Anyone who gives audacious interviews and makes audacious demands should understand that when you provide assistance to Ukraine, you need to do it judiciously, to do so in order to prevent the war from escalating into a war between Russia and NATO." (Pravda EN: 22 November 2024) (my emphasis)

As I wrote in my blog entry of  18 November 2024,

"This 'threat' of Putin scared German Chancellor Scholtz to such an extent that he steadfastly refused suppplying Ukraine with German Taurus missiles and, more recently, sought to appease Putin by having a tête-à-tête  with him. (Remember the former Chancellor of Germany, Angela Merkel (right), and Putin's 'Minsk Agreements' in 2014 and 2015? )

We should not forget that Putin's prints are all over the 2014 and 2015 Minsk Agreements, together with those of Angela Merkel.

As the Economist wrote in 2014,

"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 elite or intelligentsia who gush with empathy for Russia and its president, Vladimir Putin, on talk shows, in journals and at dinner parties." (The Economist: May 8th 2014)

Fast forward to 2024 and the "Putinversteher" mentality is still alive and well in Germany.

Now that Putin has used an ICBM in all but name in Ukraine, as Matthew Dooley (left) reports,

"According to North Korean state media, Kim [Jon Un] (right) said: "Never before have the warring parties on the Korean peninsula faced such a dangerous and acute confrontation that it could escalate into the most destructive thermonuclear war."

The fiery rhetoric comes just hours after Vladimir Putin announced the test of a new Russian  missile on Ukraine. Ukraine claimed the weapon was an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). However, Pentagon officials believe the weapon was more likely an intermediate-range ballistic missile." (Express: 22 November 2024) (my emphasis)

Putin has opened the "Pandora's Box" of WW3.

UPDATE: 23 November 2024: 13:40 (GMT)

 Laura Kuenssberg (left), (13:13 GMT 23 November 2024) reports that,

"There are no "red lines" when it comes to support for Ukraine, the French Foreign Minister has told the BBC.

 Jean-Noël Barrot (right) said that Ukraine could fire French long-range missiles into Russia "in the logics of self defence", but would not confirm if French weapons had already been used.

...
Barrot, who held talks with Foreign Secretary David Lammy in London on Friday, said Western allies should not put any limits on support for Ukraine against Russia, and "not set and express red lines".
...
Barrot hinted at inviting Ukraine to join Nato, as President Zelensky has requested. "We are open to extending an invitation, and so in our discussions with friends and allies, and friends and allies of Ukraine, we are working to get them to closer to our positions," Barrot said. (BBC News: 23 November 2024) (my emphasis)

 

BBC News: 24 November 2024

 

This comes after  Ruth Comerford yesterday  reported that,

"In an unscheduled TV address, the Russian leader said the Oreshnik missile could not be intercepted and promised to carry out more tests, including in "combat conditions".
...

This week's escalation has also prompted several warnings from other world leaders about the direction of the war between Russia and Ukraine.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said the war was entering a decisive stage - with a real risk of global conflict.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban meanwhile said the West should take Vladimir Putin's warnings "at face value" because Russia "bases its policies primarily on military power". (BBC News: 22 November 2024) (my emphasis)

Putin's 'end of line'?

UPDATE 2: 24 November 2024: 08:44 GMT

Rebecca Robinson (left) reports that,

"A senior Russian official has warned that Vladimir Putin is within his rights to target NATO countries backing Ukraine amid rising tensions over military aid to Kyiv.

...

He hailed the strategy as "an appropriate and long-awaited response," accusing the US and its European allies of "using missiles to strike Russian territory."

He added: "Our country has the right to target military facilities of states that attack us. Despite Western claims that Russia will not dare to act, it will-and it has every right to do so." (Daily Express on MSN: 23 November 2024) (my emphasis)

The Times of India on MSN: 23 November 2024

Rebecca Robinson further reports that,

"Volodymyr Zelensky has condemned the West for seemingly capitulating to Putin's strategy: "What is needed are strong actions that will force him to peace, not persuasion," Zelensky demanded." " (ibid Rebecca Robinson)

And as Dr. Sergey Suleni (left) points out,

"So Putin is afraid, he's weak, but he believes that the West is more ...is than he is and he threatens the West with nukes" (WION on MSN: 23 November 2024) (my emphasis)

He further states that,

"Well, the division between ICBM and IBM is purely ... purely numbered divisions. Like does missile come from further than 5000 kilometers or does it not. So that practically it's the same missile, the same technology of the same, the same principles." (ibid WION)

WION on MSN: 23 November 2024

 

 

 

(to be continued)

Putin has come to the end of the line in his war with Ukraine.

Yesterday (19 November 2024) there were two significant develoments in Putin's 'land grab' war with Ukraine.

1. Since the use of US ATACM missiles by Ukraine to attack military targets inside Russia Putin has, once again, shaken his 'nuclear' fist particularly at the US, UK, and France, and also NATO countries, by LOWERING the treshold at which he would used 'nuclear bombs' against them.

Times of India: 19 November 2024: YouTube2

     

2. More significantly, as reported by Kanjyik Ghosh and  Lidia Kelly (right), "The U.S. embassy in Kyiv has received information of a potential significant air attack on Wednesday and will be closed, the U.S. Department of State Consular Affairs said in a statement.      

         

"The U.S. Embassy recommends U.S. citizens be prepared to immediately shelter in the event an air alert is announced." (Reuters: 20 November 2024) (my emphasis)

 

These two events indicates Putin broadening his war with Ukraine to potentially include NATO countries.

It is therefore no coincidence that on the battlefront, Jaroslav Lukiv and David Willis report that, in light of Korean troops now joined up with Russian troops fighting against the army of Ukraine

"US President Joe Biden has agreed to give Ukraine anti-personnel land mines, a US defence official told the BBC, a move seen as an attempt to slow Russian troops who have been steadily advancing in Ukraine's east in recent months." (BBC News: 20 November 2024) (my emphasis)

 

And conspicuous by his absence at the 2024 G20 summit taking place in Brazil at the moment, we  also learn from Divya A (right) that,

"Russian President Vladimir Putin is set to visit India and the dates for his trip are being finalised, Kremlin press secretary Dmitry Peskov said Tuesday.
...
This will be Putin’s first visit to India in the wake of the Russia-Ukraine war that started in February 2022. The announcement comes days after the election of US President Donald Trump, who is also expected to visit India next year for the Quad Summit." (The Indian Express: 20 November 2024) (my emphasis)

 

However, as Geeta Mohan (left) reported,

"The Quad Summit, originally scheduled to be held in New Delhi this September, was relocated to New York [next year] due to a scheduling conflict among the attending leaders." (India Today: 6 November 2024) (my emphasis)

Is Putin's upcoming visit to Narendra Modi a hint that Putin is now desperate for Modi to chair a "ceasefire" agreement between himself and Zelensky in his losing war with Ukraine?

 

Indeed, one has to assume that Putin and his 'siloviki' realise that if he sparks off a nuclear war with NATO countries that it will also spell the end of Russia.

 

Putin, it would seem, has come to the end of the line in his war with Ukraine.

Except for Kim Jon Un of North Korea; with no-one else left to turn to for help as his army of Russian soldiers is being dangerously depleted in his war with Ukraine, Putin has become a spent force.

 

Hoping that Narendra Modi of India will help him is all that he now has to 'save face'.

EMERGENCY UPDATE: 21 November 2024 : 15.23 (GMT) 

Putin has taken his first step onto the abyss of the unknown.

Today,November 21, 2024, at 2:46 PM GMT, Hanna Arhirova and Illia Novikov reported that,

"Ukraine claimed Thursday that Russia launched an intercontinental ballistic missile overnight at one of its cities [Dnipro]. If confirmed, it would be the first time Moscow has used such a weapon in the war.
...
“If true, clearly this would be another example of grave, reckless and escalatory behavior from Russia and only serves to strengthen our resolve,” he [Minister Keir Starmer’s spokesman, Dave Pares] said." (AP News: 21 November 2024) (my emphasis)

 

As also reported by Idrees Ali, Phil Stewart, Sabine Siebold, Mark Trevelyan and Pavel Polityuk, (November 21, 2024 3:21 PM GMT)

" Ukraine said Russia fired what appeared to be an intercontinental ballistic missile at the city of Dnipro on Thursday, in what would be the first use in war of a weapon designed to deliver long-distance nuclear strikes.
…
"Today there was a new Russian missile. All the characteristics – speed, altitude – are (of an) intercontinental ballistic (missile). An expert (investigation) is currently underway," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said in a video statement." (Reuters: 21 November 2024) (my emphasis)

 

As Rober Fox (left) also reports,

"Putin is desperate to achieve a recognised victory on the battlefield before the end of the year.
...
But progress is slow, and very expensive in manpower and ground attack equipment. Up to 2,000 soldiers are being killed and wounded a day, with an average of 100 tanks and 200 artillery pieces destroyed every month.

The Russian forces have needed reinforcement by 10,000 North Koreans to fight for Kursk. They are expected likely to call on several times that number of North Koreans before the winter is out." (The Standard: 21 November 2024) (my emphasis)

 

This desperate and dangerous escalation by Putin of his war with Ukraine has led to,

"Countries bordering and near Russia have begun issuing survival guides to all of their citizens, amid fears that Vladimir Putin's warmongering in Ukraine could spill over into neighbouring territories. In spite of the threat of further Russian aggression, Nordic states have told residents “You are part of Sweden’s overall emergency preparedness.”
…
With Putin's war in Ukraine appearing to escalate in danger for the NATO countries, many of which now border Ukraine or Russia, Swedes are being told to defend their nation.
…
Meanwhile Finland, which borders Russia and has defended itself against its neighbour's territorial ambitions since declaring independence over a century ago, has issued similar instructions to its citizens in a digital self-defence guide. " (William Morgan: Express: 21 November 2924) (my emphasis)

 

Putin is opening "Pandora's Box" of WW3.  

CRUX: 21 November 2024: YouTube

 

 

 

(to be continued)

"Uncontrollable" Putin is now skating on very thin 'political' ice.

Putin could not have fully forseen the backlash of the responses of the US, UK, and EU when he imported North Korean soldiers into his war with Ukraine.

His previous 'bluffing' that NATO countries will be met with a forceful response from Russia if they allow NATO missiles to be used inside Russia itself has now been met by NATO coutries.

By 'forceful response' he was shaking nuclear missiles at NATO countries in the hope that this would deter NATO countries from allowing their missiles to be used inside Russia by Ukraine.  

 This 'threat' of Putin scared German Chancellor Scholtz (left) to such an extent that he steadfastly refused suppplying Ukraine with German Taurus missiles and, more recently, sought to appease Putin by having a tête-à-tête  with him. (remember Angela Merkel? (right))

This recent appeasement of Putin by Scholtz caused 'international' political opprobium to be poured on his head.

As reported by The Straits Times,

"German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said his conversation with Vladimir Putin on Friday had given no indication of a shift in the Russian President's thinking on the war in Ukraine, but defended his much-criticised decision to phone the Kremlin.
...
Critics, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, said the call was a breach of Western solidarity for the sake of domestic political advantage." (The Straits Times: 17 November 2024) (my emphasis)  (cf. also: Sky News: Monday 18 November 2024)

 

 Adil Lateef: The Times Of India on Micrisoft Start: 16 November 2024

And now, as Putin shakes uncontrollaby in his bunker, Paul Adams and Kathryn Armstrong report that,

"US President Joe Biden has given the green light for Ukraine to use long-range missiles supplied by the US to strike Russia, US officials say.

The move marks a major change in policy for Washington which had refused for months to agree to Kyiv's requests for authorisation to use the ATACMS missiles outside its own borders." (BBC News: 17 November 2024) (my emphasis)

This decision of President Biden, together with the increased pounding of Ukraine by Putin's missiles, has exposed the emptiness of Trump's political boasting that he could, "... quickly end the war in Ukraine".

End? How? 

As Mac William Bishop (right) explains,

"Still, every indication is that under Trump 2.0, Washington will forsake NATO, coddle Putin, and end American support for Ukraine — handing a significant victory to Moscow." (Rolling Stone: 14 November 2024) (my emphasis) 

Even President Macron of France has stated that Putin simply does not want peace.

As The Straits Times reports,

"French President Emmanuel Macron (left) said that a major Russian air barrage against Ukraine on Sunday showed that Russian President Vladimir Putin "does not want peace and is not ready to negotiate".

The priority for France was to "equip, support and help Ukraine to resist", Macron told reporters as he prepared to leave Argentina to attend the G20 Summit in Brazil." (The Straits Times: 18 November 2024) (my emphasis) 

The upcoming G20 summit in Argentina represents a "Kennedy moment" for the participants when, in 1962, US President John Kennedy confronted USSR president Nikita Kruschev, and forced him to withdraw his intention of stationing nuclear missiles in Cuba.

Fast foreward to 2024, and the question that now arises is :-

"Given the green light for Ukraine to use long-range missiles supplied by the US to strike Russia, does Putin now finally realise that the awakening giant of NATO will retaliate in kind to his recent "blustering" threats against NATO countries?"

 Hindustan Times: 19 November 2024: YouTube

 "Uncontrollable" Putin is now skating on very thin 'political' ice indeed. 

UPDATE: 19 November 2024: 08.52 GMT

Sergey Markov (left) argues that the use of US, French, and British missiles used against Russian forces by Ukraine will constitute an attack against Russia, and that Russia will then attack those countries whose missiles are being used. (Sky News: 19 November 2024) (my emphasis)

Sky News: 19 November 2024

Twisting himself into a 'political pretzel', Markov desperately tries to ignore the fact that North Korean troops, and the use of North Korean military equipment, now fighting alongside Putin's troops against Ukraine in both Russia and Ukraine, is somewhat of no consequence in his argument against the use of  US, UK, and French missiles, at all.

As stated before, ".... does Putin now finally realise that the awakening giant of NATO will retaliate in kind to his recent "blustering" threats against NATO countries?"" 

Already, yesterday (18 November 2024), Newsweek reports that,

"An undersea telecommunications cable connecting Finland and Germany across the Baltic Sea was severed, raising suspicions of intentional damage, the NATO member states said.
...
This was the first time the cable has broken, said Ari-Jussi Knaapila, CEO of Cinia. The cable did not break without an external impact, a company spokesperson explained, adding that no seismic events—such as earthquakes—could have been responsible for this.
....
"Our European security is not only under threat from Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine but also from hybrid warfare by malicious actors," they added. "Safeguarding our shared critical infrastructure is vital to our security and the resilience of our societies." (Newsweek: 19 November 2024) (my emphasis)

Putin is now, dangerously, playing with fire!

 Bloomberg Television: 19 November 2024: YouTube

Times of India: 19 November 2024: YouTube

 

 

 

(to be continued)