Could Negotiations Be In The Wind?

The news of the mash-up between Wagner Group and Putin has brought about an interesting turn that could help the Ukraine-Russia thing.

I seriously doubt it.

The war in Ukraine has dragged on for over a year and there needs to be a stopping point….could this be a time for negotiations?

The war between Russia and Ukraine has become more complex in the wake of the past weekend, which found Yevgeny Prigozhin marching his troops toward Moscow, and President Vladimir Putin finding a safe haven for Prigozhin in Belarus. The conventional wisdom among politicians and pundits is that this is an opportunity for Ukraine and its Western allies to increase the pressure on Russia. Former U.S. ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul, for example, favors “better and more weapons and better and more sanctions as fast as possible,” believing that Putin is more likely to “negotiate an end to this war if he is losing on the battlefield.” The problem, however, is that the war remains unwinnable; neither side has the ability to achieve a decisive victory.

In view of President Putin’s failure to escalate against Prigozhin and his willingness to negotiate a solution that made him look weak at home, there is possibly a place for diplomacy to resolve the war in Ukraine as well. Direct talks between Russia and Ukraine in the near term seem unlikely, but the possibility of a U.S. president making a difference should not be ignored. The fact that Putin refused to prosecute Prigozhin, and is willing to allow his mercenary forces to join the Russian army points to the Russian leader’s hopes to avoid additional internal conflict. It’s hard to know what Putin is thinking, but his willingness to compromise with Prigozhin as well as the fateful domestic challenge that he faces could make the Russian leader willing to entertain the possibility of negotiation. His dreams of restoring the Russian empire have been shattered.

If so, only the United States can address the national security problems of both Ukraine and Russia. Ukraine will want protection from future Russian acts of aggression. Russia will want to lessen the threat of Western encirclement on its vulnerable borders. No matter how this war ends, Russia will find itself in an existential security situation on its entire western frontier that only the United States can ameliorate. In addition, only the United States can lead the international effort to rebuild Ukraine. The United States will be indispensable to this process.

Has the Putin-Prigozhin Confrontation Opened a Door for Negotiation?

I do not think that any movement toward peace will come from this mutiny thing.

Why?

Simple the US does not want it right now.

Why say that?

I am so glad you asked.

The hypocrisy gets starker by the day. The same western media that strains to warn of the dangers of disinformation – at least when it comes to rivals on social media – barely bothers to conceal its own role in purveying disinformation in the Ukraine war.

In fact, the propaganda peddled by the media grows more audacious by the day – as two stories last week from the frontlines illustrate only too clearly.

Dominating headlines has been the environmental catastrophe created by the destruction of the Nova Kakhovka dam under Russian control. Flood waters from the Dnipro river have ruined vast swathes of land downriver fromthe dam and forced many tens of thousands to flee their homes.

Rightly, the wrecking of the dam is being called an act of “ecological terrorism” – the second major one associated with the war, following last September’s blowing up of the Nord Stream pipelines supplying Russian gas to Europe.

Another Act of Terror. How the Media Do PR for Biden and Zelensky

“Ecological Terrorism”?

Really?  What would the use of depleted uranium be?

Thoughts?

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

Ukraine’s Long Promised Counteroffensive

++++Sorry for the delay on this post but things spiraled and it was a small thing compared.++++

The counteroffensive Ukraine’s Eastern most regions has finally begun…..from all reports it is a bloody ordeal for both sides.

After all the equipment and a year’s worth of training and the Ukrainians are not as successful as they brag they would be…..

Western officials told CNN that Ukraine’s bloody counteroffensive is “not meeting expectations on any front” as Ukrainian forces are struggling to break through Russia’s defenses.

The report said that according to Western assessments, Russia’s lines of defense have been well fortified, and Russian forces have been able to bog down Ukrainian armored vehicles with missile strikes and minefields.

One official said Ukraine’s forces were “vulnerable” to Russia’s minefields and described the Russian defenses as “competent.” The officials stressed that the counteroffensive was still in its early stages and said they remained “optimistic” that Ukraine could eventually regain some territory.

Bloomberg reported that Ukrainian officials reported progress in the counteroffensive has halted. Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said the assault “is not an easy walk — this is not a Hollywood movie,” echoing comments made by President Volodymyr Zelensky a day earlier.

Zelensky acknowledged on Wednesday that the counteroffensive is going “slower than desired” but vowed Ukrainian forces would fight on. “No matter how far we advance in our counteroffensive, we will not agree to a frozen conflict because that is war, that is a prospectless development for Ukraine,” he said.

According to the Discord leaks and media reports, the US did not believe Ukraine could regain much territory, but the Biden administration pushed for the violent counteroffensive anyway and has rejected the idea of a ceasefire or peace talks.

If the US did not believe that Ukraine could be successful why would they push for a massive offensive?

Even Zelensky with all his censorship measures in place has admitted things are not going so well.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said that Ukraine’s counteroffensive is going “slower than desired” as Ukrainian forces have made little progress and are taking heavy losses.

“Some people believe this is a Hollywood movie and expect results now. It’s not,” Zelensky told BBC in an interview published Wednesday. “What’s at stake is people’s lives.”

So far, Ukraine has claimed it captured eight small villages in the southern Zaporizhzhia Oblast and in the eastern Donetsk Oblast since the counteroffensive began earlier this month, minimal gains that have come at a high cost.

Zelensky said his forces were having difficulty because Russia had mined a lot of areas. “Whatever some might want, including attempts to pressure us, with all due respect, we will advance on the battlefield the way we deem best,” he said.

(antiwar.com)

Even officials in the Ukrainian defense forces have started admitting they will take less than they had originally anticipated.

Ukraine’s long-awaited counteroffensive has been underway for over two weeks, and Kiev has little to show for the loss of life and military equipment expended the in the operations. On Monday, a Ukrainian military official attempted to lower expectations for the mission, as US lawmakers say future support for Kiev depends on whether it can reclaim territory from Russian forces. 

In an interview with the Czech Current Time TV station Ukraine’s Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov downplayed how much territory Kiev will retake in the counteroffensive. “The Russians had the opportunity to prepare. There is an incredible density of minefields,” he said. “Our officers, our commanders are maneuvering, look for opportunities, move carefully. I suggest not pushing them, not pushing them, they are doing their job. And they will do it.”

https://libertarianinstitute.org/news/kiev-aims-to-lower-expectations-for-counteroffensive/

There will be more from IST as the counteroffensive drags on and on….watch for it.

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

So Much For The Sanctions Idea

WE know that since last February the US and NATO has imposed heavy sanctions on Russia as a penalty for invading Ukraine.

These sanctions do not seem to find a way to stop the madness now exploding (no pun intended) in Ukraine.

Sanctions, at best, are a feel good action….seldom do anything to curb any bad activity by this country or that.

Let me go off track for a moment….

As a nuclear super power where does all the uranium come from that is needed to make those lovely bombs and stuff?

Here’s a hint for you….the nation is under extreme sanctions.

Roughly one third of the enriched uranium used in the United States is now imported from Russia, the world’s cheapest producer.  Most of the rest is imported from Europe. A final, smaller portion is produced by a British-Dutch-German consortium operating in the United States. Nearly a dozen countries around the world depend on Russia for more than half their enriched uranium.
 
The company that operates the Ohio plant says it could take more than a decade for it to produce quantities that rivaled Rosatom. The Russian nuclear agency, which produces both low-enriched and weapons-grade fuel for Russia’s civilian and military purposes, is also responsible in Ukraine for commandeering the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, Europe’s biggest, sparking fears that a battle over it could cause leaks of radioactive material or even a larger meltdown.
 
It is one of the most significant remaining flows of money from the United States to Russia, and it continues despite strenuous efforts among U.S. allies to sever economic ties with Moscow. The enriched uranium payments are made to subsidiaries of Rosatom, which in turn is closely intertwined with Russia’s military apparatus.
 
I have said and written many times that this sanction thing does nothing but help politicians feel good and something they can use to separate fools from their money.
 
Not something that is common knowledge by the people….but not to worry there is plenty more that we do not know.
 
At what point do we allow this BS to continue?  (that is a rhetorical question)
 
I Read, I Write, You Know
 
“lego ergo scribo”

Here A Nuke….There A Nuke….Everywhere A Nuke

The news that Russia would place nukes in Belarus sent a jolt through the blog-sphere with a wealth of dire predictions of the world to come.

Looks like July may start the warnings all over again.

Why is that, Professor?

I am glad you asked.

Putin said last week that Russia will send tactical nuclear weapons to Belarus next month once the construction of storage facilities is completed, which is expected to happen by July 8.

And of course Poland had to thump its chest at the news….

Polish President Andrzej Duda said Monday that NATO must respond to Russia deploying nuclear weapons to Belarus.

“I absolutely believe that such a situation demands an unequivocal response from NATO,” Duda said at a joint press conference in Paris with French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, according to Bloomberg.

Duda didn’t specify what kind of response he had in mind, but he has previously said Poland wants to host US nuclear weapons. In October 2022, Duda said he was discussing the idea with Washington.

When Russian President Vladimir Putin announced his plans to deploy nukes to Belarus, he compared the move to NATO’s nuclear sharing program, under which Belgium, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and Turkey host US nuclear weapons.

(antiwar.com)

This appears to be a replay of the Cold War years…..and the usual dire predictions have begun from those god awful think tanks….

A Swedish think tank that keeps tabs on nuclear weapons around the world issued quite a statement Monday to describe the state of things: “We are drifting into one of the most dangerous periods in human history,” said Dan Smith of the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, per the Guardian. The assessment comes as the group’s latest assessment found that the number of operational nuclear warheads ticked up again in 2022.

  • SIPRI counts 9,576 in military stockpiles ready for use in various countries, which is up 86 from the previous year, per Reuters.
  • The new 86 belong to China (60), Russia (12), Pakistan (five), North Korea (five), and India (four). The group acknowledges this is a best guess given that China has never disclosed its numbers. SIPRI estimates China now has 410 in all.
  • Nuclear-armed states are listed as the US, Russia, the United Kingdom, France, China, India, Pakistan, North Korea, and Israel. The US and Russia account for 90% of the world’s total, according to SIPRI. Counting warheads that have been retired and are awaiting dismantlement, the world total is 12,512.
  • The group said diplomacy over nuclear arsenals has taken a hit since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in particular. “It is imperative that the world’s governments find ways to cooperate in order to calm geopolitical tensions, slow arms races and deal with the worsening consequences of environmental breakdown and rising world hunger,” said Smith.

A closing thought….Nations wasted $157,000 per minute on nukes….

A new report published Monday by the Nobel Peace Prize-winning International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons shows that the world’s nine nuclear-armed countries spent more than $157,000 per minute on their atomic weaponry last year, enriching private contractors at the risk of imperiling humankind.

Combined, nuclear-armed nations spent $82.9 billion on their arsenals last year, according to ICAN. The United States was the biggest spender, dumping $43.7 billion into its already massive arsenal in 2022—more than all of the other nuclear-armed countries combined.

“The U.S. Congress allocated $16 billion for the [National Nuclear Security Administration] in 2022 to spend on weapons activities,” ICAN’s report notes. “In 2022, the Department of Defense requested $27.7 billion for ‘nuclear modernization,’ including the ‘Ground-Based Midcourse Defense, B-21 Bomber, Columbia class submarine, and Nuclear Command, Control, and Communications.'”

Overall, the report shows global spending on nuclear weapons increased for the third consecutive year in 2022.

https://www.commondreams.org/news/nations-wasted-nuclear-weapons

What say you?

Is this end times that all the religious sort have been waiting for  for so many years?

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

Putin Has A Plan

Let me say at the onset this story sounds a bit hinkey to me.

It appears some think that Putin is use ‘waves of kids’ thrown at the Ukraine military…..which made me think of the news in the 1980s with the Iraq-Iran War when Iran used kids armed with the Koran to walk in front of their troops looking for mines….Iran lost a whole generation of males because of this stupidity.

Putin’s Plan?

Former senior army officials accuse Russian President Vladimir Putin of deploying waves of untrained kids to the front lines in an effort to outmatch the West.

British generals have weighed in on the ongoing war in Ukraine, drawing parallels to the style of warfare seen in the battles of Verdun and the Somme during World War I. Speaking to the Sun Online, they accused the Russian leader of relying on sheer numbers to overpower the well-trained and better-armed Ukrainian forces.

The British veterans further asserted that Putin’s primary strategy was to prolong the war, leveraging manpower as their only significant resource, with the hope that Western nations would eventually lose interest, thus facilitating a forced settlement.

General Sir Richard Shirreff claimed that Russia was deploying troops in successive waves, while General Sir Richard Barrons agreed, stating that these waves were deliberately sent to be decimated by Ukrainian fire.

The generals also expressed their suspicion that Putin’s approach aimed to demonstrate a greater level of resilience compared to Ukraine and its allies.

In support of their claims, Ukraine has reported over 200,000 killed enemy soldiers to date. If these figures hold true, it would mean that the Russian Army has suffered casualties at a rate of one soldier every three minutes since Putin initiated his “Special Military Operation” in February of last year, per The Sun.

While the veteran generals appeared skeptical of the exact figure, they do acknowledge that Russia has incurred significant losses in its attempts to seize control of Ukraine.

“What the Russians have consistently demonstrated is their lack of concern for their own people and the number of casualties,” stated General Shirreff.

He further added, “Putin believes that the Ukrainian people will eventually lose their will to fight, and the West will perceive it as a stalemate, ultimately forcing a settlement.”

(knewz.com)

Maybe my UK visitors have more info on this story….if they would like to update us we will be appreciative.

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

Yet Another Peace Plan

The Ukraine-Russia conflict has seen several peace proposals from countries around the globe….from Brazil, China, Turkey, et al and now a new proposal will be presented to both sides….this time African nations will do the presenting.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said Tuesday that Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky have agreed to host a delegation of African leaders to discuss a potential peace plan for the conflict in Ukraine.

“My discussions with the two leaders demonstrated that they are both ready to receive the African leaders and to have discussion on how this conflict can be brought to an end,” Ramaphosa said, according to DW. “Whether that will succeed or not is going to depend on the discussions that will be held.”

On top of Ramaphosa, the leaders of Senegal, Uganda, Egypt, the Republic of the Congo, and Zambia also support the plan. Ramaphosa did not give a timeline on when the visits to Moscow and Kyiv might happen.

The news of the African-led peace push comes as China has dispatched a senior envoy to visit Ukraine, Russia, and other countries in the region in an effort to foster dialogue. Li Hui, China’s special representative for Eurasian affairs, was expected to arrive in Ukraine on Tuesday.

The US has not been happy with South Africa’s neutrality in the Ukraine conflict and recently accused Pretoria of aiding Russia. The US ambassador to South Africa claimed without evidence that a Russian ship that recently docked in the country was loaded with arms.

According to Ramaphosa, the US and Britain have expressed “cautious” support for the African-led peace push. The New York Times reported last week that US officials are “wary of any calls for an immediate ceasefire or peace talks.”

(antiwar.com)

The plan is supported by the leaders of South Africa, Senegal, Uganda, Egypt, the Republic of the Congo, and Zambia.

Specifics are slim at this draft….but I will be watching and writing as soon as more info is available.

Somewhere sanity must prevail and a plan be formulated that will end the carnage in Ukraine.

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

Will There Be A Nuclear Incident In Ukraine?

There are many that think Putin will be pressed into using some form of nuclear device in Ukraine….and then possibly onto the rest of the world.

Is that fear universal?

What does the average Russian think?

The results of survey was published in “New Voice Of Ukraine”

The survey says that 9% of Russians, asked whether the Russian leadership is ready to launch a nuclear strike on Ukraine, said “definitely yes,” and 20% said “rather yes,”, while 32% said “rather no,” 28% said “definitely no,” and 12% “hesitated to answer.”

In addition, 29% of respondents believe that the possible use of nuclear weapons by Russia against Ukraine is justified, while 56% said the use of this type of weapon could not be justified.

On March 25, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that he plans to deploy tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus.

Earlier, Director of National Intelligence in the Biden administration, Avril Haines, reported that Russia is unlikely to launch a nuclear strike, according to the White House.

Now is this a propaganda piece or a true survey that Ukraine somehow got their hands on to use for news and support?

I found lots of opinion piece on the possibility of the use of nukes but nothing along the lines of this ‘survey’….for now I am skeptical that this is an accurate depiction of the Russian people and their thoughts on the possibility of the use nukes in Ukraine.

On another thought….did Russia ever move nukes into their ally, Belarus?

I personally do not think Putin will use nukes….but that could change if and when Putin becomes desperate.

But just in case here are 3 scenarios that could answer that question…..as published in Politico….

Scenario 1: Remote atmospheric test

Least provocative would be Putin’s resumption of above-ground nuclear testing — by detonating a low-yield nuclear warhead high above Novaya Zemlya, the old Soviet test site in the Arctic, for example. While both the actual damage on the ground and radioactive fallout would be negligible, the psychological effect could be enormous: It would be the first nuclear explosion by a superpower since nuclear testing ended in 1992, and the first bomb detonated in the atmosphere by either the U.S. or Russia after such tests were outlawed by treaty in 1963. It would also be a potent reminder that Putin has tactical nuclear weapons in abundance — about 2,000 by last count — and is prepared to use them.

Scenario 2: Atmospheric detonation above Ukraine

A more provocative demonstration would be an ultra-high-altitude explosion of a more powerful weapon over Ukraine itself. In a 1962 test, the U.S. detonated a 1.4-megaton H-bomb in the mid-Pacific, 250 miles above the Earth. The resulting electromagnetic pulse unexpectedly knocked out streetlights and disrupted telephone service in Hawaii, 900 miles distant. A similarly powerful explosion above Kyiv would not only be visually spectacular but would likely plunge the capital into prolonged darkness and silence by shorting out computers, cellphones and other electronics. EMP effects might also extend into NATO member countries. But the extent of damage from the pulse is unpredictable, and Russian communications could also be affected.

Scenario 3: Ground explosion in Ukraine

Most dangerous — and, for that reason, perhaps least likely — would be using a tactical nuclear weapon to achieve a concrete military objective such as disrupting the delivery of weapons to Ukrainians fighting in a city like Mariupol. Alternatively, Putin might detonate a tactical nuclear warhead against military or logistics targets in sparsely populated western Ukraine — in the agricultural lands between Lviv and Kyiv, for instance — after warning people in the target area to evacuate. But even the smallest nuclear weapon would set fires over a wide area if detonated in the air. Depending on the height of the explosion, it could also spread lingering radioactive fallout, possibly extending into NATO member countries and Russia itself.

Any thoughts?

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

What The Leak Exposed

Last month there was a story about the leaked documents of the top secret type that was headlines for a couple of days then went sorta silent…..but there is still stuff being gleamed out of the documents….

This story is about our man in Ukraine, Zelensky……

Volodymyr Zelensky apparently isn’t satisfied with merely repelling Russian troops. The Washington Post reports that in private talks with his generals, he has been pushing for aggressive attacks within Russia and even for occupying Russian villages. The story is another based on leaked US intelligence reports that first surfaced on the Discord messaging platform. For example:

  • “In a meeting in late January, Zelensky suggested Ukraine ‘conduct strikes in Russia’ while moving Ukrainian ground troops into enemy territory to ‘occupy unspecified Russian border cities,’ according to one document labeled ‘top secret.’ The goal would be ‘to give Kyiv leverage in talks with Moscow,’ the document said.”

At other times, Zelensky suggests bombing a Russian pipeline that delivers oil to Hungary as revenge for Hungary leader Viktor Orban’s support of Vladimir Putin, and he expresses a desire for long-range missiles to strike within Russia. US officials did not dispute the accuracy of the leaked documents. Zelensky himself tells the Post that suggestions he wants to occupy Russian villages are “fantasies,” but he also makes clear that Ukraine has the right to resort to unconventional methods. “Ukraine did not occupy anyone, but vice versa,” he said. “When so many people have died and there have been mass graves and our people have been tortured, I am sure that we have to use any tricks.”

Read the full story.

I understand the desire for revenge for the invasion….but I also understand why he needs to practice some restraint or he could put his ‘allies’ ass deep in a war that few of them want.

My question is if these ‘top secret’ documents were made public then why are we not getting more information about them and what is truly happening in Ukraine….I for one do not believe all the hype and war mongering.

I say give us all the information undiluted by the cyber machine and let us decide what is what…..some of us are still capable of critical and rational thinking.

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

The Spring Counteroffensive

The world has been promised a Ukrainian counteroffensive that is for ‘total victory’.

Better hurry for Spring is dwindling away and Summer looms.

I understand that the weather and on-ground conditions can be a bit challenging….but we were promised.

US expectations are large but conditional…..

Rep. Michael McCaul (R-TX), chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said Monday that future US support for Ukraine depends on Kyiv’s looming counteroffensive.

“I think there’s going to be a lot riding on the line with this counteroffensive,” McCaul told Bloomberg. “If Ukraine is successful in the eyes of the American people and the world, I think it will be a game-changer for continued support. If they are not, that will also have an impact, in a negative way, though.”

The US has put enormous weight on Kyiv’s expected counteroffensive and has helped Ukraine prepare for the assault by training soldiers and sending more arms. But leaked Pentagon documents and media reports indicate the US doesn’t expect Kyiv to regain significant territory.

McCaul said he expects Ukraine to focus its counteroffensive on the land bridge Russia has secured to Crimea. He said after Ukraine pushed back Russian forces, Kyiv could “call for a ceasefire, after which we can then maybe have negotiations, to finally resolve this.”

(antiwar.com)

AS I said waiting for better weather….Ukraine is waiting for better weather before it launches its long-awaited spring counteroffensive, the Ukrainian ambassador to the UK told Sky News.

The longer they wait the lower the expectations it seems…..

Senior Ukrainian officials fear their coming counteroffensive will not live up to the expectations of Kyiv’s Western backers, The Washington Post reported on Saturday.

“The expectation from our counteroffensive campaign is overestimated in the world,” said Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov. “Most people are … waiting for something huge.”

One of the Pentagon documents that appeared online as part of the Discord leaks was a US assessment from February that showed the US did not believe Ukraine could regain significant territory. POLITICO reported on April 24 that current assessments say something similar.

But Western officials are still insisting that Ukraine has what it needs to retake territory from Russia this spring. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said last week that Kyiv is capable despite what the Discord leaks revealed.

Reznikov said Kyiv’s Western backers have said they need an example of “a success because we need to show it to our people,” as a Ukrainian failure would not bode well for rallying more military assistance for Kyiv. “But I cannot tell you what the scale of this success would be. Ten kilometers, 30 kilometers, 100 kilometers, 200 kilometers?” said Reznikov.

Rep. Michael McCaul (R-TX), chairman of the House Foreign Affairs and staunch supporter of arming Ukraine, has said future aid hinges on the counteroffensive. “If Ukraine is successful in the eyes of the American people and the world, I think it will be a game-changer for continued support. If they are not, that will also have an impact, in a negative way, though,” McCaul said last week.

Reznikov and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told the Post that they were still preparing for the counteroffensive. Zelensky said they will be ready to launch the assault “as soon as the weapons that were agreed with our partners are filled.”

Reznikov said the “first assault formation” is more than 90% prepared but some troops are still receiving training in other countries. The looming counteroffensive is expected to be focused on the south as an attempt to sever the land bridge Russia has secured to Crimea.

(antiwar.com)

I am sure I will get all the usual excuses….

Let’s say the counteroffensive is moderately successful…..does anyone really see a change in this conflict?

I do not.

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

That India-Russia Thing

Happy Cinco de Mayo (no it is not a holiday for mayonnaise)

Since Russia invaded Ukraine and the US imposed multiple sanctions against the invader India has resisted joining the sanctions list.

There is a simple reason for that reluctance…..India and Russia have a relationship that goes all the way back to 1955 when the USSR was trying to sure up its standing in the Third World…..plus Russia successfully brokered the deal that ended the Sine-India War of 1962.

The relationship has not been broken in all that time…..and now it has become a major importance because of the Ukraine conflict.

The US has made much of its success in isolating Russia internationally. But that boast is hard to take too seriously when Russia is growing ever closer to the two largest countries in the world. While the world has been watching the “no limits” partnership between Russia and China grow into “a relationship that probably cannot be compared with anything in the world,” Russia has been growing quietly closer to the second largest country in the world.

India has long been a close partner of Russia. In 2009, India and Russia signed the Joint Russian-Indian Declaration of Deepening and Strategic Partnership. In 2015, Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Russia where the two sides agreed on a number of steps to enhance that partnership.

That partnership did not come apart under US pressure after Russia invaded Ukraine. Despite intense pressure from the US to “take a clear position” against Russia, India has refused to condemn Russia at the UN and has repeated Russia’s call to take “into account the legitimate security interests of all countries.” India has also offered Russia an escape from sanctions by swelling from a country that once imported little Russian oil to a country that now has Russia as its top supplier of oil. India imported $41.56 billion from Russia in the last fiscal year, which is about five times its previous level. Before the war, Russia was India’s eighteenth largest import partner; since the war, Russia has become India’s fourth largest import partner.

And the partnership did not only not come apart, it grew stronger. On September 16, 2022, over half a year after the war in Ukraine began, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that “Relations between Russia and India have significantly improved.” He called the friendship “extremely important.” Seven months later, on April 16, 2023, Indian foreign minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said the relationship with Russia had not changed, calling it “among the steadiest of the major relationships of the world in the contemporary era.”

The Growing Russia-India Relationship

The BRICS (Brazil,Russia, India, China, South Africa) are resisting the isolation of Russia….that makes those sanctions basically ineffective as has been proven recently.

BRICS is a group that needs watching….their dream is to confront the West and its dominance of markets.

If you would like to learn what BRICS is all about (HA HA  as if)…..

https://www.investopedia.com/terms/b/brics.asp

How will this end?  (He asked knowingly)

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”