Category: Russia
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BRICS and the war in Ukraine
On 24th February 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine, yet the world as a whole did not react. The BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa), took a position of non-alignment, they argued that the war in Ukraine was determined by Russia reacting to the West’s encroachment on their territory. India in particular argued that Western hegemony…
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Dissent
“We are lucky to have you,” were words said at the Atlantic Council by a Russian emigre to the United States. Ilya Yashin had just presented a report on Russian corruption, though the report was compiled six years ago, the very people that the report was aimed at, have managed to jail Ilya Yashin for…
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Europe’s vision of China
Ursula Von de Leyen, the leader of the European Commission argues that ‘China is becoming more repressive at home and more aggressive abroad.’ She says that China has turned the page on an era of reform and opening and ‘is moving into an era of security control.’ This is certainly different from the language that has…
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Power politics
Beijing has made an argument for the cessation of hostilities between Russia and Ukraine. But underlying it are a number of issues that will not end the war at the present moment. IN their plan they argue for an immediate end to the fighting and for peace talks to begin. But that would leave Ukraine…
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President Xi’s visit to Russia
China has argued in their twelve point peace plan that territorial integrity is paramount. They argue that the war should end and that the integrity of Ukraine should be respected under the United Nations recognition of its borders. Putin argues that the war will continue because he has now signed agreements with China for trade.…
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Does China have a say in Ukraine
China has a role in the conflict in Ukraine, but surprisingly it is a role determined by the values that it shares with Russia. China is now Russia’s largest client for gas and oil production. The market is now valued at $250 billion, but when compared to the trade Russia had with Europe, it is…
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The world is reeling
While the world is still reeling from Putin’s so called special police operation in Ukraine a year ago, Diplomats were left clutching their sides in bellyaches of laughter, after the Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov accused Ukraine of attacking Russia. This so called recalling of the special police operation into a farce that is reminiscent…
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One in ten
One thousand casualties per day, one in ten Russian’s know somebody who has been killed, but is the message getting through to the Russians that this an incredibly costly war for the Russian military. It was not evident to the world after Putin’s speech to the state, nor was it evident when he postured in…
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What Ukraine wants
What to make of Biden’s trip to Kiev and Putin’s speech, are just distractions from what Ukraine needs. The question has to be can Ukraine win with current losses, 100,000 either dead or injured. Russia itself is haemorrhaging manpower, 200,000 dead or wounded, a statistic of 2:1 in favour of the Ukrainians. But the argument…
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Dissent and imprisonment
The widespread corruption of Russian politics has created a weakness because voices that should be heard are lost in either graveyards or prison cells right across Russia, and if those voices are lost, then Russia itself without an opposition that has a tangible voice will be lost by the misadventures and ridiculous loss of life…
Current Affairs 