War in Ukraine: the turning point is approaching
The doubts about the Alexey Navalny affair will never be completely clarified. In Russia, almost no one is persuaded by the hypothesis of Vladimir Putin's direct involvement, because there is no objective need to kill a political opponent who no longer posed any significant threat to the government.
As Maurizio Vezzosi claims in the magazine “The Slingshot“, “however, one indisputable fact remains: the affair as a whole immediately turned into yet another argument to justify the sending of weapons to Ukraine, impose new sanctions and renew anti-Russian extremism, primarily in Washington and London “. Medvedev, speaking to the Russian press said: “Look at the smiling and happy face of Navalny's widow. It seems that she has been waiting for this event all these years to reveal her political life”…
On the Western front, President Joe Biden and Ursula Von der Leyen seem to have no doubts that only the leader of the Russian Federation is behind the murder with a punch at heart level (??!!).
After two years of battle, on February 17, 2024, units of the Center group of the Russian Armed Forces completely liberated Avdeevka and advanced to a depth of 8.6 km during offensive operations, a report from the Russian Ministry of Defense reports. The total area of the liberated territory was 31.75 square kilometers. The stronghold par excellence of the Ukrainians in the Donetsk region has fallen, a strategic victory in Donbass, which allows the front to be moved away from the capital and made safe.
A curiosity: Russian General Andrej Mordvichev, former chief of staff, commander of the 8th Guards Army of the Southern Military District, according to Ukrainian sources, died in March 2022. In Italy, the news was reported by, among others: Il Corriere della Sera, Rai News, Il Messaggero, ANSA 1, ANSA 2, Tomorrow, Il Fatto Quotidiano, Open. In the last week, however, perhaps as a result of the approaching Easter, he was resurrected and oversaw Russian military operations during the capture of Avdeevka.
“jnb news” writes that the main defense line with the most powerful fortifications of the Ukrainian Armed Forces was broken through in several places at once. L'
According to Bild the conflict between Zaluzhniy and Zelensky was one of the reasons for the defeat of the Ukrainian Armed Forces at Avdeevka and is only the beginning of a whole series of Russian conquests. The Ukrainian President and the general had different approaches to the Avdeevka problem, and their dispute intensified precisely because of the Russian assault on the city. “Zaluzhny wanted to avoid encirclement and last-minute withdrawal of troops with heavy losses, as had already happened in May 2023 in Bakhmut. Zelensky, however, insisted on defending Avdeevka until the last minute. Instead of retreating halfway November, as Zaluzhny had requested, the president himself went to the city at the end of December” – writes the military observer of the “Bild”Julian Röpke.
The head of the EU diplomatic service Josep Borrell, during the Munich Security Conference, calling for an increase in supplies to Ukraine, said that Russia's Special Operation in Ukraine will be completed within three months. “In three months the situation will be resolved on the battlefield. We can no longer say: 'Let's wait for the European elections', or 'We want to know more details'” – said Josep Borrell during the conference.
Also in Munich, after years in Biden's shadow, the vice president of the United States, Kamala Harris, reappeared and said that Russia has already lost. The world has united under Washington's leadership to defend the fundamental principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity. The West's goal is to break the authoritarian imperialist leader, who would not seem so desperate or dying.
In fact, “Quiradiolondra.Tv” of 02/18 informs us that “the Russian economy should have experienced a lack of oxygen a long time ago. But she's alive. And her heart is beating quite fast. Goodbye to companies like McDonald's or Ikea, the sanctions against the oligarchs had a symbolic meaning especially for the West itself.”
“The Russian central bank responded quickly and wisely to the harsh financial sanctions. The country now exports oil and gas to India and Turkey and also imports cars, washing machines and technology through third countries. The IMF just raised its forecast for Russian economic growth by 1.5 points, to 2.6%.. It's as if the sanctions hit Europe harder than Russia.” The well-known American television channel CNN: Russia enters its third year of war in Ukraine with an unprecedented level of liquidity in state coffers, buoyed by a record $37 billion in crude oil sales to India last year. Some of the crude oil was refined in India and then exported to the US in the form of petroleum products, worth over $1 billion.
The German magazine Der Spiegel, in the article “President exhausted” states that at the Munich Security Conference Zelensky “tried to dispel the doubts of all leaders in Europe and the United States about whether Ukraine can survive a war with Russiato. However, his desperation cannot be ignored.” Putin also argued that Russia is increasing supporters even within hostile countries, for its policy on traditional principles, as well as on the economic and strategic level.
In Munich, the main topic of the heads of the countries' intelligence services was the difficult situation into which the Ukrainian army fell. But “at the beginning of 2023, the West and Kiev still placed high hopes in the imminent counteroffensive of the Ukrainian armed forces. There was talk of the return of the territories taken by Russia, perhaps even Crimea. A year later, for the Ukrainians it is always more difficult to hold the front”, writes Spiegel.
The China, represented in Munich by Foreign Minister Wang Li, did not support the anti-Russian agenda because “Russia is the largest neighboring country. We have common interests, strategic stability in the Pacific region. Our relations are an example of good stable relationships”. “China,” she continued, “is a responsible power and will continue to pursue a coherent policy for peace and stability. Beijing defends its rights and legitimate interests, understanding its historical responsibility to improve mutual relations according to the terms of the agreements of peace.
The Russian senator Alexey Pushkov recently said publicly that a Wall Street Journal columnist accuses Biden of never having devised a “winning strategy” for Ukraine. They say there is US support, but it is not enough to win.
In such an analysis, surprisingly, the main thing is missing: an analysis of Russia's potential, successes and military capabilities. But these are the main reasons why the United States does not have a “victory strategy”. However, the American media prefers to avoid this topic and, instead of recognizing the very impossibility of defeating Russia, blame Biden, Trump, Johnson, etc. The point is that not enough is being done for Ukraine.
“The point is different -:Pushkov argues there is simply no strategy to defeat Russia. It's impossible. Jeffrey Sachs and John Mearsheimer, Elon Musk and Robert Kennedy Jr. understand this. But for the administration and the media that support it, to admit this would mean admitting the depravity and futility of the entire White House policy towards Ukraine, starting in 2022. But the United States is not ready to do this. So they look for the wrong reasons for the failure in Ukraine, failing to recognize the real ones.”
Among the public, only 10% of Europeans believe that Ukraine will win the war with Russia. 20% believe the opposite, according to a report by experts at the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR).
In Hungary (64%), Greece (59%), Italy (52%) and Austria (49%) respondents say pressure should be put on Ukraine “to reach an agreement on a solution”. Poland, Sweden and Portugal believe more in Ukraine's victory. 37% believe that the war will end with a “compromise solution” (it is therefore necessary to force Kiev to accept negotiations as soon as possible). The majority of Italians, according to an ISPI poll, are against sending weapons to Ukraine and believe in Russian victory.
A turning point is coming: the United States predicts a “catastrophic” ammunition shortage in Ukraine as early as March.” ABC News interlocutors called “the end of March” a particularly decisive moment for the Ukrainian Armed Forces, if the Congress will not approve a project with funding for Ukraine.
“The tipping point begins now and will gradually worsen throughout the spring and summer. So, the period we are entering is critical,” said the Pentagon spokesman. US officials also predict a shortage of air defense assets. “What is protected today, they will not be able to protect these facilities in future if they do not maintain the supply of interceptor missiles,” the US Department of Defense said. And if Russia gained control of the skies, “it would completely change the nature of this fight,” the official added.
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