Ukraine’s ambassador to the EU has warned Brussels that Russia is preparing “a new full-scaled offensive operation” in Ukraine.
Konstiantyn Yelisieiev wrote in a letter - seen by EUobserver - to EU embassies in Brussels on Wednesday (12 November) that the Russian intention is clear from troop movements and from increasingly hostile anti-Ukraine propaganda.
He urged the EU to put “diplomatic pressure” on Moscow to return to US and EU-mediated peace talks in the so-called Geneva format.
He urged it to impose “a new wave” of preventative sanctions, such as blacklisting more Russian officials and raising the “economic … cost” of Russia's actions.
He also accused Moscow of trying to undermine the political process in Kiev in order to make Ukraine a “failed state”, while calling on Europe to maintain “technical and financial support” in areas such as judicial and constitutional reform.
Yelisieiev’s warning comes ahead of the first meeting of EU foreign ministers, on Monday, to be chaired by the bloc’s new foreign policy chief, Federica Mogherini.
Speaking at the UN Security Council on Wednesday, US ambassador Samantha Power said “Russia is … surging more forces and more equipment across the border”.
She noted that since 9 November, the US has seen: 17 unmarked trucks moving toward the ceasefire line near Donetsk in east Ukraine; movements of 43 more military vehicles in the Donetsk area, some towing large-calibre howitzers and multi-launch rocket systems; and new “columns of … Russian tanks, Russian artillery, Russian air defense systems, and Russian combat troops entering Ukraine”.
On September 1, 2014 the US State Department published a report, in which it was stated that for first time since the collapse of the USSR, Russia reached parity with the US in the field of strategic nuclear weapons. Thus, Washington admitted that Moscow regained the status that the Soviet Union had obtained by mid-70's of the XX century and then lost.
According to the report from the State Department, Russia has 528 carriers of strategic nuclear weapons that carry 1,643 warheads. The United States has 794 vehicles and 1,652 nuclear warheads.
It just so happens that today, Russia's strategic nuclear forces (SNF) are even more advanced in comparison with those of the US, as they ensure parity on warheads with a significantly smaller number of carriers of strategic nuclear weapons. This gap between Russia and the United States may only grow in the future, given the fact that Russian defense officials promised to rearm Russia's SNF with new generation missiles.
Recently, a lot has been said about so-called "sixth-generation wars" and high-precision long-range weapons that should ensure victory over enemy without coming into direct contact with its armed forces. This concept is highly questionable (The US failed to achieve victory in such a way both in Iraq and Afghanistan). Yet, this is the point, where Russia enters the parity line as well. The proof is long-range cruise missiles of a new generation that will soon be deployed on submarines of the Black Sea Fleet and missile ships of the Caspian Flotilla.
In today's Russia, many find this hard to believe. This is a common belief for many of those, who still enthusiastically remain in captivity of the myths about the absolute "weakness" of Russia and the absolute "superiority" of the West. The myth was made up in the 90's under the influence of Boris Yeltsin and his betrayal of Russian national interests. One has to admit that during that time, the myth was real, if one may say so.
Times have changed. One can easily understand the new state of affairs.
In today's Russia, many find this hard to believe. This is a common belief for many of those, who still enthusiastically remain in captivity of the myths about the absolute "weakness" of Russia and the absolute "superiority" of the West. The myth was made up in the 90's under the influence of Boris Yeltsin and his betrayal of Russian national interests. One has to admit that during that time, the myth was real, if one may say so.
Times have changed. One can easily understand the new state of affairs.
For example, let's consider the potential of conventional weapons of Russia and the West in the European Theater of Operations (ETO). In this area, it is generally believed that NATO is a lot stronger than Russia. Yet, a first encounter with reality smashes this misbelief into pieces.
As is known, the main striking force, the core of combat power of the ground forces is tanks. By the time of the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Russian Armed Forces had about 20,000 tanks in the ETO.
The Americans, in turn, deployed 6,000 heavy Abrams tanks on the territory of the allied group. Despite this, the combined potential of NATO forces in Europe was still significantly inferior to the Soviet potential. To compensate this imbalance, NATO strategists were forced to resort to tactical nuclear weapons (TNW).
As is known, the main striking force, the core of combat power of the ground forces is tanks. By the time of the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Russian Armed Forces had about 20,000 tanks in the ETO.
The Americans, in turn, deployed 6,000 heavy Abrams tanks on the territory of the allied group. Despite this, the combined potential of NATO forces in Europe was still significantly inferior to the Soviet potential. To compensate this imbalance, NATO strategists were forced to resort to tactical nuclear weapons (TNW).
Here is another surprise. As for tactical nuclear weapons, the superiority of modern-day Russia over NATO is even stronger.
The Americans are well aware of this. They were convinced before that Russia would never rise again. Now it's too late.
The Americans are well aware of this. They were convinced before that Russia would never rise again. Now it's too late.
To date, NATO countries have only 260 tactical nuclear weapons in the ETO. The United States has 200 bombs with a total capacity of 18 megatons. They are located on six air bases in Germany, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands and Turkey. France has 60 more atomic bombs. That is pretty much it. Russia, according to conservative estimates, has 5,000 pieces of different classes of TNW - from Iskander warheads to torpedo, aerial and artillery warheads!
Russia’s massive deployment of troops in east Ukraine in recent days indicates an upcoming escalation in Putin’s covert war against Ukraine and the West.
Ever since a Russian military-led offensive in August captured the town Novoazovsk in south-east Ukraine, few had doubts about what would come next.
Novoazovsk is a bridgehead in the direction of Mariupol, a port town and a Ukrainian stronghold, which prevents Russian leader Vladimir Putin from securing a land corridor to Crimea, which he annexed in March.
Only two questions remain: When will the Mariupol offensive begin and on what pretext?
With winter coming, it is increasingly clear that Russia cannot supply Crimea’s economic needs by sea deliveries alone.
This is precisely why the Soviet Union in its time allowed Crimea - a depressed and heavily-subsidised region - to be part of Ukraine.
Russian nationalists always hated it. But they can no longer ignore the practical realities.
This is why Russian state media is now amplifying propaganda on “Novorossiya” - Putin’s concept of a new state, which, he claims, is deeply Russian in historical and cultural terms, but which can only come to be if his forces seize around 40 percent of Ukrainian territory.
The Kremlin needs to sell its actions to the Russian people.
It needs to get them ready for their sons to die for a “greater” Russia and to endure in silence the economic hardship caused by Western sanctions.
This is why Putin’s propagandists are not just denying Ukrainian people’s right to have a nation. They are also de-humanising them as fascists who murder civilians only because they speak Russian.
But Ukrainian leaders have their eyes wide open.
Their UN and EU envoys recently warned that Russia is preparing a full-scale invasion. Most politically-literate people in Ukraine see it coming.
The costs of stopping him grow every day. He escalates in order to improve his bargaining position.
The way to counter Putin is to sacrifice Western economic interests for the sake of defending Western values. It is to step up diplomacy to get non-Nato countries in Europe and non-aligned states around the world to isolate his regime.
But let’s not pray for miracles while he stays in power.
He has left himself almost zero political space to step back on his gains in Ukraine. His machine is stuck in forward gear.
Instead of talking about respect for international law, or territorial integrities, perhaps it is time to start sending a new message to Russia: “If you want to get back to business as usual on civilised terms then Putin must go”.
Around 1,500 Israeli Arabs were demonstrating Friday afternoon in the town of Umm al-Fahm, east of Hadera, protesting police’s killing of an Arab man in Kafr Kanna last week and the ongoing turmoil in Jerusalem. Among the participants were MKs Hanin Zoabi (Balad) and Afu Agbaria (Hadash) as well as Sheikh Raed Salah, head of the radical wing of the Islamic Movement in Israel.
Several hundred people were also demonstrating in nearby Kafr Qara, Ynet reported.
Also Friday, hundreds of Palestinian protesters briefly blocked a road near Hizme, north of Jerusalem on Friday and threw rocks at security forces. The latter dispersed the crowd using stun grenades after they failed to leave voluntarily, police said.
In another incident, several dozen people breached the security fence near Kalandiya, north of Jerusalem, in an act of protest, using tools to cut the fence or climb over it, Ynet reported. However, the protesters later returned over the line.
Meanwhile Public Security Minister Yitzhak Aharonovitch visited Kafr Kanna for the first time since the death of resident Kheir Hamdan, met with local leaders and demanded they calm resident’s spirits and prevent clashes with police.
|
Also see:
No comments:
Post a Comment