9/22/2023

Russia flexing muscles in the East

 Russia military drills in the Chukchi and Bering Sea next to Alaska, involving nuclear powered submarines and firing cruise missiles, raising alarm bells in the West. Russia is showing the West, besides being engaged in Europe, it is still a force to be reckoned with in the Eastern region.

What is the significance of that? It is to show the USA and the Japanese that they are not the only capable alliance that can swagger around Taiwan with their parade of warships, the Russians can do it as well, insinuating how close the Russians can get to threaten them. After the summit between Xi and Putin in October, Russia together with China and North Korea may yet conduct their own military and naval drills near to USA and Japan.

Ironically, Russia no longer needs to resort to placing nuclear missiles in Cuba, as those nuclear submarines are enough to send a message to the USA. With their longer range and hypersonic, those missiles are going to be more threatening than those in the sixties that were stationed in Cuba. They now do not have to involve Cuba or Venezuela to strike at the USA when the need arises.

Russia is still no less capable than the USA in terms of missiles and nuclear firepower. China provides a good backup with its naval power, while North Korea provides the unknown factor that will keep the Japanese and South Koreans in their place should they try to get involve. 

Anonymous

1 comment:

  1. Russia is going for a second winter offensive and its target is destroying the energy facilities of Ukraine, the Achilles heel of the enemy. Russia is going to bring Zelenskyy on his knees with its assault on Ukraine's energy sector during the Winter, which if it is harsh, will be detrimental. The assault by Russia on Ukraine's energy sector in 2022 was not that damaging in view of the mild winter that year. This may be different this time around.

    With oil trading at more than US$90 a barrel, Russian oil is still flowing to the EU despite the sanctions, albeit under different cover after mixing eg with names such as Nigerian crude, of which the EU countries are paying through their noses. China, India, Saudi Arabia are laughing all the way to the bank, getting discounted Russian oil to sell at huge profits. The fact that this is really going on is making Zelenskyy raving mad that the sanctions on Russia is not working. What can he do, but just howl like a rabid dog.

    And Zelenskyy is still high on drugs, demanding that Russia must withdraw from every inch of Ukraine before he will negotiate. He does not understand the meaning of 'Beggars can't be choosers'. Russia is not going to give up Crimea. Not even if there is a gun pointed at Putin's head.

    Sure the MSM may be right about Russia loosing lots of weapons in Ukraine, but so does the USA, Nato and Ukraine themselves. It is reported that their weapons stockpile are in jeopardy. Destroying those Uranium tainted shells in Ukraine is going to be a long term health hazard, more for ordinary Ukrainians than the Russians. And the use of cluster bombs is going to cause long term issues just like the mines in Vietnam and the legacy of Agent Orange. The USA is not going to suffer those consequences, but Ukraine will.

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