Last Thursday morning, Russian President Vladimir Putin shocked the world by actually ordering his fearsome tanks, fighter jets, gunboats and heavily-armed troops to cross into Ukraine.
Immediately the United States, European Union and Britain called Russia’s action “a criminal act against international law and against a sovereign country.” Fears of World War III surfaced across international media.
But will these western alliances use military force against Russia?
It doesn’t seem so now. Rather, western alliances prefer an economic war, freezing Russian overseas accounts, withdrawing all forms of assistance given to Russia. Stifle Russia economically, and hope it will work.
Putin, a former officer of the Russian spy agency the KGB, however, continues his “psychology of brinkmanship,” telling the world that “if there is any foreign interference,” Russia will react with something “never before experienced in history.” He said the Russian occupation is a “peace-keeping mission and an attempt towards the demilitarisation and denazification of Ukraine.” And this is at a time when Russia and China are raising serious questions about “western democracy.”
Putin claims that Ukraine is still Russian soil and for many years ago, was part of Russia, especially evidenced by those in eastern Ukraine speaking Russian and practising Russian culture. He wants Ukraine back. He is preaching the politics of historical grievances to help justify Russia’s invasion.
In fact, he has already recognised the “independence” of two of Ukraine’s Russian-speaking eastern regions – Luhansk and Donetsk. Russia’s army, using pro-communist Belarus and Crimea (annexed in 2014), now surrounds Ukraine.
Interestingly, Pakistan's prime minister Imran Khan paid an official visit to Mr Putin last week. China, with its own territorial challenges from Taiwan and Hong Kong, has so far not objected to Putin’s invasion. Our close-by countries Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua are standing by.
Given the globalised impact of Putin’s actions on banks, energy industries, international travel, food supplies, refugees, etc, it is important for us within Caricom to be fully informed about developments.
For this reason, I remain surprised and disappointed to see from my Flow cable service the sudden removal of Russian television network (RT), Chinese state-run cable channel (CGTN), British Sky News and even the US's Fox News. Restore them, please. Why fear “opposing” views?
Noting the dangers posed by reviving past grievances, former US president Barack Obama wondered how far back in history we should go to deal with present problems of ethnicity. To the surprise of many, he further declared “victimhood is now an industry.” Interestingly, he appeared to be a middle-of-the-road politician, widely celebrated by different races as a two-term president.
Putin’s intrusions, reportedly supported by Russia’s twin-chamber Federal Assembly, help revive memories of World Wars I and II, both happening in the midst of complex nationalistic and ethnic rivalrie
