Russian Tensions
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Actually Macron probably does see autonomy for Russian-speakers as part of any settlement in Ukraine (at least he did once). It’s Borys and Truss (who seems likely to take over as prime minister for a couple of years) who want in effect to ethnically cleanse them, sending millions to Russia as refugees.
BBC News has gained access to institutions in Ukraine where widespread abuse and mistreatment of disabled people has been uncovered.
Plenty of military aid but no humanitarian assistance?
Around 100,000 children and young people live in these institutions, which pre-date the war with Russia.
Human rights investigators say Ukraine should not join the European Union until it closes these institutions.
Sanctions on Russia are taking a heavy toll on the economy, despite Moscow’s assertion that the country is not feeling the pinch, according to a new study from Yale University.
https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4167193
The authors claim their work casts doubt on Moscow’s claims that the economy remains robust and that the West is suffering more through “a war of economic attrition.”
“Russian domestic production has come to a complete standstill with no capacity to replace lost businesses, products and talent,”
With the exodus of some 1,000 global companies, Russia has lost companies that represent some 40% of gross domestic product
https://www.dw.com/en/yale-study-shows-sanctions-are-crippling-russias-economy/a-62623738
Sanctions on Russia are affecting the economy.
Putin is talking about making new hypersonic missiles but they do not have spare parts for the weapons that they have now in operation, and they are looking for drones from Iran, and they are using old Soviets weapons
Nobody will listen as he is now an irrelevancy in politics.
Corbyn has urged western countries to stop arming Ukraine
“Pouring arms in isn’t going to bring about a solution, it’s only going to prolong and exaggerate this war,” Corbyn said. “We might be in for years and years of a war in Ukraine.”
“What I find disappointing is that hardly any of the world’s leaders use the word peace; they always use the language of more war, and more bellicose war.”
He added: “This war is disastrous for the people of Ukraine, for the people of Russia, and for the safety and security of the whole world, and therefore there has to be much more effort put into peace.”
He called for the UN to be “much more centre stage”, and suggested involving other international bodies such as the African Union or the League of Arab States if the UN were unable to help negotiate a ceasefire.
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/aug/02/jeremy-corbyn-urges-west-to-stop-arming-ukraine
Revealing discrepancy here between what is said now and what was said at the time.
This from the Times of 3 August:
“The Royal College of Music in London has suspended one of its tutors after he was filmed performing outside the remains of a bombed theatre in the occupied Ukrainian city of Mariupol.
Alexander Romanovsky, a pianist born in Ukraine who has performed as a soloist with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, played outside the site of an attack that Amnesty called “a clear war crime”. More than a dozen people died in the bombing in March. Mariupol fell to Russian forces in May after Ukrainian troops, who had retreated to the Azovstal steel plant, surrendered.”At the time there were reports that hundreds had been killed in the bombing of the theatre:
“Close to 600 people died in the Russian airstrike on the Mariupol drama theatre on March 16 evidence from an Associated Press investigation suggests.”
https://www.cbc.ca/amp/1.6440722
There are two possible explanations for the discrepancy. Either the 3 August Times reporter was wrong (though technically 600 is more than 12) or that the earlier figure of 600 was a product of the Ukrainian lie factory.
Amnesty International has said the Ukrainian army is endangering the life of civilians by basing themselves in residential areas…
“We have documented a pattern of Ukrainian forces putting civilians at risk and violating the laws of war when they operate in populated areas,” said Agnès Callamard, Amnesty International’s secretary general.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/aug/04/ukraine-civilians-army-bases-amnesty-russia-war
Ukrainian forces were using some schools and hospitals as bases, firing near houses and sometimes living in residential flats. The report concluded that this meant in some instances Russian forces would respond to an attack or target residential areas – putting civilians at risk and damaging civilian infrastructure.
It also criticised the Ukrainian army for not evacuating civilians who could be caught up in the crossfire.
There was another organization like the International Communist Tendency who said at the very beginning of the Ukraine conflict that Russia was not going to attack or invade, they were trying to us diplomatic way to resolve the conflict, they were provoked
I have been following events in Ukraine and have noticed that recently more articles are appearing critical of the Ukraine regime. It seems that ukraine fatigue is setting in. Zelensky may even end up being seen more as a Nero than hero (apologies to the front cover of this month’s Socialist Standard).
I found this article on the propaganda war a good read.
https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2022/8/4/western-media-and-the-war-on-truth-in
“…it is no surprise that governments, whether autocracies or democracies, lie about wars for tactical or strategic reasons. In fact, there is a fancy name for it – stratagem, which means to deliberately send untrue signals to unsettle the enemy while reassuring one’s own side…”
Germany’s antziganism commissioner, Mehmet Daimagüler, seeks to ensure that aid to Ukraine reaches Roma communities. He said Roma faced discrimination in Ukraine, particularly in regards to education and health care.
https://www.dw.com/en/germany-commissioner-urges-more-aid-for-roma-in-ukraine/a-62726762
He said Romani refugees are treated differently from other migrants and are sometimes subject to harassment and assault.
Asked among others what he thought should be done about the cost of living crisis, Dr Tony Sykes, senior economics lecturer at the University of Salford, said that the most important way to help would be a solution to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the worldwide repercussions it has had.
“Dr Syme called on ministers to ‘work on a diplomatic solution’. He said that is ‘the most important and long-lasting solution to the current cost of living crisis.’” (Today’s i paper)
Fat chance of that happening if, as seems likely, Liz Truss becomes the new Prime minister. Mind you, you never know what might happen if the year or two’s stagflation predicted by the Bank of England yesterday turns out to be deeper and lasts longer that they are saying.
I see the Ukraine regime didn’t like that Amnesty report. Their representative in Ukraine has resigned on the grounds that the report “did not take into account the views of the Ukrainian Defence Ministry”.
In a report on war crimes a state’s war ministry’s account is the last thing you would take into account. But she was probably wise to resign, otherwise she could have been picked by the Ukraine secret police and detained for pro-Russian propaganda.
That is the regime that is being supported by the so called national liberators and the anti imperialists, but other groups are also saying that Russia and Putin are anti imperialist
I always find it hypocritical that Amnesty or Human Rights Watch reports are trumpeted when it echoes criticism of your enemies but disavowed when it challenges your friends.
This applies to the Left as well as to the Right such as when Israeli apartheid is exposed yet when the Sandinista regime is called out, these organisations automatically become tools of the CIA.
I note the IAEA is raising an issue on the threat to nuclear power stations.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-62449982But weren’t we always assured that these installations were built in such a manner to survive “terrorist” attacks? So now they are vulnerable targets.
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