Saturday 18 February 2023

Russia accused of crimes against humanity

It's all blood and thunder at the annual Munich security conference with every western leader vowing to stay the course against Russia and on the side of Ukraine. Kamala Harris, the US vice president, has officially accused Russia (ie President Putin) of crimes against humanity with the slaughter of civilians, rape and other horrific abuses. In other words there is no chance of a settlement. In fact there never was. But judging by the mood at the Munich gathering, Nato is hell-bent on helping Ukraine to defeat Russia. So we can expect a whole new load of longer range weaponry to back up Kyiv's planned counter-offensive due in the spring to try and drive the Russian forces out. I fear it could be a bloodbath on both sides. If Belarus enters the war, as its autocratic leader has warned, then it will get even worse, although I suspect this is more blather than a real threat. I suspect it won't be long before Nato agrees to provide fighter jets, despite the reluctance to do so. Ukraine leader Volodymyr Zelensky has pleaded for combat jets for so long I don't see how Nato can delay it much longer. With everything he needs to back him up it is just possible that Zelensky's prediction of a victory against Russia might happen. But then what will Putin do? Could he survive, politically, a Russian defeat in Ukraine? Might the generals and the political elite turn against him? This is the year when all these questions might be answered.

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