Keep in mind the plan? Wreck the Russian financial system, pressure regime change and produce ‘victory to Ukraine!’. Thus far, this isn’t figuring out very nicely.
By Robert Harneis
The European proxy warfare in Ukraine, in opposition to Russia, is wanting increasingly like a black TV comedy collection day by day.
First we had the French Caesar Howitzers, despatched by President Macron to arm Kiev. Two have been bought by Russian intelligence brokers from Ukrainian troopers, on the black market. The Russian arms producer Uralvagonzavod, which produces, amongst different issues, Armata tanks and Msta-S self-propelled artillery mounts, thanked President Macron warmly for the self-propelled weapons (€5 million every), which they’re now finding out.
For a handful of bitcoins
Subsequent, fairly dependable media report that the ever resourceful Ukrainians have bought a minimum of one and probably two of the eighteen very particular HIMAR rocket launchers despatched at huge expense by the USA to cease the Russians and their autonomist Donbass allies and even trigger them to retreat. The sale worth was allegedly $880,0000, money in fact. In line with Russian sources information of this kind of transaction is delayed to allow the Ukrainians involved to get some bitcoins to their households and get them in another country earlier than the information is launched. The ‘excessive’ worth Is related with the accompanying software program and ammunition for an extra $330,000. The weapons and equipment, it appears, are left discretely in disputed territory for assortment. Contemplating that every launcher prices round $5.5 million and the rockets are between $3-5 million every the Russians didn’t over pay.
NATO has in the meantime enthusiastically given away all its spare weapons to Ukraine after which some. Fairly how they’ll equip their new (imaginary?) 300,000 man fast response pressure within the occasion of warfare with Russia is unclear.
Ruffle in Europe
On the political entrance there isn’t any scarcity of issues… within the West. The coalition governing Italy is crumbling with the desertion of the 5 Star get together and the EU appointed Prime Minister Mario Draghi has offered his resignation to President Sergio Mattarella, who’s even older than President Biden. Draghi gained his vote of no confidence however resigned anyway as a result of the circumstances to manipulate “not exist”. Think about the frustration of this a lot tried 74 yr previous, when he was despatched again to his workplace and his resignation was refused. All that cash from Goldman Sachs plus large pensions and he can’t retire and spend it. In any respect prices an election should be prevented and the Euro protected.
Germany is reeling from the alleged presence of Chancellor Scholtz at a rape get together. Sure, you learn that proper, not a rave get together. The vitality saga there’s a comedy all by itself. Don’t need Russian fuel; will need to have Russian fuel; can’t get Russian fuel. On high of that the ungrateful Ukrainian ambassador referred to as Scholz a “sulky German sausage”. Worst of all you now need to pay $18 a month to modify on the seat heater in your new BMW, or so we’re advised – we are able to’t afford one.
The russophobic United Kingdom
Evidently France now prospers beneath a minority authorities. Estonia has misplaced its very belligerent Prime Minister. No want to say, the terminal issues confronted by the UK’s could be Churchillian warfare chief, Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Even the try and ban Russians from Wimbledon failed with a Russian girl profitable the Girls singles beneath the Kazakhstan flag. Sadly for the Russo phobic UK, the Moscow born and bred tennis participant, Elena Rybakina, didn’t tackle overseas citizenship in 2019 as a result of she hates Putin however as a result of the neighboring Kazakhs pay higher and are very eager on tennis. It was additionally the primary last through which neither participant was from the West. Is that this an omen?
The euro at parity with the greenback
In Russia, regardless of one of the best efforts of the Russian Central Financial institution, the Ruble has surged once more to beneath 60 to the greenback, stronger than earlier than the warfare began. Because the Germans discovered with the Deutsche Mark, having a really extremely valued forex may be inconvenient. In the meantime the Euro has fallen to parity with the greenback for the primary time since 2002. No person in France appears to keep in mind that in 2017 presidential candidate Marine Le Pen was ridiculed for saying {that a} 15% devaluation was acceptable for those who wished to go away the Euro.
On the sanctions entrance, NATO allies Germany and Canada have been preventing over the blocking of important gear for fuel pipeline Nord Stream 1, despatched by Siemens to their Canadian division for repairs (why?). The Canadians wouldn’t give it again and the Germans needed to insist fairly firmly to alter their minds. Or maybe to alter Washington’s thoughts. For the second there isn’t any fuel in any respect coming by means of both Nord Stream 1 or 2. The EU is now for the primary time utilizing dearer US fuel than low cost dependable Russian fuel.
The Russian enclave of Kaliningrad
Lithuania has been bullied by Brussels to cease blockading items travelling between mainland Russia and the Baltic Russian enclave of Kaliningrad and has now agreed to permit most items by means of. It appears the concept that the Russians may blockade all of the Baltic States was a little bit of a fear, however not almost as a lot a fear because the risk to withdraw recognition of Lithuania’s frontiers. This might have meant that Russia not acknowledged the exterior borders of the European Union.
Bloomberg tells us that the EU is now planning fuel rationing for the winter. In the meantime meals and gasoline costs rise alarmingly.
Ursula von der Leyen, a Russian agent?
In Russia, alternatively, the estimated fall in Russian Gross Home Product (PIB in French), on account of sanctions, has come down from minus 15% to twenty% to round minus 3.5%. Manufacturing output is choosing up and costs are starting to fall, with document oil and fuel revenues for decrease gross sales volumes. No rationing envisaged there.
One may fairly ask if Fee President Ursula Van der Leyen is a Russian agent, given the financial harm to the EU she has presided over since she took workplace lower than three years in the past?
It could, nonetheless, be silly to recommend that sanctions are usually not disturbing the Russian financial system and employment in some areas.
Evidently the Mozart of Finance, and France’s monetary Napoleon, Bruno Le Maire could have been proper in spite of everything, that the Russian financial system is about to break down. As he advised us when the warfare started, “The stability of financial and monetary power is completely in favor of the European Union, which is within the strategy of discovering its financial energy”. Particularly In some import sectors, there may be actual misery in Russia. Media outlet MK experiences a severe incident in Moscow – ‘prison on pink scooter, and armed with shotgun, robbed Muscovite of his dildo.’ Determined males determined measures.
In the meantime in Ukraine hundreds are dying.
