With Russia now under some of the severest sanctions ever imposed as part of an effort to halt its war on Ukraine, we discuss international sanctions with our guest, Anne-Cécile Robert, director of Le Monde diplomatique’s international editions.

Anne-Cécile and her colleague Hélène Richard have an article in this month’s paper entitled ‘Russia and the West: between sanctions and war’, which shows that, as sanctions have proliferated in the last 30 years, there’s a risk they come to be seen as a quick-fix alternative to diplomacy. https://mondediplo.com/2022/03/02ukraine-sanctions-podcast

As Vladimir Putin has led his country for 22 years (including as prime minister from 2008 to 2012), we need to understand his motives for sending in troops to conquer Ukraine. This should be easy as he has often spoken about them. There are two opposing schools of thought. The first holds that Putin is reacting to the West’s ongoing contempt for his security concerns as NATO, reneging on previous commitments, got closer to his borders. The second believes that the lack of response to a series of aggressive acts, and the opportunity that gave him to re-establish Russia’s former sphere of influence, encouraged Putin’s expansionism. Defensive logic, or thirst for revenge?

These two versions need not be mutually exclusive, but while the first, often expressed in these columns, can be backed up with a mass of historical documents, the second, more favoured by the neocons, relies on psychologising dictators’ behaviour. And on the usual comparisons with Hitler, Munich and Churchill popular with showmen of geopolitics such as Bernard-Henri Lévy. These comparisons were already worn thin defending the wars in the Gulf (1991), Kosovo (1999), Afghanistan (2001) and Libya (2011). And bemoaning the absence of a similarly firm military response in Georgia, Syria and Ukraine.

Their basic premise is so simple that even the least gifted journalist can repeat it: whenever one of the West’s enemies strays from the straight and narrow, any failure to administer immediate ‘punishment’ is seen as encouraging them and provoking more serious aggression in the future. It goes without saying that the doctrine of ‘give them an inch and they’ll take a mile’ never applies to the US, Saudi Arabia or Israel. https://mondediplo.com/2022/04/01elections-france

Please forward this link to your English-speaking comrades, who want to learn more about the war in Ukraine. Пожалуйста отправьте эту ссылку вашим англоговорящим товарищам, которые хотят узнать больше о войне на Украине.
Ukrainian war (personal view). English language publications, translated news and comments for the English speakers. Not a mainstream. If you want to know more, but do not speak Russian - subscribe.
https://t.me/TrFormer

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10705167/Russian-civilians-cheer-Putins-soldiers-head-Ukraine-convoy-tanks-army-trucks.html The people and the army of Russia are united. Over 70% of Russian population are supporting military operation in Ukraine. And they are well informed about its purpose and difficulties, as well.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10707041/Convoy-cars-waving-Russian-flags-marked-Z-symbol-spotted-IRELAND.html That is somewhat unexpected...

Please forward this link to your English-speaking comrades, who want to learn more about the war in Ukraine. Пожалуйста отправьте эту ссылку вашим англоговорящим товарищам, которые хотят узнать больше о войне на Украине.
Ukrainian war (personal view). English language publications, translated news and comments for the English speakers. Not a mainstream. If you want to know more, but do not speak Russian - subscribe.
https://t.me/TrFormer

Panic, guilt, fear, reward - a lesson in political spin

Arestovich, the person behind Zelenskiy speeches explains how to aggregate a nation into its own demise.

He also famously referred to ISIS as "wise strategists."

Ukrainian army positions among civilians

Residents protest the Ukrainian army positioning around their houses - with defenders like that, who needs enemies? 😢

Mariupol port liberated 🇷🇺🇺🇦

💥 Over 100 Russian sailors have been rescued alive - they had been blocked there since the beginning of the Operation.

It is notable that Ukrainian vessels were not evacuated, as the port is also mined with marine bombs. The woman interviewed stated that Russian and Ukrainian crews interacted without animosity. 🤝

Earlier WarGonzo reported there are three main areas were Azov forces were concentrated - Azovstal, Ilyich factory, and the port. ✔️

t.me/wargonzo

https://www.theamericanconservative.com/articles/the-state-department-failed-to-prevent-the-war-will-it-now-prevent-the-peace/ Ever since the Bucharest Declaration of 2008, when NATO opened the door to membership for Ukraine and Georgia, the Russians have indicated that membership for these two border nations was an unacceptable “red line” for them. They quickly proved their seriousness later that year by invading Georgia and securing territory where predominantly-Russian populations were located. (Doesn’t that sound eerily familiar?) For the last 14 years, Putin and the entire Russian elite have spoken with one voice: NATO membership for Ukraine was an intolerable security threat. We ignored this red line, continuing to push for NATO expansion and transitioning Ukraine’s military onto a NATO platform even before official membership.

Представитель МИД Китая со ссылкой на «оценки аналитиков» заявил, что США являются основным поджигателем российско-украинского конфликта

A resident of Mariupol about the staged filming by the Ukrainian Armed Forces and the situation in the city. #Mariupol

Please forward this link to your English-speaking comrades, who want to learn more about the war in Ukraine. Пожалуйста отправьте эту ссылку вашим англоговорящим товарищам, которые хотят узнать больше о войне на Украине.
Ukrainian war (personal view). English language publications, translated news and comments for the English speakers. Not a mainstream. If you want to know more, but do not speak Russian - subscribe.
https://t.me/TrFormer

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, in an interview with the Rossiya 24 TV channel, said that the special operation in Ukraine is designed to end the US course of world domination.

The diplomat added that this dominance is being built with gross violations of international law.

He also called the West's policy towards Russia "embittered and frenzied."

@NewResistance

https://www.politico.com/newsletters/global-insider/2022/04/11/yes-russia-is-still-winning-00024373 If you think Russia isn’t winning from its invasion of Ukraine, consider this: Moscow’s monthly gas export receipts have tripled from a year ago; Marine Le Pen leads a Russian-sympathizing political bloc that is within reach of the French presidency; and from today, Western leaders will once again start arriving in Moscow to court President Vladimir Putin into a Ukraine settlement.

Марин Ле Пен - за ВМФ!

⚡Donbass offensive: Preparations are underway to encircle Ukrainian troops positioned along a 200 km line of demarcation, from Donetsk- Slovyansk into central Ukraine. They number at 90,000 to 100,000 men.

"These are the most combat-ready units that are currently in Ukraine ...if they do not surrender, Ukraine will lose its entire army and the issue of demilitarization, one can say, would be resolved by 90%" - Basurin.