“Russia is now deliberately targeting Ukraine’s grain storage and export infrastructure… There is a form of madness here as Putin has decided to weaponise food and perhaps his plan is to create a global food crisis.”
Russia’s special military or colonisation operation in Ukraine continues to surprise.
These surprises come from a decided absence of strategic thinking by Vladimir Putin and the Kremlin. Fundamentally, a paradox sits behind Putin’s war with Ukraine. This paradox reflects the tension between Putin’s desire to demonstrate that Russia is still a major power on the world stage and actions that continue to undermine Russia’s economy and international standing.
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Central to this tension are differences between Russia and Ukraine regarding the value of human life. A recent battlefield incident highlights this difference. Serhiy had been wounded and separated from his Ukrainian unit. He was spotted by a Ukrainian drone operator who reacted rapidly to save him. The drone operator from the 15th National Guard stated that they did not want to leave Serhiy as “every life is important to us”.
Putin and the Kremlin place no value on life. Whilst Serhiy was been rescued a Russian priest from the orthodox church proclaimed on Russian state television that Russian forces “came to war not to kill but to die” as a form of sacrifice. This type of statement reflects the value placed by the Russian establishment on the life of Russian citizens. This then reflects Putin’s paradox as his war with Ukraine has made matters much worse for nearly all Russian citizens.
Putin’s decision to leave the UN-brokered grain export arrangement is another indicator of the value that the Kremlin places on human life. This is another paradoxical decision. On the one hand, Russia is now deliberately targeting Ukraine’s grain storage and export infrastructure.
This is civilian infrastructure, and moreover it is infrastructure that plays a critical role in world food markets and in feeding some of the most vulnerable people living on this planet. There is a form of madness here as Putin has decided to weaponise food and perhaps his plan is to create a global food crisis. On Wednesday 2 August, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that “Moscow is waging a battle for a global catastrophe. In their madness, they need world food markets to collapse, they need a price crisis, they need disruptions in supplies”.
On the other hand, it is important to explore which countries benefited the most from the Black Sea grain deal. The answer is perhaps surprising – China. Ukraine exported 7.9 million tonnes of grain or just under a quarter of the grain involved in the Black Sea initiative to China. Putin’s decision to prevent grain from being exported from Ukraine to China raises some interesting questions regarding the special relationship that is supposed to exist between these countries.
Putin’s war with Ukraine has led to Russia’s on-going isolation from international affairs. Putin is trying to address this isolation by trying to make friends. This process includes his intention that Russia “will be ready to provide Burkina Faso, Zimbabwe, Mali, Somalia, Central African Republic and Eritrea with 25-50,000 tonnes of free grain each in the next three to four months”. There is a problem here in that Putin’s offer of between 150,000 and 300,000 tonnes of grain does not compensate for the 750,000 tonnes of Ukrainian grain that was purchased by the World Food Programme (WFP) and shipped immediately to countries like Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, and Sudan. The WFP is the largest humanitarian organization in the world and importantly this is not controlled by a single nation but was established by the United Nations.
There are rather too many Putin paradoxes. This includes his proclamation regarding the end of “neo-colonialism” and the emergence of a multi-polar global order. There is the obvious tension here in that Putin states that he is against the application of power and influence to subjugate other countries, but then offers ‘free food’ to some countries and yet free food always comes with strings attached. Evidently, Putin favours colonialism but also practices neo-colonialism.
Putin’s rhetoric regarding his vision of a new multipolar world must be treated with caution. Putin’s imaginary new world has much in common with George Orwell’s novel ‘Animal Farm’ in that all nations would be equal, but Russia would be more equal than others. A truly multi-polar world would be one in which initiatives led by organisations like the UN take priority over any initiatives led by any one country.
It is time to shift away from one nation trying to dominate global affairs to a world in which effective supranational organisations try to ensure that all living on planet earth are treated equably. Of course, this is a utopian vision. The realty will be a continued struggle between competing politicians/nations, and this will result in negative outcomes for all.
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
There are Governments in this world who are ultimately responsible to the people and there are others who have their own agenda. It is easy to spot the difference. As the author points one has the lives of it’s citizens at heart whilst others use the countries resouces to further the aims of a few people.
Where I do not perhaps agree is a view that control needs to shift from Governments to organisations like the UN which is currently paralyed. Over the last 70 years NATO has achieved far more than the UN could possibly have hoped for. Due to various factors a more volatile world is to be expected and the more stable countries covering each others backs will dampen any outbreaks of violence across the world. Don’t get me wrong the UN has much to contribute however it’s time has not yet come.
I don’t think there is a difference between any of them. West, East, liberal, conservative or other. All hellbent on power and domination at our expense.
I think there is a massive contrast between the Liberal West and the Conservative East. The Liberal West is the source of all good and wealth on Earth today and we are carrying the rest of humanity. The Conservative East is trying to steal as much of that as they can while turning the clock back both by war in Ukraine and elsewhere and subversion in the West ie Trump and Brexit.
That is a very narrow, blind and ignorant perception of the world. Us being perpetually good and them being perpetually evil. The gangsters are everywhere!
No that is the opposite of those things. I recognise Liberalism as the source of good on Earth currently and historically.
The whitest/most western idea in recent history is probably that slavery is wrong. We had to fight for almost a hundred years to force the rest of humanity to give it up. For the most part we only drove it underground which is why in 2001 the UN anti slavery group claimed there were probably more slaves in the world than ever before, although as a percentage of humanity it was below historic norms.
We are in a comparable position as the source of democracy and secular rationalism. Trailing behind those things we lead in women’s rights and Lesbian and Gay rights
All this comes from the way capitalism lifts us up out of the gutter of religion and nationalism to think rationally as individuals and take responsibility.
We are not inherently better than everyone else. We just have the good fortune to live where capitalism has had longest to undermine religion and nationalism. This took centuries to create the good in people and in society that democracy and human rights depend on.
We are not perfect. We also create people like Thatcher who you have admired in past posts even though she was a viciously fascistic bigot who opposed human rights in Britain and abroad. She also presided over the most corrupt government Britain had seen before Brexit which looted tens of billions (possibly hundreds in today’s money) in public money under the cover of privatisation.
We are however miles ahead of everyone else on Earth. That is why international politics today has Christian and Muslim misogynists and homophobes allied to secular Gangsters in Russia and communists in China. We (or at least the best of us) are a threat to them.
Shit the bed you contradict yourself in every paragraph. The gutter of religion? So you think people who are religious live in the gutter? You call Thatcher a Facist, then provide proof, instead of jumping on the anti Thatcher bandwagon, which people gob off about who weren’t even alive when she was PM.
You seem to like capitalism but object to those (such as Thatcher) who actively pushed it and made it available to working class people. I could go on and rip your post to shreds but you will just reply with the usual rhetoric and misdirection. I await your usual chuff waffle reply.
The west is the only system that nurtures the lives of its own critics.
Wow your planet must be strange.
“The Government you elect is the Government you deserve”.
In the west we elect politicians and give them power but that power is always limited and if those politicians wish to remain in power they need to follow the wishes (in broad terms) of the electorate.
Erm no. Corporate entities inflict their wishes via lobbied and bought politicians. Democracy as it operates presently is a sham. Voters in fact have little influence over outcomes. Except in Switzerland where Cantons and voters restrict government. Any study of current policy emanating from “western, ie US” governments shows the results of their interference globally. The proxy war is the latest example.
… and I’m sure you believe that nonsense John. Democracy is not a perfect system I’ll grant you that but it seems quite popular thoughout the world. It is also interesting just how many countries continue to support Ukraine defending themselves against the unprovoked attack by Russia?
Hi Mark I think it depends on what areas your talking about the UN has lots of agencies that make a huge difference the the world health organisation for instance has manages to save more human lives through is vast array of public health programs than any other organisation in history. You also have to remember that almost every NATO action has actually been on behalf of the UN and NATO acting as a executive agency of the UN, infact pretty much every action undertaken by NATO outside of standing defence commitments to its member states has been undertaken on behalf of the UN.The international court of justice at The Hague is a UN body so every war criminal held to account has been by the UN.
Hi Jonathan I agree the UN does lots of good things. The Security Council struggles with certain members and their veto powers. That in itself curtails the effectiveness of that prime function placing many countries with security problems and making their citizens in need of many of the other UN services.
It is not what NATO actively does that is important. For it’s members it provides peace and security. With such security democracy florishes and prosperity grows. Along with the prosperity brings better health and generally less need for services of the WHO and other UN organisations. .
Those that believe our side is wholly good and their side is wholly evil need, in the words of Tucker Carlson on the Andrew Tate interview, to shut the fuck up!
You will excuse us if we stay out of the politics of countries in which we are not citizens. That is for the citizens of that country alone.
In general terms though are people nieve enough to think that politicans are “wholly” anything? Here if you don’t want to pick from the best for the bunch on offer your only other option is to stand yourself which is not generally an appealing proposition.😂
It’s fair to say that the liberal west has been a whole lot better than some of the alternatives out their…I don’t think you can compare the actions of the western liberal democracies to that of:
1) The third reich
2) Imperial Japan
3) The Bolsheviks
is the west perfect..no but it has created by far the best living standard, socially just and and fairest societies every created by humanity….generally speaking the history of humanity is one of absolute xenophobia and abuse by those in power. To give moral equivalency to the west and say a society still based on medieval power dynamics is the worst type of gaslighting imaginable…do you have children ? If you do ask yourself this which society would you prefer your daughter to grow up in one that for all its faults..provides a full education, healthcare, safety nets, suffrage, the ability to choose and social mobility, freedom of thought and religion ..or one that it’s illegal to have an education, where there is no social mobility and thought outside of the correct one is punished by harm or death and women are there to serve a human and nothing more…..
At the top of the article it says
“By Professor John R Bryson”
Then a paragraph down it says
“Written by Gerald Hughes, Reader in Military History and Intelligence Studies in the Department of International Politics, Aberystwyth University.“
So I am confused as to who wrote this?
Or am I missing something?
Thank you, this has been fixed.
Which is the worst thing . Cutting wheat exports by sea from Ukraine ( who produce 2% of the world total) so they *starve* or cutting oil or gas exports from Russia so the * freeze*
both items are commodities which vast quantities are traded and any claims about the impact are hyperbole and more propaganda- which is fine thats what happens during a war – to quote churchills phrase- bodyguard of lies.
Even to day many in Germany blame the Royal Navy blockade in WW1 that led to starvation. Apparently some 100s of thousands did die in the last year or so , but realistically that was because the manpower intensive agriculture of the time was deprived of farm labour due to military concerns.
the Uboats in WW2 was designed to ‘starve’ Britain as well so its not a new approach in war
Please condemn Putin’s deliberate war against civilians and then I will pay attention.
Every war has civilians in crossfire . The events in Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria showed that . lets not even forget say Israelis action in Palestine or noticeably part of Beirut city they bombed heavily.
War is shit full stop and your apparent belief that any country wages a nice war seems to come from a Barbie movie
This all sounds very well, but actually shows an incredible naivety regarding the UN. It completely ignores the growing influence the likes of China now has over the very UN Agencies the Professor refers to, as he suggests we unquestioningly sign up to more Global Treaties.
China is the only UN member to have more than one of the 15 Director General roles and holds 9 of the Deputy DG roles within those organisations.
China is also increasingly influential within our universities, although I am not suggesting this played any part in the Professor reaching the conclusions he has.
Finally if we look at the handling of Covid globally, it is interesting that Sweden now has some of the lowest excess death figures in the West. Work colleagues of mine from former Eastern block countries were horrified at the ease with which UK citizens handed over their freedom.
Sovereign nations need to be able to make their own decisions and politicians need to be able to be held to account.
Always love it when an academic super analyzes a war using they liberal values. Russian politicians and their military does not and I repeat does not, give a monkey’s left testicle for human life. Whether that’s their enemies and to a lesser extent their own populations.
Russia no longer has the materiel mass to dictate how the war will be conveniently won. Therefore, it must and will progress towards a total war using both symmetrical and asymmetrical means of warfare in an effort to prevent Ukraine getting the upper hand.
Which means anything and everything that helps Ukraine maintain its troops, materiel plus the counter-offensive will become legitimate targets. Hence the attacks on hospitals, power generation and now Ukraine’s main export – grain!
The Wagner mercenaries are the joker in the pack. Prigozhin is someone you most definitely don’t want replacing Putin as President. Poland were clearly aware of the threat Wagner posed in Belarus, with the sending of over 10,000 troops to its Belarusian border. Being a private military company, Wagner can operate outside state rules. A quick incursion to the airfield used as a supply base for Western weapons sent to Ukraine would be a deniably action by the Russians. Though Belarus allowing Wagner to operate as such would soon draw NATO’s wrath.
I’d fully expect Russia to further expand its asymmetric targeting within Ukraine. As it has everything it has gained since 2014 to loose. Loosing the jewel in the crown which is Crimea, would I believe push it over the edge. What happens next is anybody’s guess?
I do wonder what the farmers and companies putin takes the grain from to provide this free stuff. He may Chuck them a few rubbles if they are lucky. Or it will be the worst quality left overs of past years crop.
The sooner Russia can get some kind of normal government through free and fair elections the better.