Speaking to the press at the Shanghai Cooperation Meeting in Samarkand, Uzbekistan of largely former Soviet satellites, 69-year-old Russian President Vladimir Putin responded to recent developments in Ukraine, last week’s withdrawal of Russian forces from the Kharkiv area. Western press called the new developments the beginning of the end for Russia in Ukraine, saying Kremlin officials were getting fed up with Putin. Press reports from Latvia said that at least two municipal councils, one in St. Petersburg and one in Moscow, called for Putin’s resignation. Judging by the source on the report in Latvia, it’s likely fake news, war propaganda designed to demoralize Russian troops. Putin had a grin on his face responding to questions in Samarkand, telling the media that he’ll wait-and-see how the so-called Ukrainian counteroffensive goes, promising more draconic steps.
Putin was nonchalant responding to the press about the Ukrainian counteroffensive in Kharkiv that raised questions how the rest of the Ukraine War was going for Russia. “The Kiev authorities announced that they have launched and are conduction an active counter-offensive operation. Well, let’s see how it develops, how it ends up,” Putin told the press. Western governments, especially the U.S., EU and U.K. tout Russia’s retreat in Kharkiv as a sign of real Ukraine progress in the war. Putin rejects the West’s analysis of the Russian redeployment saying it was a strategic move to reassign troops to Donbas and coastal regions. Ukraine’s 44-year-old President Volodymyr Zelensky touted the Russian retreat from Kharkiv as proof of Ukraine’s progress, despite the fact that Zelensky has lost the entire Black Sea coast and all of Ukraine’s ports to the Russian Federation.
Putin’s comments to the media looked like a man not rattled by Kiev’s criticism of Russian progress but someone firmly in command. Not the man Kiev said was suffering from a terminal illness, on his last legs. Putin knows that his every move is scrutinized by the Western press, looking only for Kiev’s positive developments. When Zelensky lost the Black Sea coast and most of Ukraine’s strategic ports to the Kremlin, he said nothing, pretending it never happened. Even when the last Ukrainian troops surrendered to Russian forces at the Azovstal Steel Works May 15, Zelensky mentioned nothing to the public. But when Russia redeploys its forces in Kharkiv, it’s touted as a great Ukrainian victory. No one observing the war gets any sense of what’s really happening on the ground. Putin wants Zelensky to know that if he chooses to, he could wipe out Kiev’s major infrastructure.
No one in the Western press knows how to interpret Putin’s statements, other than saying he’s spewing war propaganda. But a close look at Kiev’s public statements shows that they’re the ones spewing war propaganda, never admitting obvious loses to the public. Western governments and the press say the Russian operation is Ukraine been a failure, something 64-year-old Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Miley said last week. But if you look at Russian-controlled territory on the Black Sea coast, Russia has made staggering territorial gains. “Recently, the Russian armed forces have inflicted a couple of sensitive blows. Let’s assume they’re a warning. If the situation continues to develop like this then the response will be more serious,” Putin said. Putin refers to Moscow’s capability to hitting key Ukrainian infrastructure, including electricity plants or oil refineries.
Putin said he was taking control of new areas of Ukraine, not specifying areas on the Black Sea coast already seized.. “The General Staff considers one thing important, another thing secondary—but the main task remains unchanged, and it is being implemented,” Putin said, referring to the liberation of Russian speaking areas of Donbas. “The main goal is the liberation of the entire territory of Donbas,” confirming that he’s redeployed his forces away from Kharkiv into the Southeast territory. All the talk by Western government and the press about a great Kiev victory in Kharkiv sounds oddly familiar to statements made after the Russian offensive redeployed away from Kiev in the first week of the war. Kiev and the Western press still tout Putin’s decision to abandon Kiev in the first week of the war. Zelensky has lost since Feb. 24 about 25% of Ukraine’s sovereign territory.
At the Shanghai Cooperation Council in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, Putin heard from 69-year-old Chinese President Xi Jinping and 71-year-old Indian Prime Minister Narenda Modi, both asking him questions about the Ukraine War. Both would like Putin to complete his “special military operation” designed to demilitarize the Kiev government. Xi and Modi don’t get that the war has morphed into a U.S. proxy war against the Russian Federation. President Joe Biden, 79, continues to supply Kiev with unlimited cash-and-arms, showing there’s no end in sight to the war. If China, India and the EU want to see the war end, they need commitments from the U.S. that it will stop supplying Kiev with unlimited cash-and-lethal arms. Zelensky knows Putin can inflict much more damage to Ukraine’s infrastructure, especially around Kiev, if the war takes another bad turn for Russia.
About the Author
John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news. He’s editor of OnlineColumnist.com and author of Dodging The Bullet and Operation Charisma.
Speaking to the press at the Shanghai Cooperation Meeting in Samarkand, Uzbekistan of largely former Soviet satellites, 69-year-old Russian President Vladimir Putin responded to recent developments in Ukraine, last week’s withdrawal of Russian forces from the Kharkiv area. Western press called the new developments the beginning of the end for Russia in Ukraine, saying Kremlin officials were getting fed up with Putin. Press reports from Latvia said that at least two municipal councils, one in St. Petersburg and one in Moscow, called for Putin’s resignation. Judging by the source on the report in Latvia, it’s likely fake news, war propaganda designed to demoralize Russian troops. Putin had a grin on his face responding to questions in Samarkand, telling the media that he’ll wait-and-see how the so-called Ukrainian counteroffensive goes, promising more draconic steps.
Putin was nonchalant responding to the press about the Ukrainian counteroffensive in Kharkiv that raised questions how the rest of the Ukraine War was going for Russia. “The Kiev authorities announced that they have launched and are conduction an active counter-offensive operation. Well, let’s see how it develops, how it ends up,” Putin told the press. Western governments, especially the U.S., EU and U.K. tout Russia’s retreat in Kharkiv as a sign of real Ukraine progress in the war. Putin rejects the West’s analysis of the Russian redeployment saying it was a strategic move to reassign troops to Donbas and coastal regions. Ukraine’s 44-year-old President Volodymyr Zelensky touted the Russian retreat from Kharkiv as proof of Ukraine’s progress, despite the fact that Zelensky has lost the entire Black Sea coast and all of Ukraine’s ports to the Russian Federation.
Putin’s comments to the media looked like a man not rattled by Kiev’s criticism of Russian progress but someone firmly in command. Not the man Kiev said was suffering from a terminal illness, on his last legs. Putin knows that his every move is scrutinized by the Western press, looking only for Kiev’s positive developments. When Zelensky lost the Black Sea coast and most of Ukraine’s strategic ports to the Kremlin, he said nothing, pretending it never happened. Even when the last Ukrainian troops surrendered to Russian forces at the Azovstal Steel Works May 15, Zelensky mentioned nothing to the public. But when Russia redeploys its forces in Kharkiv, it’s touted as a great Ukrainian victory. No one observing the war gets any sense of what’s really happening on the ground. Putin wants Zelensky to know that if he chooses to, he could wipe out Kiev’s major infrastructure.
No one in the Western press knows how to interpret Putin’s statements, other than saying he’s spewing war propaganda. But a close look at Kiev’s public statements shows that they’re the ones spewing war propaganda, never admitting obvious loses to the public. Western governments and the press say the Russian operation is Ukraine been a failure, something 64-year-old Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Miley said last week. But if you look at Russian-controlled territory on the Black Sea coast, Russia has made staggering territorial gains. “Recently, the Russian armed forces have inflicted a couple of sensitive blows. Let’s assume they’re a warning. If the situation continues to develop like this then the response will be more serious,” Putin said. Putin refers to Moscow’s capability to hitting key Ukrainian infrastructure, including electricity plants or oil refineries.
Putin said he was taking control of new areas of Ukraine, not specifying areas on the Black Sea coast already seized.. “The General Staff considers one thing important, another thing secondary—but the main task remains unchanged, and it is being implemented,” Putin said, referring to the liberation of Russian speaking areas of Donbas. “The main goal is the liberation of the entire territory of Donbas,” confirming that he’s redeployed his forces away from Kharkiv into the Southeast territory. All the talk by Western government and the press about a great Kiev victory in Kharkiv sounds oddly familiar to statements made after the Russian offensive redeployed away from Kiev in the first week of the war. Kiev and the Western press still tout Putin’s decision to abandon Kiev in the first week of the war. Zelensky has lost since Feb. 24 about 25% of Ukraine’s sovereign territory.
At the Shanghai Cooperation Council in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, Putin heard from 69-year-old Chinese President Xi Jinping and 71-year-old Indian Prime Minister Narenda Modi, both asking him questions about the Ukraine War. Both would like Putin to complete his “special military operation” designed to demilitarize the Kiev government. Xi and Modi don’t get that the war has morphed into a U.S. proxy war against the Russian Federation. President Joe Biden, 79, continues to supply Kiev with unlimited cash-and-arms, showing there’s no end in sight to the war. If China, India and the EU want to see the war end, they need commitments from the U.S. that it will stop supplying Kiev with unlimited cash-and-lethal arms. Zelensky knows Putin can inflict much more damage to Ukraine’s infrastructure, especially around Kiev, if the war takes another bad turn for Russia.
About the Author
John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news. He’s editor of OnlineColumnist.com and author of Dodging The Bullet and Operation Charisma.
