Russia v Ukraine: Invasion Imminent?

As I write this blog (Monday 17th January 2022) Russia is on the verge of invading Ukraine and possibly causing a wider conflict throughout Europe. White House Press Secretary, Jen Psaki, said last week, "The Kremlin was laying the groundwork for an attack through a social media disinformation campaign framing Kiev as the aggressor." And just three days ago many of Ukraine's Internet government websites were cyber hacked. I asked myself why. Was this a test that would coincide with an invasion where an even bigger cyberattack would take place thus impeding government and military IT systems? I mean the whole thing stinks of Russian hegemony? Of course, it is . . .

This potential time-bomb has been filling worldwide media for several weeks now and one has to wonder if this is Vladimir Putin's way of sticking the fingers up NATO. Because he has been banging on about how Ukraine could be the next NATO member. Well, this is utterly absurd, the mentality of a man who, for me, is a narcissistic and deranged dictator. Does the little man in the Kremlin not understand the very reason for the very existence of NATO? Does he not know that its main raison d'être is to prevent Russia from invading and creating possibly World War III in Europe?

Last week, there were Russian-US-NATO meetings but, alas, they ended with no agreements in sight. Which has left Ukraine facing the prospect of a war that would result in potentially thousands of deaths on both sides and a complete break-down in Russian-NATO-European relations. I understand this could lead to serious economic and political sanctions against Russia that could lead to a possible collapse of the Russian economy and then some! Russians, in general, have got absolutely no interest in Vladimir Putin's Tsarist ambitions. The ordinary Russians, millions who are jobless, and vast swathes that are living in dire financial circumstances, cannot stand their leader. Not many people know that. And at the turn of this year, it is said, Putin was worth . . . wait for it . . . $70 billion! Let's put that into perspective. The average Russian's weekly wage is . . . wait for it . . . $86.00. I could go into the behind-the-scenes oligarch aggregation but shall leave that for a future blog.

Of course, when it comes to the Russian economy, as is probably well known, it depends solely on energy sales, especially gas. Russia has no other means of generating income. Well, maybe vodka sales! Without energy-related revenue, Russia would be as poor as any central African nation. If Joe Biden goes ahead with further sanctions, assuming there is a Russian invasion of Ukraine, there will be severe economic consequences. I do believe the Americans will place specific sanctions on Putin himself. But then, we do not know exactly what these shall be but I would imagine Mr. Putin will not like it and might do something stupid - cut off all gas supplies to Europe? 

Weighing it all up, and if I were to come face to face with Putin tomorrow, I would tell him something he must already know, he does not have to fear NATO! But the next few days are going to be possibly a mammoth threat to the world order, especially in Europe, if an invasion takes place!

I’ll finish this blog with the news I saw on Yahoo just five minutes ago. Russia and Belarus are to carry out military drills next month!!