2023-12-14 09:29:21
Putin wants to expand the army once more
Admiral Tony Radakin spoke regarding the state of the world in a speech in London. Britain’s top military leader believes Vladimir Putin’s economic policies will lead Russia to ruin.
No time? blue News summarizes for you
- “These are extraordinarily dangerous times”: the top British military assesses the situation in the world.
- The wars in Ukraine and the Middle East threaten to destabilize the world, according to Admiral Tony Radakin.
- Vladimir Putin is “not a grand master of strategy,” says Radakin.
- After the attack on Ukraine, Putin is now making his second big mistake by driving the economy to the wall.
- The last time so much was put into the military was before the Soviet Union collapsed.
The head of the British military gave a lecture at the London think tank on December 13th Royal United Services Institute (Rusi) commented on the security situation worldwide and in particular in Great Britain.
“These are extraordinarily dangerous times,” warns Admiral Sir Tony Radakin. “Terrible violence” threatens the world order, as does “ideological struggles.” Radakin specifically mentions the conflicts over Taiwan, in the West of the Balkans, in North Korea, in Guyana and the instability in Africa.
The war in the Middle East even has the potential to further destabilize an already “fevered and turbulent world”. This also applies to the war in Ukraine.
Putin “not a grand master of strategy”
The 58-year-old admits that the Ukrainian counteroffensive “made up less ground than hoped.” The reason: “The Russian defense was stronger than expected.” However, Volodymyr Zelenskyj should not hang his head: “Territories are not the only currency of this ongoing war.”
Those were different times: On February 11, 2022, (from left) Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, Russia’s Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, his then British counterpart Ben Wallace and General Valeri Gerasimov pose in Moscow.
AP
Radakin says further: “It is too superficial to talk regarding a stalemate or the advantages that Russia would have in a long war.” Because Vladimir Putin is “not a grand master of strategy,” the British admiral blasphemes: The Russian president is failing to achieve his war goals.
“He wanted to intimidate the West with his reckless nuclear threats,” says Radakin. “He has provoked international condemnation – including from states such as China, India and Saudi Arabia.” There is an international arrest warrant once morest Putin and he only has “a few real friends abroad”.
The “second fatal blunder”
London’s top military believes that the Kremlin boss has made himself a “prisoner”. The attempted coup by Yevgeny Prigozhin’s Wagner group “humiliated” him. “Crimea is no longer safe and the Black Sea Fleet is scattered,” Radakin continues. “He has to leave 400,000 soldiers in Ukraine to keep what he has taken.”
Vladimir Putin’s economic policies and the war in Ukraine are giving Russian economists a headache.
AP
Putin’s biggest problem, however, lies on the home front: “If his first disastrous mistake was to invade Ukraine, now he is making his second disastrous blunder. The Russian economy is getting even more out of shape. Almost 40 percent of public spending goes to defense.”
Moscow spends more on the military than on health and education combined. “And the last time we saw this level was at the end of the Cold War, before the collapse of the Soviet Union. This is devastating for Russia and its people.” The fact that Putin is not ordering further mobilization is only due to the elections next March.
Economy is at risk of overheating
In fact, Moscow has switched to a war economy – and is now having to pay the price. Rachel Lyngaas of the US Treasury Department attestedthat Putin’s policies represent “significant economic burdens on the Russian economy.” He estimates that without the war the gross domestic product would be five percent larger.
Der «Economist» writesthat the economy is approaching a point of overheating. Although government investment would continue to ensure growth in 2024, there would be a lack of foreign investment, prices would rise and the absence of those either stationed at the front or who had fled abroad would be noticeable.
2024 should Military spending increases by almost 70 percent. What is dangerous for Moscow is its dependence on oil. Black gold is currently the only ray of hope for the Kremlin: Despite sanctions and a price cap, Russia sold oil in October 11.3 billion dollars taken. This is a record: this much was not earned before the war.
1702550884
#British #admiral #Putin #making #disastrous #blunder