Russia’s President Vladimir Putin this week edged closer to pushing the planet into another world war as he sought to put his frail ego ahead of anything that seeks to improve the world we live in.
By all accounts, Putin has become a danger not only to himself and his enemies, but the man appears to have become a serious threat to the wellbeing of his friends all over the world too. The latter includes South Africa.
When Putin decided to launch a military offensive against his Ukranian neighbour almost seven months ago, the Russian strongman thought it was going to be a walk in the park. The invasion, according to Putin’s expectations, was supposed to be a show of strength and a warning to those who might hold a different opinion to how Putin thinks the world must look like.
Attacking Ukraine, Putin thought, was going to happen at the speed of lightning so that he could install his own puppet regime and fantasise about the re-emergence of Russia’s world dominance as a super power. He is on record lamenting the break-up of the Soviet Union, which he has described as the greatest geopolitical catastrophe of the 20th century. His presidency has all along been premised on the nostalgia of a great Russia.
Putin launched his foray into Ukraine under the disguise of a military operation, which he claimed is geared towards halting the genocide of ordinary people by Ukraine’s government – a lie that is tantamount to the one used by America when George W Bush invaded Iraq under the pretext of eliminating weapons of mass destruction. Like Bush’s invasion of Iraq, Putin’s reasons for the invasion of Ukraine are purely based on the figment of his own imagination. His real intention was to overrun Ukraine and depose its government.
For Putin, things have not gone according to plan. The war has taken a dramatic turn since early this month when Ukrainian forces started a counter offensive to regain control of the vast territory occupied by Russian forces.
Disillusioned and uninspired, the retreating Russian forces have struck panic in Putin, who has moved to call up 300 000 conscripts to bolster its military campaign in Ukraine – something that has triggered nationwide protests and panic as many flee Russia to avoid conscription.
However, it is Putin’s threats of nuclear war that has sent shivers down the spine as he prepares to move to full-scale war.
Putin’s appetite for war has reached dangerous levels. We believe he is not bluffing about the nuclear war. He refuses to listen to counsel from his peers in Brics.
By Putin’s own admission, China has asked questions about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi also rebuked Putin in a recent meeting between the two Brics leaders.
As a member of Brics and a friend of Russia, South Africa also has a political and moral duty to express opposition to the scaling up of war in Ukraine.
South Africa’s neutrality must not mean this country loses its moral responsibility to condemn acts of war.
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