"Russia
plans to establish a military
base on Sudan’s Red Sea coast to serve as a logistics center for the
Russian navy, according to a draft agreement between Moscow and Khartoum
signed by Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin and released
publicly Nov. 11."
"The agreement states that Sudan will
provide a land plot for the Russian base free of charge for a period of
25 years. It will automatically renew for subsequent 10-year periods.
To terminate the deal, one of the parties must notify the other party of
its intention at least one year before the expiration of the next
period."
"While the base’s capacity will be
capped at four ships at a time, nuclear-powered ships are permitted to
dock, thus significantly increasing the combat capability of the Russian
navy in the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean. The number of military
personnel permanently staying at this facility should not exceed 300
people, according to the agreement. Also, Russia will have the right to
import and export through the seaports and airfields of Sudan 'any
weapons, ammunition and equipment' necessary for the operation of the
base and 'for the performance of tasks by warships'. Sudan, according to
the published document outlining the agreement, will not collect import
and export duties and taxes."
Kiril Semenov, Al-Monitor
Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin
inspects the Arktika nuclear-powered icebreaker at the port of
Murmansk, northwestern Russia, Oct. 21, 2020. (Photo by Alexander
ASTAFYEV / SPUTNIK / AFP)
Moscow
also succeeded in persuading Syria's president Bashar al-Assad in
exchange for Russian air power enabling the Alawite administration to
put down a rebellion by its Syrian Sunni population, to agree to a
Russian naval facility in Tartus as a leased military
installation of the Russian Navy located on the northern edge of the sea
port of the Syrian city of Tartus, its deep-sea base in the
Mediterranean. And then there is the little matter of seizing Ukraine's
Crimea naval base for Russia's Black Sea Fleet. Spreading itself around,
in Vladimir Putin's ambitions to restore elements of Russia's lost
status as a regional and world power.
Mr.
Putin has been a busy man, negotiating deals, and when negotiations are
inconvenient, simply stepping in, marshalling Russian military might
and imposing itself where it believes it belongs, in a position of
authority and manipulative power. No one could ever accuse Vladimir
Putin of not intimately knowing the very best chess moves. Of course
there are also clumsy and not-too-intelligent, visceral moves to rid
himself of 'enemies' of his aspirational rise for Russia to more closely
resemble the Soviet model.
Poisoning
critics is one of them, whether they take place in London or in Russia
itself. More effective has been the incidental and mysterious killing by
snipers of intrusive reporters and pestiferous political opponents.
There have been incursions in Georgia, Ukraine and Belarus, in
Nagorno-Karabakh of such an open extent that Russia's neighbours in its
near-abroad have shrunk back in fear of once again being forced into
Russia's tentacle-orbit. NATO has done its best to allay such fears, but
Mr. Putin is still smiling.
His
expansion and military presence in Syria, Libya and even in the Arctic
have been gratifyingly useful. And should U.S.President Trump proceed
with his intention to pull American troops out of Afghanistan, Mr. Putin
will feel free to once again pop up there, too. This time perhaps not
as an occupying force where an ignominious departure has left deep scars
in the Russian psyche, but as a friend to the Taliban who are certain
to reclaim the country once again.
Belarusians
are once again becoming intimately acquainted with their neighbour
whose troops moved in conveniently to prop up its choice of
dictatorship, a ploy that failed to proceed as anticipated in Ukraine,
where the standoff between the government of Ukraine and Russia's proxy
ethnic Russian 'Ukrainian' loyalists defy Ukrainian sovereignty. Russia
has to date escaped responsibility for the downing and murder of
passengers aboard Malaysian Airlines Flight 17 when it was downed by a
Buk missile, leaving all 283 passengers and 15 crew dead.
"Putin
appears to have achieved a significant victory in Nagorno-Karabakh that
threatens to alter the geopolitical balance throughout the former
Soviet space in his favour."
"He
has succeeded in expanding Russia's military presence in the
strategically important region ... without encountering any Western
pushback."
Anders Aslund, former economic adviser to Russia, Ukraine, Sweden, member of the Atlantic Council
In
the Republic of Moldova, an election pits a democratic, pro-European
Union candidate for president against a pro-Russian incumbent backed by
Russia. Moldova too lost part of its territory, the region of
Transnisria in 1992 to Russia. Similar to Russian troops occupying South
Ossetia in Georgia, since 2008. Vladimir Putin is having a good time
with his geographical chess game, and there's no one to interfere with
his grandiloquent plans as the new czar.
"The argument by
the Russians or the regime is always that hospitals are run by
terrorists."
"Is it really possible that
all the people are terrorists?"
"The
truth is that after hospitals are hit, and in areas like this where
there is just one hospital, our houses have become hospitals."
Nabad al Hayat’s head nurse, who asked to remain
anonymous because he feared being targeted
This represents a general opinion site for its author. It also offers a space for the author to record her experiences and perceptions,both personal and public. This is rendered obvious by the content contained in the blog, but the space is here inviting me to write. And so I do.
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