Like the world and global media forgetting the Syrian war, which began in 2011 and is still raging on, the Russian war with Ukraine has been relegated to obscure pages of the newspapers, with less primetime coverage on the TVs. The war, now on its 53rd day, seems to no end, save periodical flashes like the sinking of the Russian flagship carrier Moskva two days ago.
In the days of modern warfare, the reliance on ships is becoming counterproductive. The heavily armed ships are surrounded by a flotilla of smaller vessels and is a pretty sitting-duck family to take on by efficient missiles, which has happened. The ships also face a threat from under the seas, from the armed to the teeth submarines. The war has become an enlightening topic for the war-watchers. Russian President Putin has stated that WW III has begun with the ship’s sinking.
Be that as it may, I am appalled at the human misery of those thousands of civilians killed, families uprooted, displaced, and women persecuted. I am no less concerned about the helplessness of the United Nations and the leading powers in not taking a proactive step of forcing the two leaders to sit at the table face-to-face to find acceptable solutions to end the conflict.
The cold war, believed to have ended between NATO and Russia, seems to have been revived now by the knee-jerk reaction of the West. Enticing Ukraine with a NATO membership and thus arming the nation to threaten Russia cannot be dismissed. The EU countries are offering similar status to Sweden and Finland, which have chosen to remain neutral so far. A peeved Putin has retorted that he will deploy nuclear missiles along the borders of Sweden and Finland.
Flexing muscles will never solve the situation. America is sending $ 800 m of lethal arms to Ukraine, and the Ukrainian President Zelensky still thinks of the EU joining in his future victory march over Russia. There will be no winners. If China had armed the POK or Pakistan, India had a right to defend or, in worst cases, even neutralize any threat to our nation. Russia’s act was similarly reactive to NATO’s belligerent moves over the last few years.
The fact is, sinking a ship or downing a few choppers or aircraft is merely symbolic of the grit and determination of the Ukrainian army. But Russia has the advantage of a huge nuclear arsenal, which Putin would not hesitate to use if cornered and faces a defeat. An autocratic Russia is unlike the West, where popular sentiments would run against any individual country directly taking part in the war and thus becoming a target of Putin’s wrath.
The U.S. and the EU countries must either send their troops to fight the battles or stop arming Ukraine, raising false hopes of Russian battle fatigue and eventual defeat. No country wins if the war lingers and which must end. The plan of Russia to take away Mariupol and Odesa ports from Ukraine might end the war, and long rounds of tedious diplomatic overtures would begin then.
Sampath Kumar
Intrépide Voix
