Ukraine Urges the West to Chill Out: Amy McKinnon, Foreign Policy, Jan. 28, 2022 — As Russia continues to build up its military presence near the borders of Ukraine, U.S. officials have warned that a Russian attack on the country could be “imminent,” but officials in Ukraine have struck a starkly different tone as they seek to avoid panic and shield the country’s emerging economy.
Putin Splits NATO and Cuts Out Biden: Russian President Agrees to Hold Talks with Germany, France and Ukraine As Squabbling NATO Countries Fail to Decide Joint Troop Deployment and Joe Says He’ll Go It Alone: Ronny Reyes and Morgan Phillips et al, Daily Mail, Jan. 29, 2022 — Russian President Vladimir Putin has agreed to hold talks with Germany, France and Ukraine as NATO fails to take action on the rising conflict in Easter Europe and President Joe Biden‘s announcement on Friday that he would deploy troops ‘in the near term’ without backing from NATO.
Ukraine and the American Crack-up: Caroline B. Glick, Israel Hayom, Jan. 28, 2022
Russia and Europe Risk Mutually Assured Destruction in a Natural Gas War: Eric Reguly, The Globe and Mail, Jan. 24, 2022
The “Sounds” Of Silence: Russia Gears Up for a War Game Unlike Any Other: J.E. Dyer, The Optimistic Conservative, Jan. 30, 2022
Israel is Standing on the Sidelines of the Beginning of a Second Cold War: Anna Ahronheim, Jerusalem Post, Jan. 30, 2022
For Further Reference:
Syria, Russia Start Joint Air Force Patrols Near Golan Heights: Jerusalem Post, Jan. 24, 2022 — The path of the group, which includes fighter, fighter-bomber and early warning and control aircraft, included the Golan Heights, the armistice line with Israel that has seen regular Israeli air strikes against suspected Iranian and Hezbollah positions.
Russia Sends Medical Units to Ukrainian Front: Vivian Salama et al, WSJ, Jan. 27, 2022 — Moscow has put what appear to be final preparations for an invasion of Ukraine by sending medical units to the front, moving to a level of readiness that it hadn’t reached in past buildups, according to Western defense officials.
Trump was Tougher on Russia than Biden: Mary Kissel, The Spectator World, Jan. 27, 2022 — Vladimir Putin’s new year is off to quite a start. The Russian autocrat isn’t just massing troops on the Ukraine border, kicking off a diplomatic panic in European capitals and in Washington. In recent days he’s also backed a refugee stand-off with Poland, helped Kazakhstan’s strongman squelch pro-democracy protests, maintained a presence in Assad’s Syria, established new footholds in Mali and Central African Republic, cozied up to communist China, and, in a nod to Khrushchev, hinted he might build military infrastructure in Cuba and Venezuela.
Putin’s Leadership Opening Up ‘Very Dangerous’ Situation: Mary Kissel: Fox Business, YouTube, Jan. 24, 2022 — Mary Kissel, fmr. senior advisor to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, discusses the U.S. response to the Russia-Ukraine border crisis and the ‘corruption’ of Vladimir Putin.
Amid Russia Tensions, Israel Readies for Mass Influx of Ukrainian Jews; i24 News and IHL Staff, Israel Hayom, Jan. 24, 2022 — The Israeli government is reportedly preparing for the possibility of thousands of Ukrainian Jews immigrating to the Jewish state in the event of a Russian invasion.
Biden is Bluffing and Putin Knows It: Raymond J. de Souza, National Post, Jan. 22, 2022 — Vladimir Putin likely decided to invade Ukraine, or least to threaten it, a year ago, when U.S. President Joe Biden was inaugurated. The intuition that the new president’s historic weakness on foreign affairs would afford Russia an opportunity was confirmed in August with Biden’s handing over of Afghanistan to the Taliban. Putin has fond memories of Biden’s time as vice-president under Barack Obama, who presided over both Syria and Crimea being given over to Russia.