Opinion

Michael Bociurkiw: Checkmate. Putin has the West cornered

December 22, 2021 3:50 AM 1 min read

Michael Bociurkiw

This audio is created with AI assistance

U.S. President Joe Biden meets Russian President Vladimir Putin for a bilateral meeting in Geneva on June 17, 2021. (The White House/Facebook)

As 2022 nears, the West is trying to figure out Russian President Vladimir Putin's next move on a complex geopolitical chessboard -- and preparing an "aggressive package" of sanctions, should he decide to make another land grab in Ukraine.

Tensions are now at their highest since 2014, when Russia illegally annexed Crimea and dispatched "little green men" into Ukraine's Donbas region. An all-out land invasion of Ukraine is now a real possibility.

But let's face it. Putin could care less about the West's threats, sitting as he does in the enviable position of being able to call the shots.

Continue reading on CNN website

Editor's Note: This op-ed was published by CNN. The Kyiv Independent is aggregating it as a recommendation to our readers.

Michael Bociurkiw

Michael Bociurkiw is a Canadian writer, global affairs analyst and speaker who has worked on emergencies on several continents, including as a spokesman for the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe. <a href="https://www.michaelbociurkiw.com">See his website</a>.Read more

Support independent journalism in Ukraine. Join us in this fight.

Freedom can be costly. Both Ukraine and its journalists are paying a high price for their independence. Support independent journalism in its darkest hour. Support us for as little as $1, and it only takes a minute.

Comments

News Feed

12:09 AM

Zelensky holds call with von der Leyen.

President Volodymyr Zelensky held a call with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen ahead of meetings in Brussels this week that will determine future aid to Kyiv as well as Ukraine's EU accession.

11:55 PM

War update

Ukraine war latest: Russian assaults continue along eastern front line, decrease in southeast

11:30 PM

Military intelligence: 304 Ukrainians evacuated from Gaza.

Ukraine has evacuated 315 people from Gaza, including 304 Ukrainian nationals, two Palestinians, and nine Moldovans, from the besieged Gaza Strip, the country's military intelligence agency (HUR) said on Dec. 10.

10:55 PM

Zelensky to meet Biden in the US on Dec 12.

President Volodymyr Zelensky will travel to the U.S. on Dec. 11, where he will meet with U.S. President Joe Biden the following day, the two leaders' offices announced, as U.S. funding for Ukraine is rapidly running out and further aid is being held up in Congress by Republican opposition.

10:05 PM

US Senator: Republicans 'holding Ukraine aid hostage.'

Senator Chris Murphy, a democrat, told NBC News on Dec. 10 that he wished Republicans weren't holding further aid to Ukraine hostage to immigration reform as military assistance to both Kyiv and Israel continues to get held up in Congress.

9:40 PM

Photos

In Avdiivka, Ukrainians hold Russians off for nearly 10 years (PHOTOS)

7:59 PM

Guardian: Orban allies to meet Republicans to discuss end of Ukraine aid.

Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban's allies are reportedly set to meet with U.S. Republicans in Washington for a closed-door meeting to lobby for the end of military aid to Ukraine, the Guardian reported on Dec. 10.

5:56 PM

Latin America

Zelensky arrives in Argentina, meets South American leaders

4:29 PM

Commander: Russian troops continue offensive operations along eastern front line.

The situation in Ukraine’s east remains difficult as Russian troops continue conducting offensive operations along the entire front line, Ground Forces Commander Oleksandr Syrskyi reported on Dec. 10.

4:17 PM

Ministry reports power outages in 455 settlements due to weather, Russian attacks.

The worst situation caused by the Russian attacks was reported in Donetsk Oblast, where 121 settlements remain without power, the ministry said. Repairs are underway there.

3:47 PM

General: Russia conducting fewer assault operations in southeast.

Tarnavskyi said on Telegram that Ukrainian forces were holding on to Avdiivka despite Russia's endless attempts to encircle the embattled city.

2:58 PM

UK Defense Ministry: Russia's Dec 7 strike likely start of campaign against energy infrastructure.

In its intelligence bulletin on X, the Defense Ministry said that Russian forces had likely used Tu-95 planes to fire Kh-101 air-launched cruise missiles on Dec. 7 – the first time they were used since Sept. 21.

1:21 PM

US bypasses Congress to help Israel in contrast with Ukraine aid.

The emergency measure, used by President Joe Biden's administration to bypass Congress, comes amid more reports that the U.S. could be running out of funds to help Ukraine.

12:04 PM

Governor: 2 killed, 2 wounded in Kharkiv Oblast by Russian attacks

The two women killed, aged 67 and 71, were in Kupiansk, a city located just 40 kilometers from the Russian border and liberated by Ukrainian troops in 2022.

11:12 AM

Governor: Russian shelling kills 1, wounds 4 in Kherson Oblast.

Russian troops on the eastern bank of the Dnipro River targeted residential areas on the outskirts of Kherson and damaged an educational institution in the city, the governor said.

10:24 AM

Governor: Downed missile over Kryvyi Rih damaged business premises, 2 trucks.

Lysak added that there were no casualties and said that civilians should seek shelter during air raid sirens even if air defense is working.

10:13 AM

General Staff: Russia has lost 338,820 troops in Ukraine

Russia has lost 338,820 troops in Ukraine since the beginning of its full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022, the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces reported on Dec. 10.

5:39 AM

Brittney Griner calls for more effort to free Americans detained overseas.

WNBA star Brittney Griner on Dec. 8 commemorated one year since her release from Russia and called for more effort to free others currently detained overseas, highlighting the plight of wrongfully imprisoned Americans Paul Whelan and Evan Gershkovich, The Hill reported.

5:14 AM

US-Russian dual national detained in Russia for social media post.

Yuri Malev, a dual national holding both United States and Russian Federation citizenship, was detained in St. Petersburg, Russia, on Dec. 9 for what officials allege were social media posts 'rehabilitating nazism' published in May 2022, RFE/RL reported.

3:47 AM

Michael Bociurkiw: Checkmate. Putin has the West cornered

Most popular

News Feed

Editors' Picks

Enter your email to subscribe

Subscribe

Subscribe

Subscribe

Subscribe