President Putin
* Says it was unleashed by West and it’s allies
* Says Russia defended the rights and freedom of people of Donbass
* Sacks Gen Armageddon
By Jon Egie
President of Russia, Vladimir Putin has said the Kremlin wants to see an end to the conflict in Ukraine which, he claimed, was “unleashed by the West and its satellites.”
Putin made this statement on Wednesday at the inaugural BRICS summit in Johannesburg, South Africa, where he attended virtually
The summit opened on Tuesday as the loosely defined club of large emerging economies seeks to assert its voice as a counterweight to the Western-led international order.
The BRICS nations of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa represent a quarter of the global economy, and interest in joining the group surged ahead of its three-day summit in Johannesburg.
Putin’s travel to Africa has been complicated by an outstanding International Criminal Court warrant for his arrest over the abduction of children from Ukraine
The Russian leader who gave a 17-minute prerecorded speech addressed to the leaders of Brazil, India, China and South Africa accused the West of oppression actions aimed at the people of Donbass
“Our actions in Ukraine are dictated by only one thing – to stop the war unleashed by the West and their satellites against people living in Donbass,” he said
“It should be noted that many countries that wanted to preserve their hegemony, launched a difficult conflict in Ukraine. Russia decided to support those who fought for their language, culture and language, and to oppose those who threatened the life of people in Donbass.”
On the future of BRICS, he said “Our group of the five countries has rightly proved to be a credible entity in the global arena, with an ever-growing influence in global affairs. The strategic course of BRICS is aimed at the future .”
“The main thing is that we are all unanimous for the formation of a multipolar world order that is truly fair and based on international law while respecting the key principles of the UN Charter, including sovereign rights and respect for the right of each nation to its own development model.”
Putin took further swipes at the Western bloc, denouncing what he claimed were attempts to influence the political and economic affairs of other countries
“We are against any kind of hegemony that some countries promote because of their exclusivity and based on this postulate of a new policy – the policy of continuing neo-colonialism.”
President Cyril Ramaphosa had reiterated that arresting the Russian leader would amount to a declaration of war on Russia
“It would be inconsistent with our Constitution to risk engaging in war with Russia,” he said, adding that this would go against his duty to protect the country.
South Africa is the current chair of the BRICS group, a gathering of heavyweights that also includes Brazil, Russia, India and China, which sees itself as a counter-balance to Western economic domination.
Putin sacks Commander of Russia’s air forces
Meanwhile, Gen. Sergei Surovikin, a former commander of Russia’s forces in Ukraine has been dismissed from his job as chief of the air force, according to Russian state media.
The report Wednesday came after weeks of uncertainty about his fate following the short-lived uprising.
Surovikin has not been seen in public since the Wagner mercenaries marched toward Moscow in June, led by Yevgeny Prigozhin.
In a video released during the uprising, Surovikin urged Prigozhin’s men to pull back.
During his long absence, Russian media have speculated about Surovikin´s whereabouts, with some claiming he had been detained due to his purported close ties to Prigozhin.
Russian state news agency RIA Novosti, citing an anonymous source, reported that Surovikin has been replaced as commander of the Russian Aerospace Forces by Col. Gen. Viktor Afzalov, who is currently head of the main staff of the air force.
The agency frequently represents the official position of the Kremlin through reports citing anonymous officials in Russia´s defense and security establishment.
The Russian government has not commented on the report.
Nicknamed “General Armageddon” for his ruthless methods, Sergei Surovikin was one of the leading commanders of Russia’s military campaign in Ukraine.
His good relations with the discredited Wagner mercenary group and its leader Yevgeny Prigozhin proved to be his downfall after Wagner staged a rebellion in June and tried to topple Russia’s military command.
The 56-year-old — a veteran of Moscow’s wars starting with the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan — had long been seen as Wagner’s friend in the defence ministry.
When Surovikin was named commander of Russia’s forces in Ukraine in October 2022, Prigozhin and Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov warmly welcomed the news.
In May, when Prigozhin furiously accused Russian military leaders of failing to provide him with sufficient ammunition, Surovikin was officially named as an intermediary between Wagner and the army.
Burning tensions between Wagner and the defence ministry came to a head on the night of June 23 to 24, when Prigozhin called for the toppling of Russia’s military command and sent an armoured column towards Moscow.
Surovikin then made a highly unusual video appeal.
Unshaven, scowling and with one hand resting on his right thigh, he slowly enunciated a call for Prigozhin to stop.
“We are one blood. We are fighters. I urge you to stop,” he said in military uniform, staring down the camera.
“Before it’s too late, you have to obey the will and orders of the elected president of Russia. Stop the armoured columns, return to your bases and settle any problems peacefully,” he said.
Less than 24 hours later, Prigozhin turned his forces back and agreed a deal with the Kremlin to be exiled to Belarus.
But Surovikin made no further public appearances.
Surovikin’s time commanding Moscow’s forces in Ukraine was tumultuous and short-lived — after just three months in the role he was replaced by chief of staff Valery Gerasimov, a nomination seen as a victory for the military’s top brass against Prigozhin.
Under Surovikin’s orders, Russian troops retreated from the city of Kherson on the Dnipro River in southern Ukraine.
It was a clear defeat for Moscow, although the delicate operation was carried out without any heavy losses on the Russian side and no other territory was given up.
The general was also behind Moscow’s campaign of bombarding Ukrainian energy infrastructure, which failed in its aim of crippling Ukraine during the winter.
After being replaced by Gerasimov, Surovikin remained a top military commander and his tough reputation endured.
The ‘Syrian butcher’
The Siberian-born general is also a veteran of the second Chechen war and was a top commander behind Russia’s intervention in Syria, earning him the nickname of the “Syrian butcher”.
Human Rights Watch in 2020 named him as one of the military leaders responsible for attacks on residential areas, including schools and hospitals.
Credit; Opera News
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