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Russia's Dangerous, Hypocritical Game
Since its February 2022 invasion of Ukraine, the Russian Federation has consistently tried to shift the blame for the war there by blaming Ukraine’s allies for the conflict. Why? Because NATO and other countries augmented Ukraine’s defenses with their weapons.
“After 980 days of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, in violation of the UN Charter, with all the death and destruction Russia has caused, Russia is today falsely trying to blame others for its war and for Putin’s obstinance,” said U.S. Alternative Representative for Special Political Affairs at the U.N., Robert Wood.
“Russia’s disinformation fools no one. The real issue is not international support for Ukraine’s defense. Russia is the aggressor; Ukraine is the victim. For Russia, war means conquest, for Ukraine, survival,” he said.
“The issue today is Russia’s unlawful aggression against Ukraine, and the countries that are dangerously fueling it.”
The irony is, of course, that even as Russia complains about foreign military aid to Ukraine, it is itself making deals and receiving aid from its allies, particularly the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, or North Korea.
In late October, “the Duma ratified Russia and the DPRK’s mutual defense agreement while the DPRK has unlawfully supplied ballistic missiles, launchers, and ammunition to support Russia’s war of aggression,” said Ambassador Wood. He then said that 8,000 North Korean soldiers are presently located in Russia’s Kursk Oblast’.
“Russia’s actions with respect to the DPRK are not only dangerous, but they are antithetical to its responsibility as a permanent member of this UN Security Council. Russia’s military cooperation with the DPRK violates multiple UN Security Council resolutions, which prohibit both procuring DPRK arms and providing military training.”
“Meanwhile, China continues to downplay its large-scale support for Russia’s defense industrial base,” said Ambassador Wood.
“PRC-based companies have even collaborated with Russian defense firms to design and produce long-range attack drones. China cannot credibly claim to be a voice for peace when it enables Russia to wage the largest war in Europe in decades.”
“Russia started this war. Russia could end it tomorrow,” said Ambassador wood. “Until it does, Ukraine has an inherent right to defend itself, and the international community can and must ensure Ukraine’s borders are not redrawn by force.”