We are increasingly greeted by stories of a developing partnership between Russia, China, and North Korea. Much of the world has isolated Russia for its invasion of Ukraine. Moscow’s constant targeting of civilians and its clear violations of international humanitarian law have only exacerbated this isolation. Running out of munitions and other military supplies, Russia has sought help from countries with comparable records of human rights violations: North Korea and China.
Senior delegations from Russia and China recently met with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un at a parade to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the 1953 Korean War cease-fire. Kim is expected to soon visit Russian President Vladimir Putin in Vladivostok.
We also hear of North Korea shipping artillery shells and other military supplies to Russia, of China providing dual-use technology and components to Russia, and of Russia proposing combined exercises with North Korea and China.
The Developing Imperialist Partnership
The alliances and partnerships in which the United States participates focus on defensive objectives. That is not the case for this emerging trilateral partnership. Russia’s Putin seeks to conquer Ukraine and make it “part of a restored Russian Empire.” China’s President Xi Jinping seeks regional if not global dominance by 2049. North Korea’s Kim seeks Korean unification under North Korean control. In short, these three countries have imperialistic goals.
China and North Korea have not yet launched major wars to achieve their aims. But they both have active information campaigns, and China has taken aggressive economic measures to extend its influence worldwide. The Belt and Road Initiative showcases Beijing’s efforts to secure economic leverage. The level of trade China has established with South Korea, Australia, and many other countries is another example of that drive.
The nature of Chinese influence became clear as Beijing exercised economic coercion 123 times from 2010 to 2022, including its effort to strongarm Australia to end its pursuit of the origins of COVID-19, and its push against the ROK to stop its deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system.
Russia has been more aggressive, in part because the fall of the Soviet Union was a great psychological blow for Russians. That collapse reduced Russia from a superpower to a much lesser state. After seeking to rebuild Russian power, Putin seized parts of Ukraine in 2014 and oversaw a proxy war in Ukraine for years. Putin then apparently lost patience and executed a full invasion of Ukraine last year. Russian forces made major advances at first, in part because of their sheer brutality and in part because Western responses were muted by Russian threats of nuclear escalation. But to the surprise of many, Ukraine’s forces were eventually able to stop many of the Russian offensives and roll them back significantly. These failures stemmed from poor Russian military and logistical planning, low combat readiness, and other deficiencies that were surprises to many, apparently including Putin.
The conflict in Ukraine is a significant challenge for the United States and its allies and partners. If Putin’s forces are not stopped, he might work to further expand his Russian Empire. But a clear Russian failure in Ukraine could lead to the fall of Vladimir Putin, and he may be prepared to substantially escalate the conflict to prevent such an outcome.
He is now trying to overcome his failures, or at least prevent greater failures, by seeking the help of China and North Korea.
The Risks of This Trilateral Imperialist Partnership
There are at least four major risks this developing trilateral imperialist partnership poses.
The first is that substantial North Korean and Chinese assistance to Russia could prolong the war in Ukraine and substantially increase the damage inflicted and the war costs. Russia’s deliberate attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure are war crimes with humanitarian costs that are unacceptable and need to stop. Moreover, the longer Western countries need to support Ukraine’s independence, the further they will deplete their own military equipment and supplies, sending them to Ukraine.
Second, China and North Korea might do more than send equipment and supplies to Ukraine. They might also send some military personnel and even technical experts. Doing so will convert Ukraine into a Russia-China-North Korea laboratory for examining and improving various weapons and tactics in actual warfare. This is not unlike what happened with the Spanish Civil War before World War II. The result will likely be improved military capabilities for all three countries, making them more lethal in future conflicts.
Third, because all three members of this trilateral imperialist partnership seek to control territory beyond their current borders, they may at some point decide to start wars simultaneously. By attacking at the same time, they would put maximum pressure on the military forces of their opponents, much as the Axis powers did early in World War II. Concerned about the possibility of multiple wars, for decades the United States sized its military forces to be able to respond to two major theater wars simultaneously. By the George W. Bush administration, this requirement had been adjusted to winning in one theater and holding in another. But the United States has not sustained such capabilities for many years. The prospect of fighting three major theater wars simultaneously appears to be well beyond current U.S. military capabilities, especially with its depleted stock of military equipment and supplies.
Finally, because all three of these partners possess nuclear weapons, any major war they launch has a significant possibility of involving nuclear weapons use. While conventional-nuclear integration was very much part of U.S. military planning in the 1980s, it has not been pursued very seriously since the end of the Cold War. If the United States is not prepared for this kind of warfare, the prospects are high that a nuclear exchange could lead to a global nuclear catastrophe.
How Can the United States and Its Allies Respond?
There are no easy ways to counter the developing Russia-China-North Korea partnership. After all, military strikes against North Korean and Chinese military supplies en route to Russia could escalate this already very serious war.
Vladimir Putin 2017 New Year Address to the Nation.
Nevertheless, there are options to consider and steps to take.
The first step is for the United States and its allies to work to better understand the future of warfare, including the vast uncertainties therein. These countries will not properly prepare for or deter a future war unless they can first characterize it.
The challenge is clear. How many experts accurately predicted the war in Ukraine, with the Russian advance stopped, and Ukraine launching a significant counteroffensive? How many anticipated the weapons used, including newer weapons like suicide drones? How many spotted key vulnerabilities? Who clearly saw the role of the Russian nuclear shadow in limiting outside assistance, especially early on? Did many think the conflict would last this long? All of these factors are essential to defining military requirements, and they need to be understood. While studies are ongoing and lessons are being learned, a larger level of effort is justified, especially as concerns conventional-nuclear integration.
Second, the United States needs to continue developing new military capabilities that will allow it to deal with Russia, China, and North Korea at a price the U.S. can afford. The newly announced Replicator initiative is one example of a capability that exploits U.S. military cultural strengths such as high technology, as well as the use of strong initiative by U.S. military personnel. Note that such capabilities are not just new technology. They also include the strategy, tactics, and operational art needed to deal with the potential threats.
Third, the United States should consider developing new military force requirements that respond to the developing threats.Washington must determine the U.S. forces required to deal with any warfare started by the Russia-China-North Korea partnership. The United States has, of course, been reluctant to establish such requirements, recognizing how expensive they would be. But as Ukraine learned, while an adequate defense budget is hard to afford before a war, the cost of an inadequate defense budget can be far higher if it does not deter an adversary from starting one. And the price being paid by Ukraine is nothing compared to what the world might have to pay if a future war involves the use of nuclear weapons. The United States cannot afford to allow an appearance of inadequate military capabilities to drag it into such a war.
Fourth, the United States and its allies could develop economic and information operations to counter North Korean and Chinese supplies sent to Ukraine. Any North Korean companies involved, and the financial institutions supporting them, should be subject to economic sanctions. Substantial international pressure should be placed on China and North Korea to disrupt the transfer of artillery shells and other items. There is some evidence that exposing and warning North Korea about shipping artillery shells to Russia has minimized what Pyongyang has sent thus far. Pyongyang might respond to international pressure if it is shown that North Korean artillery shells have been used to purposefully kill civilians in Ukraine, thus making North Korea an accessory to Russia’s war crimes.
Alternatively, if North Korean artillery is eventually fired against Ukraine, it may turn out to be of extremely poor quality, which would be a major embarrassment to the Kim regime’s domestic image once such information leaks into the North. Not much is known about the quality of North Korean artillery beyond its performance against Yeonpyeong Island in 2010. In that case, it is likely that the North attempted to fire 300 to 400 artillery shells and rockets at the island. But only 170 were seen in the air, and only 80 hit the large island, 20 of which were duds. Quality may have improved since then, but if not, that incredibly poor performance should become a focus of information operations. It would be important to provide extensive public coverage of the North Korean artillery failures, increasing the probability that the information does leak into North Korea. Such stories may also drive Russian soldiers to insist they do not want to use North Korean artillery shells and rockets.
Fifth, the United States and South Korea might be able to exploit the presence of any North Korean personnel in Ukraine to send messages back to the North Korean elite. Such personnel would almost certainly come from elite families, as North Korea would only want to send reliable personnel unlikely to defect. Those same personnel have a tendency to consume whatever K-pop and K-dramas they are able to acquire, suggesting the utility of dispersing USB drives in areas where North Korean personnel operate. While some North Korean security personnel may try to collect and destroy this material, others might enjoy it. If Kim continues to send artillery to Russia, the United States could also threaten to deliver such USB drives to Pyongyang. Kim considers such material a vicious cancer that could cause his regime to collapse, so this unorthodox approach may give him pause.
Finally, while in many ways Russia, China, and North Korea would appear to make for natural allies, there are fissures in their relationships to exploit. For example, China recently released a map that includes some Russian territory as part of China. Western powers should focus global attention on this issue and regularly ask China to explain it. Alternatively, Russia may find that North Korea wants more in exchange for its artillery shells than Russia is willing to provide. After hard negotiations, if North Korean artillery proves of poor quality, or if any of the technology provided to North Korea by Russia fails to operate, this would present opportunities for information operations. Ultimately, China’s designs for regional and global domination would include domination of Russia. If China provides Russia with equipment and supplies, it can be expected to demand recognition and payment for that contribution. Indeed, many Chinese military personnel will likely perceive that they are the senior partners in this relationship, and they would demand to be treated as such. U.S. and allied efforts to properly characterize Chinese objectives and Chinese demands could undermine the China-Russia relationship. The bottom line is that this partnership might be more fragile than first appearances suggest.
None of these actions are a silver bullet for countering the trilateral imperialist partnership. But the United States and its allies and partners need to take the developing threat seriously and work against it one step at a time.
About the Author
Bruce W. Bennett is a senior international/defense researcher at the nonprofit, nonpartisan RAND Corporation. He works primarily on research topics such as strategy, force planning, and counterproliferation within the RAND International Security and Defense Policy Center.
Ben Leucking
September 12, 2023 at 7:42 pm
“Pyongyang might respond to international pressure if it is shown that North Korean artillery shells have been used to purposefully kill civilians in Ukraine, thus making North Korea an accessory to Russia’s war crimes.”
Hmmm. Neither North Korea nor China gives a rip about the well-being of civilians in their own country, much less those of Ukraine. For both, Ukraine gives them a laboratory to exploit weapons and tactics at virtually no cost, since Russia will be paying for it with food, oil and some level of technology transfer.
The recommendations contained within this article are the diplomatic equivalent of watered down pablum. That they might achieve anything positive could only be measured in decades.
403Forbidden
September 12, 2023 at 8:19 pm
Russia, china and north korea have become the foil (through no fault of their own) to counter the fast-growing globalist conquistadorist fascist wokeist conglomerate led by washington.
Washington, controlled by the MIC-deep state complex, is seeking to dominate & control the world AND to thereby impose a one-world order with US as its sole overlord.
Naturally, there are some or maybe a few objectors, or ‘recalcitrants’ against the dirty obnoxious MIC-deep state plans.
The US today is the premier fascist entity on the planet, with an octopus-like grip on the globe via its empire of bases, CIA redoubts, its unchallenged ability to impose sanctions, bans, and seizures.
It’s now even trying to impose its cultural and ‘ethical’ and ‘moral’ values on other natiions, threatening them with investigations and inquiries about ‘human rights violations’ if they don’t accept and practise US values and US cultural rules like LGBTQ celebrating or enforcing or legitimizing.
Thus, US with its vast army of minuons pose the most serious fascist threat to humankind today, far more deadly than genghis or the 1940s tripartite pact fascismo group.
Still, US can’t freely get its way to control the world, as there’re recalcitrants or objectors who don’t subscribe at all to the US values, its LGBTQ policies or its massive almighty economic-military clout.
US and its vassals are gog and magog which the world has been warned about since almost time immemorial.
pagar
September 12, 2023 at 8:43 pm
Russia today represents the biggest challenge to American desires or wishes to dominate and control the globe.
China, north Korea are mere also-rans compared to Russia.
Russia today effectively has the second largest nuke arsenal in the world and with its ICBMs and nuclear subs pose a tough formidable barrier to US globalist plans.
China and north Korea would be totally crushed in a ‘winnable nuke war’ by the DoD.
US today has around 1,800 (or maybe slightly more) immediately usable nuclear warheads with Russia roughly having half the US total.
Even then, Russia’s (lesser) arsenal has ability to cause serious hurt and thus US and NATO have tricked and lured Russia into the tricky quagmire of Ukraine.
Now, Russia MUST employ nukes against the ukros who’re expendable foot soldiers for US-NATO.
With that, Russia would surely induce havoc and panic in world markets, causing US and European stock bourses to crash and burn with the result of mobs flash robbing stores, shops, showrrooms and banks and offices.
What could people like Biden and stoltenberg and scholz or macron do.
Shake their fists or their balls or dicks or send their ICBMs toward Moscow.
Either would be useless, as mobs rampage their way through Chicago, Paris or Berlin.
Finito for the US-NATO bloc.
TheDon
September 12, 2023 at 9:07 pm
Start by applying monthly increasing tarriffs on china, and policing knock off parts on ebay and amazon.
Buy US, Korea, and friendly nations.
Repen nafta to help our southern neighbors and give manufacturers a low labor cost for purchased parts.
Chinas already hurting economically. Let them sell to Morth Korea or Russia.
I’ll bet they change their mind quickly as colapse begins.
Scottfs
September 12, 2023 at 9:18 pm
America must face we are at war, currently, right now, right here. We must be on a war footing. The dangeris so real, so palpable, so dangerous.
North Korea has nothing to threaten the USA. Russia is spent in Ukraine. China is the only distinct threat, and we need to confront it now.
Why they STILL have most favored nation status vis a vis trade is a mystery. We need to raise tariffs on China, and start weaning ourselves from the Chinese monopoly in so many areas
Sofronie the Monk
September 12, 2023 at 10:20 pm
@pagar: I lol’d so hard. Russia is nothing more than a Chinese annex right now. If it weren’t for its nuclear arsenal (out of which it would be interesting how much is actually functional), Siberia would already be “ancient Chinese lands reclaimed for the motherland” and you’d be speaking Chinese and kowtowing to Winnie the Pooh’s picture. Hell, even before this invasion started, where did strong leader Putin go to ask for permission? To Beijing.
Tell us this: if Winnie decides to pull the plug tomorrow, what is Russia gonna do? Would Bashar al-Assad step in and support Russia with Syria’s economical powerhouse?
Commentar
September 12, 2023 at 10:21 pm
USA with its possession of the US greenback or petrodollar, has the ability to break nations, yet it’s not or never satisfied with it.
It must involved other nations, chiefly its perceived rivals or opponents or just plain enemy victims, in crises, political turmoil, conflicts and arms races.
The reason is US fully unable to accept or accommodate the presence of rivals and competitors and alternatives.
US today unwilling to tolerate a multipolar world and this is the reason why Russia and its friends are coming together today.
They have no wish to follow in the footsteps of native red indian nations of north america.
Neither do they wish to become unquestioningly loyal and docile client states like germany and Japan.
Heck, even Europe, the whole if it has become a cesspool of American authority, no questions entertained.
Thus, in the future, if Russia falls today or right now, the other dominoes would quickly fall, too. Kaput for freedom of choice.
But what about other odd nations like Haiti, CAR, DRC, Eritrea, Mali and etc.
Well, they’re considered shithole places where even hell’s angels wouldn’t tread.
Neither Biden and stoltenberg and sunak or the USMC would also dare to visit them.
Arash
September 12, 2023 at 11:19 pm
North Korea, Russia And China, Combined they don’t even have 5 military bases outside their borders and yet they are the imperialist force and not the US with around 1000 military bases around the world!
So much nauseating American propaganda.
mihai
September 13, 2023 at 2:24 am
1.Global NATO, only for democratic western style democracies.
2.Human rights declaration must be completed with human obligations declaration.Like in ten commendments…
3.Another UN in which agressors must be excluded swiftly, not like now when Russia is not suspended at least. Why civilised world does not initiate suspension/exclusion of Russia from UN?
mihai
September 13, 2023 at 3:00 am
MAGA has missed this”historical”meeting.But with vote from GOP and republicans and with discreet blessing from Vova Putin ,from 2025 he will put USA in that exquisit League.Sent him to Ad Max Florence dear republicans or he will be the first Dictator of America!
David N. Tate
September 13, 2023 at 8:49 am
Let’s do a review of the terms “Communist” and “Imperialist.”
There are, essentially, five remaining Communist nation states including the People’s Republic of China, North Korea, Vietnam, Laos, and Cuba. The Soviet Union collapsed in 1991 and splintered into fifteen different nation state. The Russian Federation does not have a Communist government. Neither Russia nor the Communist nation states listed above maintain colonies or seek to establish colonies anywhere in the world. Four of these nations fought Anti-Colonialist Wars of National Liberation. The old Soviet Union formed the Communist International (COMINTERN) and instigated Wars of National Liberation and Popular Front Uprisings in European colonies throughout the Cold War.
Historically, the Communists in the old Soviet Union and the COMINTERN have described Great Britain, France, Italy, Belgium, Germany, the United States, and some others as Imperialist powers. Essentially, the United States established a number of colonies during the 18th Century including Guam, the Philippines, and the Virgin Islands. The United States still maintains it’s colonial presence on Guam and the Virgin Islands.
The European powers were even more Imperialistic. They colonized all of Africa, the Middle East, India, Southwest and Southeast Asia, and parts of China. The Europeans maintained their colonies through the mid-Twentieth Century. Only during the Cold War did anti-colonialism sweep through the colonies. The old Soviet Union (Russia) inspired Wars of National Liberation and Popular Front movments that enabled former colonies to become independent nation states. The Russians are therefore anti-Colonialist and anti-Imperialist historically.
The United States and the Imperialist European Powers formed the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in 1949.
The United States became the Global Hegemon in 1991. The United States maintains a military presence in over 80 different nation states. The United States and NATO have conducted over 20 military interventions in former colonies since 1991. Therfore, it can be said that the United States and NATO are Imperialist Powers.
The United States is often referred to as having established an “Empire” in the Amercian domestic news media. Therefore, it is clear that the United States is an Imperialist power, both historically and in the 21st Century.
David N. Tate
September 13, 2023 at 9:11 am
The United States leads the three most powerful military alliances or coalitions on Earth. These include the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the Persian Gulf Coalition, and the Western Pacific Coalition. These coalitions essentially encircle the Russian Federation, Communist China, and North Korea around the globe from the Arctic in the North, Central Europe in the West, Japan and South Korea in the East, the Persian Gulf and India in the South. This gives the United States and her allies a huge geographic advantage to conduct offensive operations against Russia, Communist China, and North Korea.
The United States and her allies generate well over $45 Trillion in annual economic output. This allows the US and her allies spend well over $1.2 Trillion annually on defense. Conversely, the Russian Federation, Communist China, and North Korea generate far less in annual economic output. The Russian Federation generates less than $2 Trillion annually, Communist China less than $15 Trillion, and poor North Korea less than $20 Billion. This allows these three nation states to spend less than $400 Billion annually on defense. From this we see that the United States and her allies hold overwhelming economic and military superiority over all three of these nation states. In other words, these three nation states are not a threat to the United States and her allies.
It is interesting to note that Communist China is among the top three trading partners for the European Union and the United States. The US and EU conduct over $1 Trillion in annual trade with Communist China. This is hardly the behavior of an enemy. It is clear that Communist China would like to continue to conduct trade at this level. Trade and interaction with Europe and the United States has resulted in a “Liberalization” of Communist Chinese society over the last thirty years.
The US, EU, and NATO are currently waging a proxy war with Russia through the Ukraine with stated war aims that include destruction of the Russian military, regime change in Moscow through coup-de-tat, and the dissolution of the Russian Federation. It remains to be seen whether or not the US, EU, and NATO can achieve these war aims. However, if the US, EU, and NATO are successful, then Russia would cease to be a viable nation state and therfore not a threat.
North Korea is a basket case both economically and militarily. The North Koreans spend less than $5 Billion annually on defense. South Korea, alone spends over $50 Billion annually on defense. The South Korean Army is well trained, well led, and very well equipped. The North Koreans are completely isolated and pose no threat. They are well known as the “Hermit Kingdom.”
The Russians, Chinese, and North Koreans pose very little threat to the United States and her allies.
Jacksonian Libertarian
September 13, 2023 at 9:21 am
Authoritarian Cultures can never be Allies, and will always charge as much as the traffic will bear for any goods or services provided to their Associates. The CCP gang is no doubt drooling over adding Siberia to its territory, and hoping the Ukrainian war will reduce the Russian military to fraction of its prewar combat power (already reduced 50%+).
from Russia with love
September 13, 2023 at 9:31 am
“The alliances and partnerships in which the United States participates focus on defensive objectives.”
After reading this, I didn’t understand why the author began his article with the words “hi! I’m an idiot. Here’s my article.” anyone who has not been in a cryogenic sleep for the last 100 years knows about Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, Libya, Serbia and many other acts of aggression by these “defensive” US alliances. Why does the author begin his article with such obvious nonsense? I decided to read further and yes, the rest is even more beautiful. 🙂
“The Risks of This Trilateral Imperialist Partnership”
How did the author write this paragraph? Picking his nose with his finger, he thought:
“So, what does the United States usually do by concluding “defensive” alliances with someone and interfering in the internal affairs of other countries? What do we have there in Ukraine? Every day they shell Donetsk with our shells and kill civilians. ok. what else? We send them there mountains of weapons, instructors and “volunteers”. But we are not limited to Ukraine? Right! We also supply weapons to Taiwan. Normal. A good set for a military tribunal. So! Stop! I have to write about the DPRK, PRC and Russia. We are changing USA and NATO on North Korea, China and Russia.” 🙂
“How Can the United States and Its Allies Respond?”
this section is especially funny. 🙂 The point with the proposal to carry out information sabotage is indicative. an amazing proposal to support South Korea, the very one that is completely dependent on Chinese components. How? will you put soybeans and pork there that you were going to sell to China? 🙂 The author apparently came up with the idea of discrediting the quality of weapons when she remembered “how the USA was successful” and how American weapons screwed up in Ukraine. but most of all I liked going to spread American propaganda on USB! LOL 🙂
and, of course, the cherry on the cake is the maps drawn in Taiwan on which Taiwanese nationalists dream of being part of Russia. guys, olo! everyone except you knows who draws these cards! this bullshit doesn’t work. the only effect of these cards is Russia’s complete support for China’s desire to establish its sovereignty over Taiwan. Congratulations, you did it, but, as usual, it’s not at all what you planned. 🙂
Alan
September 13, 2023 at 9:37 am
“South Korea, Japan and USA: The Developing Trilateral Imperialist Partnership” is also true.
Jim
September 13, 2023 at 1:01 pm
Russia is not isolated.
That’s why the United States strategic plan to collapse Russia’s economy, and, thus, their political & military capability, failed… with hopes to force out Putin and weaken Russia, even dismembering it (a complete warmonger, neocon fantasy).
Russia is wooing neutral, non-aligned nations, and having good success.
But the author goes on to make a boogie man… a new “Axis of Evil” for the warhawks to strategize against.
Warhawks can’t help themselves… they point to war (and, seemingly, how to initiate war) with every waking moment.
It’s a dead loser… like the Ukraine Project… like a war against China over Taiwan.
The United States can’t remove North Korea’s nukes by force of arms… without causing a nuclear war, whether regionally or inter-continental.
Face it, United States’ foreign policy is bankrupt.
It’s failed, over and over.
I’m sick & tired of failure.
You don’t reward failure… you remove it from command.
We need to denounce the failure that this foreign policy cabal in Washington has brought the American People.
Again and again.
You don’t rely on people for advice & council after they have been wrong, time after time.
That’s where we are… bad advice… just like this author.
John
September 13, 2023 at 11:06 pm
Given these threats, we need to expand our nuclear forces. We need to immediately make Jassm nuclear capable for distributed nuclear deterrence and give it to our allies.
George Gordon Byron
September 14, 2023 at 10:48 am
Dear Author:
1) Yours: “We are increasingly greeted with stories about the developing partnership between Russia, China and North Korea.”
Answer: Why not?
2) Yours: “Most of the world isolated Russia for its invasion of Ukraine.”
Answer: Most of the world is about 52 states of the 1st “golden billion”, and the smaller part of the world is 7 billion but not “golden”.
3) Yours: “Moscow’s constant attacks on civilians and its clear violations of international humanitarian law have only deepened this isolation.”
Answer: 2023, St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, held June 14–17
Over four days, more than 17,000 participants from 130 countries took part in SPIEF events in real and virtual formats.” And is this isolation?
3)Yours: “Russia has run out of ammunition and other military supplies and has turned to countries with comparable records of human rights violations for help: North Korea and China.”
Answer:
3.1) That is, Russia has no ammunition, and the glorious Armed Forces of Ukraine, together with 52 developed countries with colossal GDP, cannot defeat weak Russia? It’s kind of strange….
3.2) However, no one has ever seen this ammunition on the battlefield.
And when they see it, how does this contradict the supplies of the golden billion and their comrades to Ukraine from 52 countries? Apparently, this Western something else is angelic and democratic, humane and non-lethal, correct and moral.
4) By the way, Exports from Russia jumped by 20% while imports from outside fell by 12%. Russia’s foreign trade turnover at the end of last year increased by 8.1% and amounted to $850.5 billion. The trade balance surplus reached $332.4 billion. Russia is accumulating… currency! Russia’s main trading partners at the end of 2022 were China, Turkey, the Netherlands, Germany and Belarus. And the top five of Russia’s main partners was rounded out… the United States.
So who is he deceiving?
5) I was very amused by the Author’s opinion about the peace-loving imperialists of the West: the USA, European countries, the EU, NATO. Apparently, Western experts have not studied the history of the imperialist states of Europe and the United States, the NATO blocs, and the EU.
George Gordon Byron
September 14, 2023 at 11:17 am
To the venerable and incomparable Sophronius:
1) Yours: “Russia is now nothing more than a Chinese annexation.”
Tell us on what basis your conclusions were made? I look forward to arguments based on fat figures, research and documents, and not on the Internet chatter of idle talkers.
2) Yours: If not for its nuclear arsenal (of which it would be interesting how much of it is actually functioning).”
Answer: believe me, your Western masters know for sure. Otherwise, Russia was among the poorest countries in Europe: 1st place – Ukraine, then
Moldova, Kosovo, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Belarus, Serbia, Croatia, Bulgaria, Greece, Montenegro, Romania, Latvia, Slovakia, 16th place – Portugal
3) Yours: “Siberia would already be “ancient Chinese lands conquered for the homeland,” and you would speak Chinese and bow to the picture with Winnie the Pooh.”
Answer: If only, then the monk Sophronius would be Nostradamus. You are guilty of prophecies, unfounded, unsubstantiated statements.
4) Yours: “Hell, even before this invasion began, where did the strong leader Putin go to ask permission? Beijing.”
Answer: Who told you personally what permission was needed? Comrade Xi or Comrade Putin? Or are you making things up yourself based on the fables of Romanian fabulists?
5) Yours: “Tell us this: if Winnie decides to shut down the network tomorrow, what will Romania do?
Answer:
5.1) the distribution of domain names is carried out by the international non-profit organization ICAAN. ICANN is a contractor to the international community to perform the IANA function without the control of governments (primarily the US government), so it is an international corporation.
She refused to block the domains of the DPRK, Iran and Syria. Attempts to deprive Russian owners of IP addresses will lead to disruptions in the operation of the entire system and significant material losses around the world.
5.2) Romania will remain a poor vassal country of the developed West, the population of Romania will continue to decrease, the economy will dry out, and monk Sophronius will write unsubstantiated comments. but no one can read them.
from Russia with love
September 15, 2023 at 4:58 am
@Sofronie the Borat
your comment gave me a lot of pleasure. 🙂
A Romanian always needs to ask permission from the owner and a Romanian does not know what it is to live in a sovereign and independent country. but that’s understandable. Romania is one of the poorest countries in the EU. even poorer than Latvia. 🙂 poor Romanians are obliged to grovel before their masters, otherwise the Romanians will not receive scraps from the table in Brussels. 🙂 but just because you live so poorly in Romania does not mean that everyone else lives like that. There are independent countries in the world that decide their own destiny. for example Russia, China, USA, India, North Korea, but Romania is not one of these countries.
“Tell us this: if Winnie decides to pull the plug tomorrow, what is Russia gonna do?”
there are no prerequisites for this. 😉 regarding “Winnie”, I wanted to write some kind of barb about the head of Romania, but he is so “famous” that to find out who it is you need to search in Yandex. I’m lazy 🙂
but I would advise you to think about what you will eat when the economies of Germany and France collapse. both EU locomotives are confidently entering recession and deindustrialization. What will Romania, completely dependent on EU subsidies, do when these subsidies are gone? What does Romania have other than debts for the next 5 generations? Count Dracula brand? 🙂