Russia’s shift toward Asia may be gradual, focusing on China, India, and ASEAN countries, but the direction has been set.
Russia
Russia is a former superpower that retains muscle memory from its better days. Both in its near periphery and beyond, it’s capable of doing damage. But as the Ukraine war goes on, the impact of its extraterritorial adventures could take a toll at home.
Unless the attack was simply motivated by the kudos of demonstrating an ability to strike at the heart of Russian power, it makes no military sense on Kyiv’s part.
The alleged drone strike on the Kremlin could provide Vladimir Putin with the pretext to directly target his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky.
Russian research vessel Admiral Vladimirsky is allegedly collecting data on wind farms, gas pipelines, and internet cables in the North Sea.
The trial of Russian opposition figure Vladimir Kara-Murza is part of a long history of anti-Putin activists being killed or persecuted.
The G7’s Russian oil price cap amounts to a subsidy for many of Asia’s biggest energy players: China, India, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE.
Since 2012, Putin has consistently called Ukraine a historical aberration, creating the foundation for what Russia now says is a “forever war.”
Russia and Ukraine are preparing for offensives this spring in Crimea, a region of strategic and symbolic importance that has been occupied by Moscow since 2014.
Putin may be bluffing, but the deal to station tactical nuclear weapons in Ukraine marks a significant nuclear escalation in the Russia-Ukraine war.
Ukraine’s demonstrated capacity to seize opportunities created by Russia’s weakness at sea could eventually tip the scales in its favor.