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The year 2022 ended for Putin with several defeats

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The year 2022 ended for Putin with several defeats
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to: Nadia Ostell

For Vladimir Putin, 2022 does not end as he expected, but with more setbacks for Russia. The root of the problem: the Ukraine war.

Moscow – Vladimir Putin He had a plan: to free Ukraine from its supposed „Nazi regime” through a military „special operation”. Or to put it another way: On February 24, 2022, Russia invaded the neighboring country — the beginning of the running country. Ukraine war.

In a television appearance, Putin confidently announced at that time that the overthrow of V.I Ukraine It will happen in a few weeks. But at the end of the war year, he expressed himself somewhat pessimistically: “Of course, this It can be a long processPutin said out loud Germany Liberation Network (RND) At a conference in early December.

Doubts About Putin’s Army: Casualties in the Ukraine War

It cannot be denied that Putin’s war against Ukraine has dragged on for much longer than Moscow expected. The massive resistance of Kyiv under President Volodymyr Zelensky’s losses incurred by the Russian army It raises doubts among political observers and the Russian population about whether a military victory for Putin in Ukraine is possible — and if so, at what cost.

The purchase of Iranian combat drones and the stationing of Russian soldiers and military equipment in Belarus could provide clues to the state of Putin’s military. In addition, joint exercises of the forces of the two countries are regularly held on Belarusian soil. So, it remains to be speculated Whether Belarus is likely to enter the conflict – And necessary from a Russian point of view – it is. Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko is one of Putin’s most important allies.

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Vladimir Putin suffered huge losses in the Ukraine war. (archive photo) © Sergei Fadeichev / imago

All of Putin’s strategies in the Ukraine war have failed – Russia is in turmoil

In December, there was another possible sign of how bad the war was Russia to run. Putin canceled his annual press conference at the end of the year. The cancellation of the event – for the first time in ten years – has led to speculation about whether the head of state should not face heated questions from reporters about the war in Ukraine. While from the Russian side Reports of an allegedly unlimited supply of ammunition Posts, Retired U.S. Army Major John Spencer sees, All Russian military strategies as a failure employment.

Also take messages from „Requiem” abandoned Russian fighters to me. According to a study conducted last year, the population in Russia expressed more than Double fear and anxiety As before – because of the war in Ukraine. Even the former Chief Rabbi of Moscow Pinhas Goldschmidt now has a Jewish community in Russia Calls for flight and warns of „increasing anti-Semitism”.

Putin loses important allies as a result of the Ukraine war: China from a distance

According to a Washington Post report, Putin is more isolated than ever in his current situation. above 300 days of war against Ukraine It would have destroyed decades of carefully cultivated economic relations with the West. At the same time, the Kremlin’s efforts to strengthen these relations through closer cooperation with India and China to replace the discontinued.

„He feels the loss of his friends,” the paper quoted the president as saying. Washington Post A Russian civil servant with close ties to diplomatic circles. And the Kremlin’s power is getting weaker overall. For example, the Chinese president Xi Jinping He admitted in a video conference with Putin that he wanted to improve strategic cooperation. But he added that the international situation is highly complex and controversial. Last September, Xi expressed his „concern” about the Ukraine war.

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India and the former Soviet country have publicly criticized Putin over the Ukraine war

India indirectly but unequivocally criticized the Ukraine war in December. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in an article published by Russia’s Kommersant newspaper, called for an end to the „war era”. He particularly criticized the struggle for „land or resources”.

Even in the „own” ranks of the post-Soviet Union, Putin no longer trusted his foreign allies. This was demonstrated recently at the summit meeting of six former Soviet countries in November, such as Newsweek mentioned. At the CSTO (Collective Security Treaty Organization) military alliance conference, which is led by Russia, Armenia openly criticized the alliance and refused to sign the summit declaration.

The Removal of the Russian Elite by Putin in the Ukraine War

Private local ranks also noisy Washington Post You no longer agree 100 percent with Russia’s leadership. Interviews with Russian economists, officials, and analysts show that a rift is emerging between Putin and a large part of the country’s elite. The growing divide poses another danger for Putin as he heads into 2023, the last year before the 2024 presidential election.

In an interview with the Russian daily RBK For example, Mikhail Zadornov, the head of one of the largest banks in Russia, noted: „By and large, members of the business elite of Russia know that this will not end well.” The increasing distance is clearly visible: Putin canceled his annual New Year’s Eve meeting with the country’s billionaires – this was officially justified by the risk of infection.

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Putin could have driven a „coffin nail” into the Russian Empire in the Ukraine war

Something good can come from evil, though Ukraine’s war can beCoffin nail „to Putin’s empire Moscow-born economist Michael Alexeyev said in an interview with Kyiv Post. The war is „brutal” and „a mistake for all concerned” but could have positive long-term effects for Ukraine – with Russia losing a significant portion of its global power. „The only positive thing I can think of about this war is that it might finally put a nail in the coffin of the idea of ​​the Russian Empire,” Alexeyev said. “Maybe it will finally become a normal country.” (Na)

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Putin’s fifth inauguration leads to a split in the European Union

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Putin’s fifth inauguration leads to a split in the European Union

To share or not? A poisoned invitation: Putin’s fifth inauguration leads to a split in the European Union

Putin in a festive mood: Kremlin head in March 2021 at a concert marking the 7th anniversary of the „reunification” of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol with Russia at Luzhniki Stadium

© Alexey Druzhinin / Russian Presidential Press and Information Office / TASS / ImageImago

Should I accept Putin’s invitation to start his new term or not? A diplomatic topic for discussion in the European Union. According to diplomats, Germany and France do not agree either.

There are major disagreements within the European Union about how to properly deal with invitations to attend the celebration marking the beginning of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s fifth term in office. As several EU diplomats told the German news agency in Brussels on Monday, countries such as France, Hungary and Slovakia would like to send representatives to attend Putin’s swearing-in in order to keep communication channels open. However, Germany and many other EU countries consider participation inappropriate, especially in light of Russia’s aggressive war against Ukraine. “Germany will not participate in this event,” a Foreign Ministry spokeswoman in Berlin said on Monday.

In the case of the Federal Republic, the government summoned the German ambassador in Moscow, Alexander Graf Lambsdorff, to Berlin for a week-long consultations in the wake of cyberattacks on the Social Democratic Party and German companies. The federal government blames a Russian military intelligence unit for the attacks.

To share or not? This is the question in the European Union

The official representative of the European Union in Moscow, like most ambassadors of EU member states, will not attend the ceremony on Tuesday, a spokesman for the European External Action Service said late in the evening in Brussels. Foreign Affairs Representative Josep Borrell had previously spoken against the EU’s participation in the event. But according to diplomats, there were also dissenting voices. Among other things, they are said to have warned that staying away from the ceremony could give Russia an excuse to ignore more diplomatic rules and norms in the future.

Putin – and who else?

Putin wants to be sworn in for another term as Russian president on Tuesday morning. This marks the beginning of another six years as head of state. The ceremony will be held in the Moscow Kremlin in front of representatives of the government, both houses of the Russian Parliament and other high-level guests. 71-year-old Putin, who has dominated politics in the country for 24 years, achieved a record result of more than 87 percent of the votes in the presidential elections that took place last March.

The European Union strongly criticized the conduct of the elections. Russian voters have very limited access to factual information and “have no real choice,” a statement said. The reason for this was, among other things, the exclusion of many candidates – including all those who spoke out against Russia’s aggressive war on Ukraine.

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War in Ukraine: Olaf Scholz urgently warns against Russia’s use of nuclear weapons

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War in Ukraine: Olaf Scholz urgently warns against Russia’s use of nuclear weapons

Advisor Olaf Schulz The Social Democratic Party (SPD) says it wants to further strengthen international unity against Russia’s use of nuclear weapons in the Ukraine war. “It is always important to say loudly that nuclear weapons must not be used in this war,” Schulz said during a visit to Latvia. He added that this should be one of the clear messages in the peace conference scheduled to be held in Switzerland in mid-June.

Russian President Vladimir Putin had previously ordered his army to train on the use of tactical nuclear weapons. Forces near the border must also participate Ukraine To share. The Russian military leadership’s announcement did not mention exactly where and when the first military maneuver of this kind would be held since the collapse of the Soviet Union.

The United States criticized the announced Russian nuclear maneuvers

The United States has Russia He was accused of „irresponsible speech” regarding the announced maneuver. Pat Ryder, a spokesman for the US Department of Defense, said that given the current security situation, such announcements were “completely inappropriate.” Meanwhile, there are currently no signs of changes “in Russian strategic strike force formations” and the United States continues to monitor the situation. John Kirby, spokesman for the US National Security Council, made a similar statement: “It is simply reckless and irresponsible for the leader of a major nuclear power to wave his sword the way he does regarding the potential use of nuclear weapons.” He looks at Putin.

In Riga, Schulz noted that China had also warned Russia against doing so in the past nuclear weapons For use in the war against Ukraine. Russia’s dependence on China has increased sharply in recent years as a result of Western sanctions, and two-way trade has expanded significantly since the beginning of the war.

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Therefore, Chinese President Xi Jinping, who is currently on a state visit to Europe, is considered one of the few heads of state who can exert influence on Putin. French President Emmanuel Macron and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also recently called on Xi to use this leverage. Put it in To convince them to end the war.

Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas also said that she should not be swayed by Russian nuclear threats. The aim of advertising is to spread fear. “That is why we should not give in to him,” Kalas said after the meeting with Schulz. Meanwhile, Callas stated that he could not completely rule out the possibility of Russia using nuclear weapons. She said Russia had „done all kinds of crazy things” in the past.

Schulz met with the heads of government of the three Baltic countries in Riga, Latvia. There he stressed the unity within NATO that Putin had sparked with his attack on Ukraine. During the visit, Schulz also backed EU plans to use revenues from frozen Russian state assets to finance arms purchases for Ukraine.

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Schultz wants to buy global weapons for quick delivery

The European Union Commission had already announced similar plans months ago. There are legal reservations regarding demands to completely confiscate about 200 billion euros of Russian state funds frozen in the European Union and hand them over to Ukraine. The Authority believes that the resulting interest income can be used without any legal problems. This is likely a low single digit billions per year.

Schulz demanded in Riga that 90% of this amount should be used to finance arms shipments to Ukraine. He also called for this money not to be used to purchase weapons only within the European Union, but rather in the entire global market. The Chancellor said: “What is actually important now is that weapons can be delivered quickly, and not for this to happen simply by building a new factory.”

At the same time, Schulz, together with the heads of government of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, called for expanding European arms production. He added that the matter has already begun in the field of ammunition and anti-aircraft systems.

The Czech Republic also buys ammunition for Ukraine

The European Union announced at the end of last year that it wanted to deliver one million artillery shells to Ukraine by spring. However, this goal was far from being achieved, which, in addition to the temporary interruption of arms shipments from the USA, led to a shortage of ammunition in the Ukrainian army and loss of territory.

Alternatively, the Czech Republic has been working for months to purchase up to 1.5 million doses from the global market for delivery to Ukraine. About 20 countries are helping to finance this initiative, including Germany with about 600 million euros. Deliveries should start in the summer at the latest.

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Follow all the current developments in Russia’s war against Ukraine on our live blog.

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What tourist behavior bothers Italians the most?

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What tourist behavior bothers Italians the most?
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Many German vacationers will return to Bella Italia in 2024. In order not to attract negative attention from local residents, they should refrain from certain behaviors.

Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for tourists to display bad manners while on vacation. Sometimes it gets to the point that the local government feels forced to take action against them: an example of this is banning entry to geisha areas in the Japanese city of Kyoto after tourists behaved disrespectfully towards the artists. In a small Japanese town near Mount Fuji, a popular photo of vacationers is obscured with privacy gauze because they leave a lot of trash behind and block paths. In Venice, fines are imposed for not wearing a shirt and swimming in the canals because many holidaymakers do not follow the rules.

Nine behaviors that make tourists instantly unpopular in Italy

Tourists in Italy are particularly negative when it comes to food. (Avatar) © Bruno Keckner/Imago

But sometimes, it doesn’t have to be a huge mistake to attract negative attention from locals while on vacation. Learning platform Prebly He conducted a representative survey of Italians living in Italy to find out which behavior of foreign guests bothers them most. 18% of locals get upset when guests don’t order traditional Italian dishes while on vacation. For 12%, ordering a cappuccino after 12 noon is a no-no. Many also find it impossible when speaking to them in a foreign language.

However, leaders of rude tourist behavior no longer fall into the category of false mistakes. Most locals, 69%, are upset when holidaymakers behave disrespectfully at memorial sites. Noise and leaving garbage behind are also a major source of inconvenience to residents (24 percent).

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In the overview you will find the nine worst behaviors of tourists to Italy from the point of view of local residents:

  • Lack of respect for memorials (69%)
  • Noise and littering (24 percent)
  • Ordering foreign dishes (18%)
  • Order cappuccino after 12 noon (12 percent)
  • Addressing local residents in a foreign language (12 percent)
  • Ongoing small talk (10 percent)
  • Don’t wait to be hired (7 percent)
  • Not being able to even say hello or thank you in Italian (5 percent)

Five tips to behave like an ideal tourist in Italy

In Italy, people are accustomed to tourists, but this does not mean that vacationers can afford anything. If you want to show your appreciation or simply want to avoid some mistakes, you can follow the etiquette below Prebly Catch:

  1. Don’t take holiday selfies in inappropriate places: Monuments and memorials are some of the most visited tourist attractions – but it’s not always appropriate to stand in front of them for a holiday photo. Pay attention to information panels explaining the context of the memorial to determine appropriate behavior.
  2. No cappuccino in the afternoon: In Italy, after midday is common coffee – Any espresso – I drank. If you order a cappuccino, you are fooling yourself and revealing yourself as a tourist – and someone who has not studied Italian coffee culture.
  3. Learn basic vocabulary: Locals enjoy when tourists know at least the most important terms in their language. For example Ciao As a greeting or farewell beauty To express gratitude.
  4. Appreciation of food culture: For many Italians, it is terrifying to see vacationers cutting spaghetti or cutting pizza into small pieces with a knife and fork. Spaghetti is rolled around the edge of the plate using a fork – no spoon – and pizza is traditionally eaten by hand.
  5. Avoid noise: In Italy there is usually a quiet period between 1pm and 3pm. She calls herself Reposo. During this period, tourists should avoid loud disturbances and act considerately.

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