Putin admits he is facing “serious challenges”

The last few days have seen a desperate flurry of international political maneuvering calling for “peace” in Putin’s war with Ukraine by Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva (left), a member of the BRICS forum comprising of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa.

As reported by Gabriel Araujo and Eduardo Simoes,

“Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Sunday again proposed establishing a group of countries not involved with the Russia-Ukraine war to broker peace, saying he had discussed the matter with Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping earlier this week.” (Reuters : 16 April 2023) (my emphasis)

Gabriel Araujo and Eduardo Simoes go on to report that,

“He cited Xi (President of China!) and the president of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, both of whom he met this week.

Lula had previously said the group should gather countries not “encouraging” war, adding that nations that are supplying weapons should be convinced to stop doing so.” (ibid Gabriel Araujo and Eduardo Simoes)

DW : 15 April 2023 YouTube

As early as January of this year Lula da Silva was already pushing the idea with Chancellor Olaf Scholtz of Germany of China’s Xi Jinping’s central role in “brokering” peace in Putin’s war with Ukraine.

As reported by Lisandra Paraguassu and Sarah Marsh (left),

“Lula said Brazil will work with other countries to help achieve peace in Ukraine, as his country has not taken sides.

China has an important role to play in peace talks, he said, which he will discuss on a planned visit to Beijing in March.” (Reuters : 31 January 2023) (my emphasis)

DW : 31 January 2023 : YouTube

The so-called ‘condition’ for being able to join these ‘peace’ talks specified by Lula da Silva  that,

“the [peace] group should gather countries not “encouraging” war, adding that nations that are supplying weapons should be convinced to stop doing so ” (ibid Gabriel Araujo and Eduardo Simoes) has somewhat backfired.

As reported by Amy Hawkins (right),

“China approved the provision of lethal aid to Russia for its war in Ukraine but wanted any shipments to remain a secret, according to leaked US government documents.
…
The intelligence was gathered by US agents eavesdropping on Russia’s secret service discussions, the newspaper reported. The Russians said China’s central military commission wanted the shipments to remain secret, it added.” (The Guardian : 14 April 2023) (my emphasis) 

As also reported by Katerina Ang and Christian Shepherd,

“China’s defense minister, Gen. Li Shangfu, hailed the “substantial achievements” of close cooperation with Russia’s military and said China is ready to deepen the partnership to “make new contributions to stability and security,” in the latest sign of Beijing’s commitment to its relationship with Moscow despite the war in Ukraine.

Li’s trip to Moscow, where he met Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday, follows similar recent visits by top Chinese leaders. Such displays of camaraderie have intensified concern that China is ready to provide lethal aid in support of the invasion.” (The Washington Post : 17 April 2023) (my emphasis) (cf also: Namita Singh : Microsoft (The Independent) : 17 April 2023)

Meanwhile, behind the scene of Lula da Silva putting forward Chinese president Xi Jinping as a (key?) member of this so-called “group of peacemakers”, Putin’s dyed-in-the-wool Soviet foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov (left), will soon be treading the red-carpet as he visits Brazil.

As reported by TASS,

“Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov starts his Latin American tour on Monday from a visit to Brazil.

Lavrov will meet senior officials and hold talks with Foreign Minister of Brazil Mauro Vieira within the framework of the visit’s program.” (TASS : 17 April 2023) (my emphasis)

Not, it would seem, to be outdone by Brazilian president Lula da Silva’s call for a “peace forum” headed by Xi Jinping, the Telegraph Online reports that,

“The head of Russia’s mercenary Wagner group [Yevgeny Prigozhin] (right) caused a stir by saying that an end to the war in Ukraine would be an “ideal result.”
…
“The ideal option would be to announce the end of the special military operation and declare that Russia has achieved all of its planned goals — and, in some respects, we really have achieved them,” Prigozhin wrote in comments that were picked up by Ukrainian media.” (Telegraph Online : 17 April 2023) (my emphasis)

This call for an end to Putin’s war with Ukraine, by one of his former closest and trusted advisors, is a powerful hint that serious cracks are occurring amongst Putin’s “siloviki” and his generals.

As reported by Danielle Ong (left),

“Russian officials were allegedly planning to sabotage President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine while the leader was undergoing chemotherapy, leaked Pentagon documents reveal.

The papers, which were leaked on Discord last week, also suggested that the sabotage was planned by Russian National Security Council Secretary Nikolay Patrushev and Russian Chief of the General Staff Valeriy Gerasimov.” (International Business Times : 11 April 2023) (my emphasis)

Celebrity News : 15 April 2023: YouTube

This seemingly unconnected sequence of critical events viz.:-

• Brazilian president Lula da Silva’s desperate call for a “peace forum” to end Putin’s war with Ukraine, headed by Chinese president Xi Jinping,
• Putin meeting with China’s defense minister, Gen. Li Shangfu,
• Yevgeny Prigozhin causing a stir by saying that an end to the war in Ukraine would be an “ideal result, 
• the growing and credible reports about the parlous state of Putin’s health, and,
• members of Putin’s ‘siloviki’ planning to sabotage President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine while the leader is undergoing chemotherapy

underscores, as reported by  Namita Singh (left) that,

“Earlier, Mr Putin admitted on Sunday that he is facing “serious challenges” as he celebrated the second Orthodox Easter of his war with Ukraine.” (Microsoft (The Independent) : 17 April 2023) (my emphasis)

Will Stewart (left) has just reported that,

” Vladimir Putin appeared to limp as he was filmed arriving for his second visit inside an occupied area of Ukraine.

Amid speculation about the Russian dictator’s health, Putin was seen exiting a helicopter on a supposedly spontaneous visit to visit his top commanders.
…
It comes over speculation Putin has cancer and there are plans to “throw” the war in Ukraine while he’s undergoing treatment, according to a leaked US intelligence report last week.

And the dictator recently also reported “partial loss of sensation in his right arm and leg” requiring urgent medical attention, according to General SVR Telegram channel, a Russian outlet which frequently makes claims about his ailing health” (Mirror : 18 April 2023) (my emphasis)