Putin’s ‘nuclear’ threats should no longer be viewed simply as ‘bluster’.

The African delegation for ‘peace’, headed by South Africa’s president Cyril Ramaphosa, met yesterday with Ukraine’s President Zelensky (left).

As reported by BBC News,

“South African President Cyril Ramaphosa called for de-escalation on both sides and negotiations for peace.

“We came here to listen and recognize what the people of Ukraine have gone through,” he said.” (BBC News : 17 June 2023) (my emphasis)

BBC News, however, further reports that,

“But Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky said instead of making diplomatic overtures to Russia it should be frozen out diplomatically to send a message that the international community condemned its invasion.

Kyiv would not enter negotiations with Moscow while it still occupied Ukrainian territory, Mr Zelensky said.” (ibid BBC News) 

And as Cyril Ramaphosa was calling for a de-escalation in Putin’s war with Ukraine Putin, however, decided to send a message to the African delegation in Kiev by targeting Kiev with missiles.

As reported by Alexandra Sharp (left),

“The delegation’s arrival in the Ukrainian capital was met with a missile barrage from Russia that injured at least four people, including a child. Reuters reported seeing the African heads of state fleeing to a nearby hotel to use its air-raid shelter, though a spokesperson for Ramaphosa later tweeted that they “didn’t hear the sirens or explosions” and that the peace mission was “proceeding as planned.” (Foreign Policy : 16 June 2023) (my emphasis)

It is rather interesting to note that the South African delegation “didn’t hear the sirens or explosions”.

Furthermore, as Tom Watling (right) reports,

“No such attacks were carried out by Russia when the Chinese envoy Li Hui visited Kyiv in May, not in the least because Putin is increasingly reliant on his communist partner, and this latest assault shows that the autocrat [Putin] has “zero respect” for the African delegation and their peace proposal, the former [US] ambassador added. ” (Express : 16 June 2023) (my emphasis)

But there was another dimension to this African delegation’s visit to Kiev.

Besides Cyril Ramaphosa speaking about “de-escalation” and “peace”, Sky News also reports that,

“Peace is not the only matter on the agenda for the African leaders, however.

Officials also want to examine how Russia can be paid for fertiliser exports it desperately needs – despite sanctions against Moscow.

They are also looking at getting more vital grain shipments out of Ukraine.

Mr Ramaphosa said after his meeting with Mr Zelenskyy that there should be an opening up of logistics for both grain and fertiliser.” (Sky News : 17 June 2023) (my emphasis)

Let us for a moment remind ourselves that,

“South Africa, Senegal and Uganda have avoided censuring Moscow for the conflict, while Egypt, Zambia and Comoros voted against Russia last year in a UN General Assembly resolution condemning Moscow’s invasion.” (ibid Sky News)

Besides bombing Kiev whilst Cyril Ramaphosa and the African delegation were in Kiev Putin has, more ominously and vigorously, threatened to unleash a “nuclear” strike against Ukraine.

As reported by  Andrew Osborn,

“President Vladimir Putin said on Friday that his deployment of tactical nuclear weapons to Belarus, something he confirmed for the first time had already happened, was a reminder to the West that it could not inflict a strategic defeat on Russia.
…
“Just talking about this (the potential use of nuclear weapons) lowers the nuclear threshold. We have more than NATO countries and they want to reduce our numbers. Screw them,” said Putin.” (Reuters : 16 June 2023) (my emphasis) 

Erin Burnett :CNN : 17 June 2023

Some might argue that Putin’s current threat about using his nukes now based in Belarus is simply ‘bluster’

However, as reported by Kate Whitfield (left),

“Rampant speculation about the health of Russian President Vladimir Putin has persisted for months, with some sources now claiming his closest allies are getting nervous about his imminent demise.
…
The intelligence, leaked from the Pentagon, marked one of the most serious leaks of US intel in recent years.
…
It claimed that Russian National Security Council Secretary Nikolay Patrushev and Russian Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov were behind the plot to “sabotage” Putin’s war effort. (Express : 13 June 2023) (my emphasis)

Putin’s ‘nuclear’ threats should no longer simply be viewed as ‘bluster’. 

UPDATE 1: 18 June 2023 

Yesterday the African Delegation, headed South African president Cyril Ramaphosa, met with Putin.

As reported by the Associated Press (reporting by NBC News),

“The African leaders then traveled [from Kiev] to St. Petersburg on Saturday to meet with Putin who was attending Russia’s showpiece international economic forum.
…
Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov (left) said after the three-hour meeting that the Africans’ peace plan consisted of 10 elements, but “was not formulated on paper.” (NBC News (Associated Press) : 17 June 2023) (my emphasis)

The Associated Press go on to report that,

“The peace initiative proposed by African countries is very difficult to implement, difficult to compare positions,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. But ”President Putin has shown interest in considering it.” (ibid Associated Press)

Hindustan Times : 18 June 2023 : YouTube 

Putin’s mouthpiece, Dmitry Peskov (right), rather let the ‘cat out of the bag’ regarding Putin’s dismissive attitude towards the African delegation’s ‘peace’ proposals when he said that these proposals are “difficult to compare positions”, and that “Putin has shown interest in considering it“.

Let us recall Putin’s recent stance regarding his use of nuclear weapons.

“Just talking about this (the potential use of nuclear weapons) lowers the nuclear threshold. We have more than NATO countries and they want to reduce our numbers. Screw them,” said Putin.” (ibid Andrew Osborn )  

In so many words, Putin showing “interest only” in the African delegation’s ‘peace’ proposals could be read as “Screw your ‘peace’ proposals!”