Russia-Ukraine: Week 5 + China, the Philippines, & the Solomon Islands

Russian operations in Ukraine enter week 5: We discuss the situation on the ground, Ukrainian war crimes, & what may come next.

We also talk about China and US provocations in Taiwan as well as US wargames with the Philippines, and a Chinese-Solomon Islands’ security agreement.

References:

***Why is Russia in Ukraine?***

Bloomberg – Transcript: Vladimir Putin’s Televised Address on Ukraine:
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articl…

“The purpose of this operation is to protect people who, for eight years now, have been facing humiliation and genocide perpetrated by the Kiev regime. To this end, we will seek to demilitarise and denazify Ukraine, as well as bring to trial those who perpetrated numerous bloody crimes against civilians, including against citizens of the Russian Federation. It is not our plan to occupy the Ukrainian territory. We do not intend to impose anything on anyone by force.”

***Russian Ops in Ukraine***

TASS – UN calls for investigation into reports about torture of prisoners of war in Ukraine:
https://tass.com/world/1428635

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty – Ukraine To Investigate Reports Of War Crimes Against Russian Troops:
https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-inves…

TASS – NATO took steps affecting Russia’s security before Moscow’s operation in Ukraine – Kremlin:
https://tass.com/politics/1428623

RAND – Overextending and Unbalancing Russia (2019):
https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_br…

US DoD – Background Briefing (March 28, 2022):
https://www.defense.gov/News/Transcri…

FP – U.S. Congress Accidentally Boosted Ukraine’s Far-Right:
https://foreignpolicy.com/2019/11/01/…

The Hill – Congress bans arms to Ukraine militia linked to neo-Nazis:
https://thehill.com/policy/defense/38…

MSNBC – Russia’s misguided ‘denazification’ of Ukraine is a self-fulfilling prophecy (2022):
https://www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnbc-o…

US Congress – H.R.133 – Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021:
https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-c…

Amnesty International – Ukraine must stop ongoing abuses and war crimes by pro-Ukrainian volunteer forces (2014):
https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/new…

HRW – Letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (2016):
https://www.hrw.org/news/2016/07/12/h…

***US Activity in Taiwan***

Taiwan News – The Taiwan Territorial Defense Force needs you:
https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news…

Taiwan News – NED president in Taiwan for 4-day visit:
https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news…

Atlantic Council – An opportunity for transformational leadership:
https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs…

Atlantic Council – Damon Wilson Frontlines of Freedom Remarks:
https://youtu.be/kI4QDm5G-pE

NED – BOD:
https://www.ned.org/about/board-of-di…

***US Wargames with Philippines***

AJ – US, Philippines kick off their largest-ever military drills:
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/3…

Harvard Atlas of Economic Complexity – Philippines (2019):
https://atlas.cid.harvard.edu/explore…

Xinhua – Chinese contractors to build Philippines’ fastest, longest railway: ambassador:
http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/asia…

***The Solomon Islands: China & Australia***

BBC – Solomon Islands confirms China security draft, alarming Australia:
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-austra…