By Red Nesbitt, Red Phoenix correspondent, Maryland.

Recent developments

From late July to early August, Ukrainian forces launched a new offensive in the Donbas and Zaporizhzhia region after months of a vicious stalemate in the surroundings of Bakhmut (Artemivsk), capturing the villages of Blahodatne, Makarivka, Neskuchne, Lobkove, and Levadne, among others. Trench warfare was even introduced in some modern, shabby recreation of the first World War. At the time of writing, some villages in the southern Kherson Oblast are hotly contested as the Russians struggle in an incredibly desperate position in Robotyne, Stepne and Stanislav. Further, the Ukrainians — with increased support from Denmark, the Baltic nations, Czechia, and others — have bombed the occupied port of Berdiansk. This is one of the chief long-term economic goals of the Russian imperialist expansion. But their ambitious “Crimean Bridge” connecting mainland Russia to Crimea was bombed several times up to August 13. Pro-Ukrainian “partisans” have also sabotaged the crucial Azovstal steel plant in occupied Mariupol. 

International dimensions of the Ukrainian War

These are relatively minor gains for the Ukrainians, although as sanctions deepen against Russia, and more support pours in from the NATO countries to the Zelenskyy regime, Russia cannot maintain its ground for long. On a visit to Belarus, Putin declared that the Ukrainian offensive has failed. However the recent intensification of Russia’s repeated nightly bombings of Zaporizhzhia, Lutsk, Lviv, and Dnipro (Dnipropetrovsk) betray a desperation to divert the Ukrainian forces away from the Donbas before any more territory is lost.

On a global scale, the new conflict boiling up in West Africa between the military regimes of Niger, Burkina Faso, and Mali on the one hand, and the ECOWAS countries on the other, helps Russia. It comes at the perfect time for Russia to divert American and French imperialism (as France is the largest military power in the EU) away from supporting Ukraine. These two historically colossal empires might hit this roadblock of a new “front” created among their neo-colonial interests. In that case Russia may very well compensate for the recent losses in the Donbas. For the time being, the world watches with baited breath as these once-fraternal nations drown each other in the mud at the altar of divergent imperialist blocs. 

Summary of the Ukrainian war at present

We are forced to speculate on the strategic and political maneuvers of the main players. The fact remains that this war has been waged for a year and a half, with neither side decidedly holding the advantage. The citizens of both countries suffer above all others. The fear of unpopular drafts and the high casualties at the front compel Putin’s government to offer amnesty to criminals in exchange for military service. Several Russian cities have already been bombarded, including Moscow, Krasnodar, Kursk, and Belgorod.

Workers’ perspective      

The fundamental lesson is that workers around the world must resist the multiple attempts of both capitalist powers, Russia and Ukraine, to try and extend their struggle to multiple nations. In November 2022, an explosion went off in the Polish border village of Przewodów, killing two. Blame was immediately placed on Russia, who denied the bombing, while American investigation and on the ground footage revealed no missile fired on the village from the direction of Russian forces.  Ukrainian investigators were denied access by Polish authorities. This was a rushed attempt by the Ukrainian reaction to drag NATO more openly into the war against Putin. Zelenskyy also accused the Russians of a “false flag” attack in the Belarusian city of Mazyr as well as in the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant. Zelenskyy’s determination is likely renewed after the Vilnius NATO Summit did not give Ukraine a timeline for joining NATO. That would have automatically drawn the whole of NATO into armed conflict with Russia and its allies. Valuable missiles and funding were tendered to Kyiv however, including increased financial and logistical support from Finland and the Netherlands, among others. 

In the final analysis, both Russia and Ukraine launch their paltry offensives and grotesque bombing strikes that reduce civilians to collateral damage. With all of the recent developments, including the potential for war in West Africa, global conflict is the sword of Damocles that hangs over the heads of the workers and the peoples. It remains of the utmost importance for workers, east and west, in Europe, North America, West Africa, Russia, etc., to prepare opposition to a new manufactured world war. The American Party of Labor will continue exposing these maneuvers to the best of our ability, and work with our allies in preparing the field for popular resistance if this imperialist horror comes to pass. To you, workers, remain vigilant! Do not be deceived by the claims of either Russian or NATO capitalism. ANY imperialist war is to our detriment and the benefit of the capitalists. 

No war among the peoples!

No peace among the classes!

Categories: International, Russia, Ukraine