**Note: February 23 is Defenders of the Fatherland Day in Russia. The picture shows Russia** Putin attending a wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in the Alexander Garden in Moscow. (Visual China).
Xiao Xinxin, a special correspondent of this newspaper in Russia, and Zhen Xiang and Liu Zhi, special correspondent of this newspaper.
On the second anniversary of the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Biden announced a new round of more than 500 sanctions against Russia on the 23rd to increase pressure on Moscow. The European Union and the United Kingdom have also joined the ranks of the new round of sanctions against Russia. U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Victoria Nuland declared that the new sanctions imposed by the United States and the European Union on Russia would be "devastating" and would create obstacles for Russia to circumvent existing sanctions. Some analysts believe that the current sanctions available to Russia by the West are close to the limit, but the effect is very limited. According to Deutsche Welle, economic sanctions against Russia have not worked for two years, and not only that, but Russia's economy has been much better than most Western countries in the past year. In the opinion of analysts, in terms of the current situation, it will be difficult for Russia and Ukraine to resume negotiations in 2024. On the one hand, the positions of Russia and Ukraine are sharply opposed, and there is no political basis for peace talks. On the other hand, the West's continued efforts to fuel the fire have made the prospects for peace even more remote. Angela Stant, an expert on Russia at Georgetown University in the United States, believes that the Russian-Ukrainian conflict has entered its third year, and the war of attrition seems to continue, and the prospect of ending the conflict through negotiations is slim.
The largest sanction".
The largest U.S. sanctions against Russia", according to Bloomberg 23**, the White House issued a statement on the same day, saying that the United States ** Biden announced the imposition of more than 500 new sanctions on Russia, and the sanctions will target individuals related to the imprisonment of Russian opposition figure Navalny, as well as the Russian financial sector, defense industrial base and procurement networks. In addition, the United States will impose new export restrictions on nearly 100 entities that provide support to Russia and will take action to further reduce Russian energy revenues. According to the U.S. Treasury Department, this is the "largest U.S. sanctions" against Russia since Russia launched its special military operation in Ukraine on February 24, 2022.
America's allies "responded positively" to this round of sanctions. On the 22nd local time, the United Kingdom announced more than 50 new sanctions against Russia, including arms manufacturers, electronics companies, diamond and oil merchants, etc. In addition, the Council of the European Union officially adopted the 13th round of sanctions against Russia on the 23rd, which aims to "restrict Russia's access to drone components". Russia said in a statement on the 23rd that the EU tried to continue to put pressure on Russia through unilateral restrictive measures, but to no avail. In response to these unfriendly actions, the Russian side has significantly expanded the list of representatives of European institutions and EU member states that are prohibited from entering Russian territory in accordance with the relevant laws.
According to public data statistics from the Russian Satellite News Agency on the 22nd, in the past two years alone, Western countries have imposed 15,628 sanctions on Russia, of which the United States has imposed the most sanctions, as many as 3,500. According to the report, the Russian economy has gradually shown resilience after experiencing the initial stage of the conflict. According to data released by Rosstat in early February this year, GDP will grow by 36%, higher than the previous forecast. At the same time, the consequences of the isolation of Russia and large-scale sanctions by the United States and the West hit back to Europe like a "boomerang". Marcel Vlazscher, director of the German Institute for Economic Research, told the German "Rheinische Post" on the 21st: "The Russia-Ukraine conflict has lasted for two years, and the economic cost paid by Germany may far exceed 200 billion euros. He said that the main reason is energy
Putin's response to Western sanctions", according to the Russian "Viewpoint" newspaper 23**, Putin said in his speech on the Day of Defenders of the Fatherland on the same day** that Russia will continue to strengthen its armed forces in all possible ways to ensure that it is continuously updated and modernized with technology. The next step is planned to develop and mass-produce advanced ** and introduce artificial intelligence technologies in the military sphere. Putin also mentioned that four Tu-160M strategic bombers have been handed over to the Russian army in Kazan in recent days. According to the report, Putin flew a short-haul flight on a modernized Tu-160M strategic bomber on the 22nd. Russian media said that the Tu-160M strategic bomber can carry nuclear ** and is an important part of the "triad" nuclear forces of the Russian Federation. Russian political scientist Asafov believes that Putin has shown the West that Russia is strengthening its technological and military sovereignty despite sanctions. The New York Times said that in the two years since the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Western efforts to isolate Russia have exposed "limitations". Russia is clearly not as isolated as the United States would like. Russia's intrinsic strength gives it financial and political resilience that is likely to outlast the West's anti-Russian actions.
Putin responded with a smile to Biden's "foul language".
On the second anniversary of the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Biden's "foul language" has made US-Russian relations even more tense. According to CNN, Biden linked the existential threat of humanity to Putin at a fundraiser in San Francisco on the 21st, and used rude language to personally attack Putin.
When asked by a Russian reporter about this on the 22nd, Putin smiled and said: "Not long ago, when we were talking, you asked me who we would prefer to be the future United States ** for Russia." I said that we are ready to work with any American **. But I think that Biden is the more suitable United States for Russia. Judging by his remarks now, I think that's absolutely true. ”
The Kremlin responded on the 22nd that the United States' use of such language to the head of another country is unlikely to offend Putin, but only humiliates the United States and Biden himself. Russian press secretary Dmitry Peskov asked rhetorically, "Have you heard Putin say anything rude to you?" Never. The United States may have tried to look like a 'Hollywood cowboy,' but it didn't work out." Russian spokeswoman Zakharova said that the next time Biden uses such a rude word, he should try to remember that Americans associate this word with his son Hunter Biden. Russian Ambassador to the United States Antonov said that Biden's remarks were "outrageous and unacceptable" and that the Russian Embassy in the United States had issued a "strong" message to the United States
Reuters said that from the Russia-Ukraine conflict that broke out two years ago and continues to this day, to the recent death of Russian opposition figure Navalny, and the hype of the United States that "Russia plans to deploy nuclear ** into space", these events have led Russia and the United States and even the entire West into the biggest crisis since the end of the Cold War. The report also said that in 1983, the then ** Reagan of the United States once called the Soviet Union a "** empire", which angered the Kremlin, but even during the Cold War, it was rare to personally attack the leaders of other countries.
The United States hopes that Ukraine will adopt an active defensive tactic."
Over the past year, the frontline of the Russia-Ukraine conflict has been fierce. Russia's "Moscow Komsomol Daily" said that in May last year, the Russian army seized Artyomovsk, a key transportation place (called **mut on the Ukrainian side); The Ukrainian army launched in June last year in several directions**, but progress has been slow and ineffective for several months; Since the beginning of October last year, the Russian army has launched a new trend against the Ukrainian defense line in Avdeyevka, Maryinka, **mut and other places in eastern Ukraine. On the 17th of this month, the Ukrainian army, which was short of troops and ammunition, withdrew from the defensive town of Avdeyevka, which is regarded as the biggest change on the front line since May last year, and the "New York Times" said that this battle can be described as a "strategic and symbolic double blow" to the Ukrainian side.
How will the Russia-Ukraine conflict develop in 2024? The Financial Times quoted an analysis by the RAND Corporation, an American think tank, on the 22nd, saying that the Russia-Ukraine conflict has reached a stalemate, and a protracted war is the only prospect; The United States supports protracted warfare and hopes that Ukraine will adopt an active defensive approach, that is, adopt a more defensive posture against Russia's attack, and at the same time penetrate the front into Crimea and Russia's territory to strike at Russia's most valuable targets; Finally, as long as Ukraine persists in the protracted war, donations from the West can be expected. Some Ukrainian experts said that the Ukrainian army will mainly use drones, electronic warfare equipment and fortifications to maximize the consumption of the Russian army and hit the opponent's logistics supply, rather than competing with the Russian army on the frontal battlefield.
The most likely scenario is that a war of attrition will last beyond 2025, with both sides suffering a major **, and Ukraine will continue to rely on allies, the report argues that much of the uncertainty comes from the outcome of the United States** and how other regional conflicts, especially the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, will affect the priorities and loyalties of supporters in Ukraine and Russia.
Korotchenko, editor-in-chief of Russia's "National Defense" magazine, said that the premise for Russia to stop its special military operation is that it must control the entire southeastern part of Ukraine and the border on the Dnieper River, and put the Odessa and Mykolaiv regions under Russian control. "We must soberly assess the capabilities of the enemy and the West that we are facing. It is not expected that the end of the military operation will end this year. ”▲
February** Dynamic Incentive Program