JAIPUR: Luke Harding, an expert on the Russia-Ukraine ongoing war, said that Russian President Vladimir Putin is not interested in Russian soldiers dying, instead he is looking for a space in history while comparing himself with Stalin (1878-1953).
Harding expressed his views during a session “Invasion: Inside Russia’s War on Ukraine” at Jaipur Literature Festival on Sunday. He was in conversation with journalist Simon Sebag Montefiore.
Harding said, “He believed to have been sent by God, destiny or fate to redeem Russian lands. He has evoked a sense of victimhood among the Russians. The West is an aggressor and the ongoing war is the defensive war for its country’s survivors. However, it is not true, and the ongoing war is an imperial conquest against the former colony,” he said.
On India’s long strings of absenteeism in the UNSC and the policy to buy cheap oil from Russia, Harding said, “Much of the world, including India, South Africa and Latin America, do not see it as a European war or struggle for universal values but sees it as a local dispute. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is right when he says that is everybody’s war. If it continues what will stop Pakistan and China in the future from saying (to India) that this territory is ours.”
Harding spent months reporting on the war ground during the build-up to the conflict and afterwards and in his writings encapsulated initial days of shock and panic. The grim reality of this ongoing war, and the unheard human stories behind the headlines.
Expressing his fear if Russia wins the war, he said, “If Ukraine will fall, Putin will capture Moldova, he hates Poland, state (Russia) TV is talking about redividing Germany. Any country with a grudge against its neighbour will march over creating a new world order.”
Describing the differential impact of war on the imperialist ambitions of China, Harding said, “China will give a second thought if thinking of a military advancement in Taiwan. The penalty paid by Putin for the war is huge like sanctions, decoupling of economy etc.”
Differentiating between Zelenskyy and Putin, Harding said, “The former amplifies the national mood by the way he dresses and looks like a civilian volunteer, reading poetry, quoting Shakespeare, touring Parliament, going to front lines of war, meeting people, war widows. Putin’s contrasting figure with the most defining image is sitting on 50 metres long table with his defence minister sitting on the other side. He looks paranoid with no interest in meeting people.”
Harding expressed his views during a session “Invasion: Inside Russia’s War on Ukraine” at Jaipur Literature Festival on Sunday. He was in conversation with journalist Simon Sebag Montefiore.
Harding said, “He believed to have been sent by God, destiny or fate to redeem Russian lands. He has evoked a sense of victimhood among the Russians. The West is an aggressor and the ongoing war is the defensive war for its country’s survivors. However, it is not true, and the ongoing war is an imperial conquest against the former colony,” he said.
On India’s long strings of absenteeism in the UNSC and the policy to buy cheap oil from Russia, Harding said, “Much of the world, including India, South Africa and Latin America, do not see it as a European war or struggle for universal values but sees it as a local dispute. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is right when he says that is everybody’s war. If it continues what will stop Pakistan and China in the future from saying (to India) that this territory is ours.”
Harding spent months reporting on the war ground during the build-up to the conflict and afterwards and in his writings encapsulated initial days of shock and panic. The grim reality of this ongoing war, and the unheard human stories behind the headlines.
Expressing his fear if Russia wins the war, he said, “If Ukraine will fall, Putin will capture Moldova, he hates Poland, state (Russia) TV is talking about redividing Germany. Any country with a grudge against its neighbour will march over creating a new world order.”
Describing the differential impact of war on the imperialist ambitions of China, Harding said, “China will give a second thought if thinking of a military advancement in Taiwan. The penalty paid by Putin for the war is huge like sanctions, decoupling of economy etc.”
Differentiating between Zelenskyy and Putin, Harding said, “The former amplifies the national mood by the way he dresses and looks like a civilian volunteer, reading poetry, quoting Shakespeare, touring Parliament, going to front lines of war, meeting people, war widows. Putin’s contrasting figure with the most defining image is sitting on 50 metres long table with his defence minister sitting on the other side. He looks paranoid with no interest in meeting people.”
