
"OPINION - You can never count Russia out. More than three years after Vladimir Putin's failed blitzkrieg on Kyiv, Moscow is proving it still has plenty of punch on the world stage as Putin continues to pursue his brutal war on the conventional battlefields of Ukraine and expand his war of sabotage, propaganda, and political action against the United States and its allies around the world."
"Last week, at a Chinese military parade, Putin that he can stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Chinese President Xi Jinping and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. The symbolism is unmistakable: an emerging authoritarian axis, flexing its muscles in open defiance of the United States. What's more, Putin and Xi are working to pit countries like India, Türkiye, Brazil and other "non-aligned states" against Washington."
"Washington would like to see Putin as an isolated pariah - sanctioned, weakened, irrelevant. Nothing could be further from the truth. Russia may not be a superpower on its own - its military is degraded; its economy ranks only 11th in the world and Moscow's war in Ukraine is grinding down the Kremlin's already limited financial reserves. But Russia, in its weakened state, is an increasingly important ally and source of cheap natural resources for the People's Republic of China."
Russia maintains significant global influence despite setbacks, continuing conventional combat in Ukraine while expanding sabotage, propaganda, and political operations against the United States and allies. Putin's visible alignment with Xi Jinping and Kim Jong-un signals an emerging authoritarian axis challenging Washington. Moscow and Beijing are working to draw India, Türkiye, Brazil and other non-aligned states away from Western influence. Russia's military and economy are weakened and financial reserves are strained, yet Russia remains a valuable ally and supplier of inexpensive natural resources to China. Chinese leaders gain strategic advantage as Russian actions absorb Western attention, allowing Beijing to advance its global ambitions. Military cooperation is deepening, including recent joint naval drills in the Sea of Japan.
Read at The Cipher Brief
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