North Asia

The Chinese continue to buy Russian oil at discounted prices, financing Putin's war against Ukraine. There are doubts, however, that China will defy secondary sanctions from Europe and the U.S., its main trading partners. Russian expert: only "rhetoric" from Brics meeting.

Ankara lifts its veto on the entry of Sweden and Finland into the Atlantic Alliance. In return it gets maximum cooperation in the fight against Kurdish groups, from the PKK to the Ypg. The domestic press celebrates the West's surrender to the president's demands as he continues to negotiate with the Kremlin to operate in Syria. For the sultan, a diplomatic victory ahead of the 2023 presidential election.

The director of the St. Petersburg museum says art is a form of militarism and imperialism. Journalist Pavljučik advises him to look at photographs of destroyed Ukrainian families. Director Nevzorov: "Today in Russia the last bastion of decency has fallen. Fascism knocked on the door of the Hermitage, and they opened it."

They come from the poorest provinces of the country. They have no source of livelihood other than conscription and war. The families of the fallen avoid talking about the conflict. They send thugs and stragglers to fight.

The countries with which Russia feels itself at odds today are not "enemies," but "unfriendly" countries. The theses of Vladimir Solov'ev, who at the threshold of the 20th century recalled the "feminine nature" of Russia to ponder the depths of this definition. In this perspective, war is a reaction that affirms the injustice and masculine violence of a West that lives for itself and does not honor its bride's capacity for sacrifice, her desire to generate a new world.

Today's headlines: a U.N. investigation determines that Israeli security forces killed Shireen Abu Aqla; Afghanistan lacks medicine for earthquake survivors, yesterday five more victims of aftershocks; Vietnamese church organizes a "National Synodal Cup 2022-23" soccer match; Siberia floods destroyed two bridges, isolated villages.

Annual meeting of the group formed by Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. The unifying trait is the desire to increase trade cooperation and promote a multipolar world. The final communiqué makes no mention of Putin's proposals to weaken the role of the dollar. Sino-Indian disagreements hinder the strengthening of the partnership between the five countries.

Metropolitan Antonij replaces Ilarion, who was removed by Patriarch Kirill and sent to the Budapest See. "Geopolitical challenges and the order of world Orthodoxy" are the patriarchate's priorities. Shadow of war in Ukraine. Fight against those who want to impose an "ecclesiology foreign to Orthodoxy."

So far the Russians have used Belarus to launch missiles and as a short cut to try to take Kiev. Critics and supporters of Lukashenko are against involvement in the conflict. Moscow pushing for direct Belarusian intervention.

Kazakhstani president defends Kiev's territorial integrity. Attacked by Putin cronies. Kazakhs fear that their country may be in the same situation as Ukraine in the future. U.S. notes distancing and signals openness to Nur-Sultan.

The Kerč link connects the two southern ends of the Azov Sea. The Russian president wanted to rebuild it after the annexation of Crimea. The Russians militarized it in fear of a Ukrainian attack. Kiev admits it is currently unable to strike it.

Why does the Moscow Patriarchate strongly support aggression against Ukraine rather than peace? Its ambiguities are already found in the “Bases of the Social Concept of the Russian Orthodox Church”, adopted in 2000. Kirill would like to mark military victory with the reunification of all Russians, but so far all he has seen is the loss of many parts of a Church that would like to become universal.