A STEP FORWARD FOR THE KREMLIN IN AFRICA
Moscow may be experiencing difficulties in its war with Ukraine, but its foreign policy is still advancing on other fronts. One of them is Africa, where Russia has just authorized the development of a new oil pipeline in the Republic of Congo in a bid to expand its foothold in the continent's energy sector. The planned pipeline will be a joint venture between Russian energy company ZNGS Prometey, which will control 90% of the project, and Congo's National Petroleum Company. The two countries plan to sign a "build-own-operate-transfer" agreement within three months to finalize the relevant details. The new energy route will stretch from the port city of Pointe-Noire to the national capital, Brazzaville, and is expected to be operational for 25 years. (The Moscow Times, September 17, 2024)
THE LIMITS OF TURKISH SUPPORT
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, whom Vladimir Putin once called a "dear friend," has publicly called for the return of the Crimean Peninsula - which was unilaterally annexed by Moscow in 2014 following a staged referendum - to Ukraine. In pre-taped remarks before the Fourth Crimea Platform Leaders Summit on September 11th, Erdogan made clear that his country's "support for Ukraine's territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence" remains "unwavering," and argued that "[t]he return of Crimea to Ukraine is a requirement of international law."
The statement reflects the delicate balancing act long long performed by Turkey with regard to Russia. Though a longstanding member of NATO, the country under Erdogan's leadership has maintained cordial ties to the Kremlin and cooperated extensively with Moscow on political and economic matters. However, with regard to Ukraine, Turkey has made its position known, with Erdogan arguing that the war "needs to end with fair and lasting peace based on Ukraine's territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence." Whether this latest example of public opposition will adversely affect ties between Ankara and Moscow remains to be seen. (Newsweek, September 11, 2024)
NATO BEEFS UP ARCTIC DEFENSES AGAINST RUSSIA
The recent accession of Sweden and Finland to NATO has given the Alliance greater reach and capabilities in the Arctic, and the bloc is now contemplating how best to strengthen oversight over the region. This could involve developing a new combined air operations center (CAOC) in the region, U.S. officials have said. If created, such a new CAOC would be NATO's third, and dedicated to responding to increasingly frequent Russian incursions into the NATO airspace, which, on average, now occur 1-2 times a week.
However, significant hurdles for the project exist. One is the climate and difficult terrain of the region, which will require that Alliance pilots operating there have additional training as well as better situational awareness. Another is questions surrounding whether unmanned systems would be able to function in below freezing temperatures and rough conditions, especially as winter approaches. (Defense One, September 17, 2024)
RUSSIA COUNTERATTACKS IN KURSK
For weeks, Ukrainian troops have been ensconced in Russia's Kursk region following a daring raid into the country that saw embattled Kyiv capturing and holding some 500 square miles of Russian territory. Now, the Kremlin has at long last embarked on a significant counterassault, hoping to reclaim areas taken by Ukrainian forces. According to Russian military officials, their troops have "liberated" about 10 of the Ukrainian-occupied settlements so far. Though Ukrainian authorities have not released information regarding the counterattack, analysts and visual evidence suggest that Russian forces are actively engaging in the area. The Institute for the Study of War, a Washington think tank, has reported that Russian units have regained ground in the Kursk region, where they may look to divide Ukrainian forces before driving them from the area. (CNBC, September 12, 2024)
HOW RUSSIAN EDUCATION IS SUFFERING
Russia is experiencing a growing shortage of teachers, as poor salaries and poor working conditions increasingly drive out qualified instructors from schools across the country, a new investigation by opposition outlet iStories has found. "In the 2023-2024 academic year, almost three quarters of the regions (61 [federal] subjects) hired fewer teachers than [the number that] resigned, according to the Ministry of Education," it outlines. Those that have remained face a growing workload and a surging number of students. Russia's teachers also face another challenge: age. According to the iStories investigation, most teachers in Russia are now over 50 years old, and the Russian state is experiencing problems attracting new ones - at least in part because teachers now are forced to "participate" in the propaganda that has flooded the educational system since the start of Russia's war on Ukraine.
The resulting outlook is grim. "Teachers and founders of private schools Dima Zitser and Rustam Kurbatov believe that it is impossible to solve the problem of lack of teachers and low salaries while propaganda and denunciations are flourishing in schools," the report outlines. (iStories, September 2, 2024)