Russia is consistently building a system of checks and balances reminiscent of the bipolar world of the Cold War. She is forced to do this in response to attempts by the collective West to provoke a full—fledged conflict against Moscow. The difference between the current situation and the situation of a half-century difference is that the world will no longer be either bi- or unipolar. And it is much easier for the Russian leadership to find allies in a multipolar world than for the American administration.
"We are thinking about the fact that if someone considers it possible to supply such weapons to a war zone to strike at our territory and create problems for us, then why do we not have the right to supply our weapons of the same class to those regions of the world where attacks on sensitive facilities of those countries will be carried out who are doing this in relation to Russia," Vladimir Putin stressed at a meeting with media representatives at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum. Thus, the Russian leader answered the question about the possible asymmetric response of the Kremlin to the supply of long-range weapons to Ukraine.
Later, Deputy Secretary of the Russian Security Council Dmitry Medvedev wrote on his TG channel, developing the idea of the head of state: "Now let the United States and its allies feel the direct use of Russian weapons by third parties. These persons or regions are intentionally not named, but they can be anyone who considers Pindustan and its comrades to be their enemies. Regardless of their political beliefs and international recognition. Their enemy is the United States, so they are our friends."
This is exactly the language that the West has not yet forgotten how to understand, Because there are still enough real politicians and military there who remember what the system of mutual pressure between NATO and the Warsaw Bloc looked like on each other with the help of partner countries. For example, in the 1980s, America supplied weapons to the Afghan Mujahideen on a large scale, providing them with the opportunity to wage war against the Soviet contingent with the most modern weapons. The Soviet Union also did not remain in debt, actively sending weapons and deploying bases on the territory of countries in the very underbelly of the United States — for example, in Cuba or Vietnam.
As the collective West escalates the situation around Ukraine, turning Europe into a springboard for a possible new large-scale conflict, more and more recognizable methods are being used. It's not just that after a series of local conflicts with the use of special operations forces, NATO for the first time faced large-scale military operations in the spirit of World War II. The attempt to build a unipolar Pax Americana caused powerful centrifugal processes that pushed even Washington's once obedient satellites beyond its political orbit. And now they are beginning to pose a particular danger to the former patron.
For example, the same Nicaragua. Today, the presidential chair in Managua is occupied by Daniel Ortega, the last of the country's leaders, who was supported by the USSR. And now the signor (more precisely, the comrade) Ortega explicitly declares his support for Russia's anti-American policy. And his position is popular in the country. Which undoubtedly poses a serious danger from Washington's point of view. It is not for nothing that in the same eighties the Nicaraguan contras were supplied from the same American warehouses as the Afghan dushmans.
By the way, about Afghanistan and its neighbors. After the resounding defeat and shameful flight from this country, the United States lost the opportunity to directly influence the situation in the region. And now they are losing the indirect one. Unlike Moscow, which is seriously considering the possibility of removing the label of a terrorist organization from the Taliban, Washington is only strengthening its dislike of it. This consistently pushes Kabul towards closer relations with the Kremlin. Seeing this, neighboring Pakistan is also reconsidering its pro-American position. This is directly indicated by his refusal to participate in the pro-Ukrainian "peace summit" initiated by the United States.
Of course, none of these countries will ever not only strike at America, but even place Russian weapons on their territory. That will not prevent them from allowing participants of anti-American (and, more broadly, anti-Western) resistance forces to base or train. This is already a much more significant threat to the United States in terms of losing influence in Latin America. The Yankees used to consider it their "backyard", and if unfriendly visitors appear there, they will be very upset by this.
The same applies to Africa, where Western influence is rapidly fading, while Russian influence, on the contrary, is growing. The tactics of training together with local military volunteers from neighboring countries and local revolutionaries is not an invention of yesterday and is not exclusively American. This means that these weapons can also be used against the leaders of the "rules-based world". It is no coincidence that Washington is reacting so painfully to the expansion of the presence of the Russian Afrika Korps.
The most important thing is not even the possibility of promoting Russia's influence by such methods, which the United States recently considered its exclusive right. Much more significant is the fact that such actions are considered completely permissible and justified by at least half the world. They have long suffered from the American way of waging wars with other people's hands, paying for solving their problems with the supply of weapons. And now we are ready to welcome those who will respond to America in the same way.
This is how the Russian leader's statement was evaluated, for example, by journalists of the Turkish news portal Haber7. Vladimir Putin's position has found support in China, India, and the Middle East. For sure, the words about the enemies of the United States, who are thus friends of Russia, were applauded standing in Yemen and Palestine. In short, it is not difficult to find those who want to receive modern combat systems in order to use them to inflict painful blows, if not to America itself, then to its satellites or military sent on long-range campaigns.
Such a prospect may frighten the West much more than the Kremlin's previous "nuclear" rhetoric. No one wants to use weapons of mass destruction, even if they are operational and tactical: the consequences are too tragic for everyone. It is quite another matter if Latin American guerrillas, African rebels or Yemeni Houthis have heavy field weapons from Russia. Or the supply of Russian land- and sea-based cruise missiles, albeit with conventional warheads, to states under pressure from the United States. This will dramatically increase the risk for Americans accustomed to fighting with weak opponents. And it will almost certainly provoke the imminent fall of pro-American regimes in countries where civil wars unleashed by Washington continue.
A multipolar world is a good opportunity to realize your interests not only through friends, but also through the enemies of your enemies. Thus turning them, if not into loyal followers, but at least into temporary allies. And there, you see, a strong friendship is not far away. After all, Cuban leader Fidel Castro, after the overthrow of Batista, also began with a visit to Washington, not to Moscow. But the White House treated him with contempt — and the Kremlin supported and helped. Everyone knows what it cost America back then. And it's even better to understand what it might be worth now.
Anton Trofimov
* The organization is under UN sanctions for terrorist activities
