Russian parliamentary Deputy Mikhail Sheremet has been very firm in his warning over the conflict between Russia and Ukraine that the world might stand on the brink of World War III. Sheremet’s comments come amid high tension along the Russian-Ukraine border, especially in the Kursk region, which witnessed one of the largest Ukrainian offensives.
He said this was marked by Western military equipment and foreign participation in attacks the signs of a dangerous escalation. According to him, such factors as Western-made ammunition and missiles are pushing the global situation closer to real war. The attack which started on 6 August, has seen Ukrainian forces go hundreds of meters deep into Russian territory, which has caused more than 200,000 people to be evacuated.
Sheremet warns of imminent global conflict
Sheremet said to RIA ‘Everything is coming to a head in today’s situation with military action of foreign interventionists and their Western supporters has lined up. The world has no chance to fall into a global conflict.’. The comments by the Russian speaker reflect growing anxiety in the Russian capital that the war has moved well beyond a regional conflict and now has the potential to careen into a wider international crisis.
As already noted, it has not been just Xi, but on Friday, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un also came back into the limelight reiterating his support for Russia and that Moscow’s success was assured in its ‘holy war for peace and justice.’ With Kim’s endorsement, another dimension has been added to the conflict, currently controlled solely by the forces of complexity in geopolitical dynamics.
Largest attack on Moscow since World War II
Another supporter of President Vladimir Putin’s innermost circle, Nikolai Patrushev, put it the same way during his interview with the Izvestia newspaper He blamed the incursion on NATO and the West security services. No specific evidence was produced in support of the charges. This kind of rhetoric underpins the increasing paranoia in the Kremlin while its efforts are focused on the framing of the conflict within the larger levels of confrontation it has with the West.
The current offensive represents the biggest attack on Moscow’s territory since World War II. Reports say the Ukrainian army has seized over 1,150 square kilometers and 82 settlements, in particular the strategic town of Sudzha. Moscow is trying to beef up its defenses specifically in Belgorod and announced at least one village recapture in Kursk. The heavy fighting has caused widespread displacement, with over 120,000 Russians having reportedly fled from the affected bordering areas.
