The Black Sea Grain Initiative has folded and the Kremlin has launched a series of missile attacks on the port city of Odessa in Ukraine.
The reason? Allegedly because the West has impeded Russia’s own grain and fertilizer export operations. Those of us that are properly informed, however, know that there will be little truth in this – its just more bull….from the deranged centre of power in Moscow! A lashing out as Ukraine dared to create an explosion on the bridge to Crimea where Russia is in illegal occupancy.
I have visited Odessa a couple of times and it is without doubt a jewel in the crown of Ukraine’s cities and has the same status in global terms as a port city. It is a city with stunning architecture that has been subject to diverse influences over the years – for example, French and Italian much more so than Russian. UNESCO underlines, for example:
“The historic centre of Odessa represents an important interchange of human values within Eastern Europe through its heterogeneous architectural styles, developed during its rapid growth in the 19th century, that reflect the coexistence of many cultures and the combination of influences characteristic of the border area of Europe and Asia.”
So, to hear in the last few days of Russian missiles hitting a cathedral and other non-military buildings is really just deplorable, as is the loss of civilian lives.
History will be the judge of this and I doubt very much if President Putin and Russia will come out of this well. Putin’s propaganda machine may have the Russian people fooled for now but history will definitely be a more objective judge.
The application of sanctions against Russia and the withdrawal of business from engagement in Russian deals and commerce generally is also a way for business to make a statement against the wrongs being implemented by Russia. The sale by APM Terminals of its stake in Global Ports was the right thing to do as was the termination of calls in Russia by its sister company Maersk as well as similar actions by other liner operators.
But there is still a way to go with this withdrawal according to data from the Kyiv School of Economics, less than 300 of over 3350 large foreign companies that owned assets in Russia have already left and about 500 are in the process of withdrawing.
There are also others that need to ‘get on the programme’ – the operators of the dark ships and others who may even be considering stronger engagement with Moscow, for example DP World whose name has recently been added to a list of international sponsors of war by Ukraine’s National Agency on Corruption Prevention. The agency contends DP World is strengthening its cooperation with Russia and specifically that it has recently signed an agreement with the Russian state corporation Rosatom on the development of the Northern Sea Route.
Generally, it is perhaps appropriate to reflect on the words of Dwight D. Eisenhower who said: “The supreme quality for leadership is unquestionably integrity.”
