US Defense Secretary: The outcome of the Russia-Ukraine conflict will help determine the course of global security in the 21st century
According to the Russia Today TV website, US Defense Secretary Austin said on the 19th that the outcome of the Russia-Ukraine conflict will reshape the geopolitical order of the 21st century, and emphasized that the "stability and prosperity" of the West are also involved.
According to the report, Austin said in a speech at the International Security Forum in Halifax, Canada, "The outcome of the war in Ukraine will help determine the course of global security in this young century, and those of us in North America will definitely We cannot sit idly by.”
U.S. Secretary of Defense Austin delivered a speech at the Halifax International Security Forum. Source: Associated Press
The New York Times said that Austin was the leader of the United States. The 30-minute speech, in which he defended his support for Ukraine in the conflict, was his strongest statement to date on the Russia-Ukraine conflict and spelled out what the Biden administration sees as the conflict's consequences for the United States and its allies. High risk. Austin also called the fight for Ukraine "the most serious crisis facing the United States" since the end of World War II.
The US Defense Secretary also said that "stability and prosperity on both sides of the Atlantic are at stake" and insisted that Russia's military actions "undermine the rules-based international order that keeps us all safe."
RT pointed out that the Western term "rules-based international order" is often used interchangeably with "liberal world order". It includes a network of institutions dominated by the West, such as the World Bank, World Trade Organization, The United Nations, the European Union and NATO, the institutions that have regulated diplomacy, trade and conflict around the world since the end of World War II.
Russian President Putin Source: TASS
Previously, when commenting on this statement, Russian President Putin said that instead of benefiting the entire world, this order has become a tool used by the United States. The rest of the world has become its "vassal" tool of "unipolar hegemony". He said in a speech in September: "Western countries insist on a rules-based order. Where did that come from? Who has seen these rules? Who agreed or approved them?"
Putin also said, "Russia is a big country with a history of thousands of years and a complete civilization. It will not survive according to such temporary and wrong rules." The report pointed out that Putin has talked about establishing a competitive system on many occasions. A "multipolar" world order in which multiple superpowers balance and restrict each other, and disputes are resolved according to law rather than "rules" set by the West.
Extended reading
Ukraine says that peace talks with Russia are tantamount to surrender. Are Russia and Ukraine ready to fight until next year?
According to Ukrainian statistics, among the more than 8,300 civilians killed in Ukraine since the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine conflict in February, at least 437 were children. Mikhailo Podolyak, chief advisor to the Ukrainian President’s Office, said in an interview that “negotiating with Russia is surrender.”
On the evening of November 19th to 20th local time, multiple explosions occurred around the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant in eastern Ukraine. Russia and Ukraine each insisted on their own opinions, and both blamed the other party as the initiator.
The "Washington Post" reported on November 19 that the latest intelligence shows that Iran will help Russia manufacture drones on Russian territory for use in Russia's special military operations against Ukraine. At present, all parties have refused to make any comments in response to this intelligence news. However, an Iranian spokesperson stated that Iran and Russia had always had "bilateral defense, scientific and research cooperation" long before the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Russia and Ukraine are both ready to fight until next year
According to the "New York Times" report on November 21, Zelensky said in a regular speech that "only November 20 On the same day, nearly 400 shellings occurred in eastern Ukraine." Among them, the most intense conflict was in the Donetsk region. Despite the severe local weather conditions, Russia still launched "very frequent" shellings.
Another focus of attention in eastern Ukraine is the Luhansk region, where Ukraine has stepped up its counterattack. Zelensky said that the Ukrainian army is advancing steadily in the Luhansk region. However, affected by the worsening weather conditions, both Russia and Ukraine had to adjust their tactics. The fighting situation around Svatove and Crimena, currently controlled by Russia, has shown a slowdown.
After Russia withdrew its troops from the city of Kherson, Ukraine is working hard to restore local infrastructure. According to a report by Voice of America on November 20, the first supermarket in Kherson has resumed business. , deeply welcomed by local Ukrainian residents. The supermarket also provides mobile phone charging services as local power has not yet been fully restored. According to a report by Al Jazeera on November 20, the first train from Kyiv to Kherson in nine months arrived on November 20. The Ukrainian State Railways stated that the train was carrying 200 passengers.
Because the local electricity, heating and other infrastructure in Kherson City were destroyed and living conditions were relatively poor, Ukraine is also helping to organize the evacuation of local residents from Kherson. However, Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Irina Veleshuk emphasized that this was not a "mandatory" evacuation. Local residents were free to make their own choices, and transportation and other related costs would be borne by the state.
Screenshot of the report
According to the "Washington Post" report on November 20, both Russia and Ukraine are preparing for the conflict to continue into next year.
The Ukrainian army also faces multiple challenges, including multiple lines of defense from Russia, muddy road conditions affected by weather conditions, insufficient manpower, and depleted ammunition supplies.
Ukraine: Peace talks with Russia are tantamount to surrender
Ukrainian Prosecutor General Andrei Kostin said on November 19 that since Russia launched special military operations against Ukraine, More than 8,300 civilians were killed in Ukrainian violence, including at least 437 children, and more than 11,000 civilians were injured. According to a report by the New York Times on November 21, Kostin also said that because Ukraine is unable to obtain data on Russian-occupied areas, the actual number may far exceed this estimate. Andrei Kostin also said that Ukraine has recorded a total of about 45,000 war crimes by Russia for future prosecution.
Previously, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights stated in a report on November 14 that 408 children were among the 6,557 civilians killed, and 10,074 civilians were injured, including 750 children. The report also mentioned that the actual number of casualties may exceed this estimate.
In addition, the Russia-Ukraine conflict has also directly affected Ukraine's unemployment rate. According to the British "Guardian" report on November 21, Ukraine's Deputy Minister of Economy Tetyana Berezhina said that about 5 million Ukrainians have lost their jobs due to the Russia-Ukraine conflict, which has "destroyed Ukraine's labor force." market".
According to a report by the "Moscow Times" on November 20, Mikhailo Podolyak, chief advisor to the Ukrainian President's Office, said in an interview with AFP that Ukraine has achieved a series of military victories. Later, Western countries' attempts to urge Russia-Ukraine peace talks were "very strange", which meant "requiring countries that are recovering lost territory to surrender to the losers." In addition, Podoljak also said that Russia's so-called "peace talk signal" is just delaying time to buy time for Russia to train soldiers, raise armaments, strengthen positions, etc., so peace talks with Russia are "unreasonable."
The Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant was shelled, and Russia and Ukraine blamed each other
On the evening of November 19th and 20th local time, ten incidents occurred at the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine controlled by Russia. Multiple explosions. According to a CNN report on November 20, the International Atomic Energy Agency stated that according to information provided by the nuclear power plant management department, some buildings, systems and equipment were damaged. Fortunately, facilities critical to nuclear safety have not been damaged so far. .
International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Grossi said he was "deeply disturbed" by the news and that the explosion at the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant was "totally unacceptable." He also said in the statement: "No matter who is behind it, it must stop immediately. As I have repeatedly emphasized before, this is playing with fire!" Grossi once again called on both sides to delineate a demilitarized zone around Zaporozhye as soon as possible . In recent months, the International Atomic Energy Agency has actively negotiated with Russia and Ukraine to delineate the demilitarized zone. Although no legal consensus or agreement has yet been reached, Grossi said that he "will not give up" and "the shelling incident has It further proves the necessity of demarcating a demilitarized zone.”
Information map of Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant
Currently, both Russia and Ukraine accuse the other party of launching an attack on the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant. The State Nuclear Power Company of Ukraine issued a statement on the 20th stating that Russia had launched more than 12 shelling attacks on the infrastructure of the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant in order to hinder Ukraine from restoring power supply. The Russian Ministry of Defense issued a statement saying that the explosion at the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant was an attack launched by Ukrainian troops. The authenticity of any of these statements cannot be independently confirmed.
According to a report by the "Washington Post" on November 20, U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin warned at the Halifax International Security Forum on the 19th that the conflict between Russia and Ukraine could promote nuclear weapons. Diffusion “becomes a reality”.
Iran may manufacture drones for Russia’s special military operations
According to a report by the "Washington Post" on November 19, Iran has reached an agreement with Russia to conduct drone operations on Russian territory. Manufacture of drones for Russia for use in special military operations. Russia and Iran are currently moving quickly to put it into production within a few months.
It is reported that this agreement was reached in Iran in early November. Previously, Iranian President Raisi met with Russian Federation Security Council Secretary Patrushev in the capital Tehran on November 9, local time. Sources said that Iran's manufacturing of drones for Russia means that the alliance between the two countries has further deepened. These drones may be mainly used to carry out air strikes on the infrastructure of Ukrainian cities and cut off the power and tap water supplies of the people. Sources believe that Iran has been trying to create a "neutral image" in the Russia-Ukraine conflict and hopes to circumvent Europe's new round of economic sanctions against Iran by actually assembling drones on Russian territory.
Currently, all parties have refused to make any comments in response to this intelligence news. But a spokesman for Iran's mission to the United Nations in New York said that Iran and Russia had always had "bilateral defense, scientific and research cooperation" long before the Russian-Ukrainian conflict broke out.
According to the British "Guardian" report on November 21, French Defense Minister Sebastian Le Corni stated in an interview that France has once again provided assistance to Ukraine with two sets of air defense systems.
So far, France has provided 550 million euros in military assistance to Ukraine and has also helped train some Ukrainian soldiers.