Battle of Kursk II: No One Writes to the Colonel

 

Since the Ukrainian Armed Forces crossed the border into Russia's Kursk region, the silence from Russia's so-called allies has been deafening. Not a peep of support for Russia, nor a word of condemnation for Ukraine. The lukewarm mumblings from Belarus' president and the ambiguous noises from China hardly count as reactions.

Let’s not forget about the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), that relic of the post-Soviet era which includes Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, and Tajikistan. For years, Putin and Russia posed as the guardians of security across this group, using the CSTO as a leash to keep its members in line.

But here’s the kicker: Putin hasn’t even asked the CSTO for help in repelling the Ukrainian invasion. Could it be that he’s too proud to show Russia’s weakness by begging for assistance? Or maybe those quiet backdoor negotiations with CSTO members didn’t go so well. The signs are there if you know where to look—like the sudden tension between Russia and Kazakhstan over their unsettled border. A little territorial squabble, perhaps, but it reeks of growing unease.

Meanwhile, the world watches Ukraine’s bold move into Russian territory with a sense of calm detachment. The Russian Defense Minister’s frantic pleas to the Pentagon have fallen on deaf ears. Russia’s Foreign Ministry spouting off about Ukraine violating the Ukrainian-Russian treaty feels like something out of a Kafka story—absurd, convoluted, and thoroughly disconnected from reality.

The Germans, in a deliciously dry observation, noted that once German weapons are handed over to Ukraine, they become Ukrainian weapons, thank you very much. And the U.S.? They’ve broadened the acceptable uses of American arms in Ukraine’s capable hands.

And then there’s Putin, perched precariously on his political tightrope. Foreign troops are conducting a full-scale military operation on Russian soil, and what does Putin do? He mumbles something vague about a “large-scale provocation” days after the fact. Then he scrambles to label it a counter-terrorist operation.

It’s a familiar move: accuse Ukraine of terrorism while conveniently forgetting who started this war in the first place. Putin’s army has left a trail of war crimes across Ukraine, but in typical fashion, he lies, deflects, and pretends all is well.

The truth, however, is hard to ignore. Ukrainian forces control 1,000 square kilometers of Russian territory and have captured over 600 Russian soldiers. Putin’s silence is echoed by the world’s indifferent shrug. His political isolation is glaringly clear. As the old saying goes, no one writes to the colonel anymore.

Glory to Ukraine!