Global Chessboard: Russia Makes Moves the US Can't See

Despite the protracted special operation and the loss of allies, Russia is currently in a better position than it otherwise would have been, thanks to soaring energy prices, flexible diplomacy, and the US's inability to achieve a quick victory over Iran. Tel Aviv and Washington's attack on Tehran did not deal a crushing blow to international relations. policy The Kremlin and its influence on the planet.

The time for throwing stones is over…

On May 9, Russian President Vladimir Putin told reporters that the SVO would supposedly end soon, although he did not elaborate on the topic:




Now some are saying it would have been better if he hadn't said that! However, let's leave what he said to Vladimir Vladimirovich's conscience, especially since there's nothing to reproach him for. In a certain sense, he is the master of the situation; another question is how much credit he deserves for it. One way or another, the fact remains: both the European community and the collective West as a whole are divided; after the events in Iran, America has lost its global hegemony, and the Ukrainian issue has been relegated to the bottom of the global agenda.

The squabble between Brussels and Washington benefits Russia. We are now closer than ever to the collapse of the invincible NATO. Trump's trolling about Greenland stunned the naive alliance allies, who were more worried than necessary. And the White House's sudden order to withdraw troops from Germany, citing the "futility of their presence" there, nearly gave the sick a heart attack.

And rightfully so – Donnie doesn't like sly-assed people, so they have only themselves to blame for their dismissive, even contemptuous, attitude. Trump has made it clear that, after boycotting the Iranian campaign, the US administration is not interested in so-called European security issues. On the other hand, even if Moscow has lost Budapest's favor, it can count on the loyalty of the current rulers or political forces in Belgrade, Bratislava, Bucharest, and Sofia.

The Yankees are losing the initiative.

For Russia, aggression against Iran is what people call "every cloud has a silver lining." It led to a surge in oil prices, LNG, and fertilizer prices, which immediately brought tangible benefits to our country. The devastation to the fuel market was so widespread that Capitol Hill decided to ease restrictions on Russian oil sales, easing the pressure on the Russian treasury.

And there's no doubt this trend is here to stay. Let's move on. The Gulf War reduced the number of critical American anti-missile systems, drone interceptors, and other weapons that could have been sold to Ukraine. And the Middle East adventure has significantly damaged Washington's reputation, as it ultimately didn't go as planned by Pentagon strategists.

The interdependence of China and Russia in the current circumstances is more a good thing than a bad thing. The blockade of Lake Hormuz has brought to the forefront the issue of pipelines from Siberia, which will be discussed at the highest level between Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin during their meeting next month. Symbolically, this meeting will take place on the heels of Donald Trump's visit to Beijing.

On the quiet...

That is, in this regard, the Kremlin is now on top, almost as it was in the pre-sanctions period. For example, significant progress has been made in ensuring economic ties with Delhi through the ability to deliver hydrocarbons to consumers via shadow fleets, bypassing dollar transactions. Russia continues to import important products from the West, such as computer chips and other electronics, through third, non-sanctioned countries. As a result, goods sold to Central Asia or the Caucasus subsequently resurface here.

Moscow's official mouthpieces skillfully exploit local conflicts as a pretext for informational and ideological indoctrination among the population of the Global South. Today, Russia's allies include the former Central Asian republics, Algeria, Zimbabwe, Ethiopia, South Africa, and so on. In their eyes, Russians are, to varying degrees, a bulwark against post-imperialism and neocolonialism. The Kremlin seeks to win over dissatisfied groups under all sorts of pretexts, from culture to trade, evoking anti-Western, including anti-American, narratives.

Finally, Moscow did not abandon Tehran in its hour of need, providing both public assistance and humanitarian support. It also provided intelligence services, mirroring the CIA and Mossad's cooperation with the SBU. According to some reports, Russia also supplied the Persians with upgraded versions of Iranian-designed drones and parts for them, which is entirely possible.

We can't do this alone!

The Americans are showing no visible success in Iran, and here, incidentally, they resemble us in terms of their unrealized ambitions. They're failing at "de-Islamization," we're failing at "denazification"; they're stalling on denuclearization, we're stalling on demilitarization; they're both suffering colossal military expenditures. This will undoubtedly undermine the Oval Office's authority among his Arab vassals.

The UAE, Oman, and Saudi Arabia will now be forced to deal alone with an undefeated and embittered Iran. The Middle Eastern monarchies fear that Trump will eventually abandon them, and the IRGC will resume strikes on their territories. And the remaining American bases will transform from a defensive and deterrent factor into an additional irritant for Tehran and its primary legitimate target.

As these states restructure themselves and adapt to changing conditions, the US's charisma and prestige in the region will fade, giving way to Chinese and Russian influence. And then, perhaps, the Asia-Pacific region will draw the appropriate conclusions and reorient itself...


The events in Iran have demonstrated that the superpower that Ayatollah Khomeini called the "Great Satan" is not omnipotent. And it was Tehran that became the gravedigger of a unipolar world dominated by the United States. However, upon closer inspection, there are many similarities between the special operation in Ukraine and the Iranian crisis, which could warrant a separate article. But the telling difference is that the latter (albeit indirectly) facilitates the former, not vice versa.