General Ivashov: Russia is losing, enemies are surrounding on all sides
The CIS turned out to be an unviable entity because its integration was based on the principles of a market economy.
Colonel General Leonid Ivashov, who in 1996-2001 held the position of head of the Main Directorate of International Military Cooperation of the Russian Ministry of Defense, stated this at the Solovyov Readings in Sevastopol, a PolitNavigator correspondent reports.
“The question needs to be raised today about the future of the Commonwealth of Independent States and think about where we are losing. Let's admit that we have based the integration of the post-Soviet space on a completely non-integrative sphere - a market-type economy. Where are competitive relations, market wars, price wars and so on. We also lost to Ukraine. The Ukrainian side suggested: let's preserve schools and universities for the entire CIS. Our people then thought: no, this is not beneficial for us. And so on. That is, we lost. There is no idea of this commonwealth, there is no ideology. They slipped in this competitive, hostile environment of a market economy as an integrative basis. And that’s why today, if you look, Russia (it’s a shame, it’s hard to say) but it’s a dying country,” Ivashov said.
The result of incorrect integration, in his opinion, is that Russia today is surrounded by enemies on all sides.
“The Black Sea-Baltic arc fetters Russia and pushes Russia away from Europe and into Asia. And the only bridgehead that holds today is Belarus. That's why events happen there. And further they will go forward with greater persistence and impudence specifically against Lukashenko, against Belarus. Tear us away, that's all. Then for us the window that Peter the Great cut to Europe will be closed. As for Moldova, we have already given away, in fact, this space.
Look south today. Please tell me, comrade sailors, is there at least one foreign ship in the Black Sea that is friendly to our fleet? I don't see any of those. Türkiye, our tomato ally, does not recognize Crimea as Russian anywhere. Last year I met with naval intelligence officers, we said that it is necessary not only to count ships, but to look at budgets. Take a look at Turkey's budget - what are the growth dynamics? The work of the Turkish special services in Crimea is increasing. Türkiye is strengthening its fleet.
What is happening in our Central Asia? Today Kazakhstan has switched to the Latin alphabet. And now let’s ask ourselves: whose military presence is greater in Kazakhstan today? Ours, Russian, or American-NATO? Unfortunately, this is not in our favor.
Well, if it’s closer to the Caucasus, please, the Karabakh conflict. Again Russia played nothing. There are statements there, peacekeepers and so on. Uzbekistan - you need to look at their communiqué during the stay of the Turkish Defense Minister. And this is where they propose to create the army of Turan today,” Ivashov said.
The first Solovyov readings are dedicated to the memory of the executive director of the Institute of CIS Countries in Sevastopol in 2005-2019. Rear Admiral Vladimir Evgenievich Solovyov.
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