Turkey offensive
Turkey’s president again hinted at a possible new ground offensive in Syria against Kurdish militants yesterday, as Syrian forces denounced new airstrikes and Russia urged restraint and called on Ankara to avoid an escalation. Russian presidential envoy in Syria, Alexander Lavrentyev, said that Turkey should “refrain from excessive use of force” in order to prevent an escalation in Syria, where tensions heightened over the weekend after Turkish airstrikes killed and wounded a number of Syrian soldiers. Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces later said fresh Turkish airstrikes yesterday struck a base the group shares with the USled coalition in the fight against Isis (Islamic State). Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said Turkey’s actions would not be limited to aerial strikes, suggesting a possible new incursion. “We have been on top of the terrorists for the past few days with our planes, artillery and drones,” Erdogan said. “As soon as possible, we will root out all of them together with our tanks and soldiers.”
Vladimir Putin summoned the spirit of the Cold War yesterday as he unveiled a statue of Fidel Castro alongside the Cuban president and launched two nuclear-powered icebreakers to help Russia dominate the Arctic.
In a snowy Moscow square now named after the former Cuban leader, the Russian president praised Castro as a great man. Putin stood side-byside with Miguel Diaz-Canel, the Cuban President who is combining this trip with a visit to China. One of a shrinking number of loyal allies of Moscow, he said that he supported the invasion of Ukraine.
Earlier in the day, from the warmth of his Kremlin office, Putin stood glumly to attention as he watched by teleconference the launch of the Yakutia and Ural icebreakers in St Petersburg, a move that follows the re-opening of Soviet-era naval bases on Russia’s northern shores.
He said: “Both icebreakers are part of our large-scale, systematic work to re-equip and replenish the domestic icebreaker fleet, to strengthen Russia’s status as a great Arctic power”.
The Arctic has become one of the world’s most contested regions. Control of it gives access to huge oil and gas reserves as well as short trade routes between Europe and Asia.
Global warming has opened up shipping lanes and Putin issued a new Navy doctrine that put influence over the strategically important Svalbard archipelago at its core.
The two new icebreakers join two others already in service, giving Russia what Putin said was the world’s most powerful icebreaker fleet.
He added: “The development of this most important transport corridor will allow Russia to more fully unlock its export potential and establish efficient logistic routes”.
Prosecuters said the defendant would have been able to see large parts of the camp from her office, including an area where new prisoners arrived. She also must have been able to see and smell smoke from the burning of bodies at the crematorium, the prosecutor added. Furchner hasn’t responded to the charges against her during the trial.