Sunday, 27 February 2022

Explained Editor's Note | The Ukraine war, pandemic in endemic stage, & questions on VIP security

 

 
 
 

Dear Express Explained reader,

 

What Russia's progress to Kyiv has been slower than was anticipated 36-48 hours ago, the reason being the use of relatively light force by the invaders perhaps in an attempt to minimise civilian casualties and prevent widespread destruction in and around the city, and unexpectedly brave and determined resistance from Ukrainian soldiers and volunteers. As I write this, fierce fighting is reported to be ongoing in the streets of the capital and other cities.

 

As I flagged to you in a special midweek newsletter, we have been explaining and analysing many aspects of the war over the last several days. I would especially recommend two detailed articles by Nirupama Subramanian on two critical factors that fed the tensions: the $11-billion undersea Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline to Germany that the US believes President Vladimir Putin will use as a geopolitical tool in Europe, and the long-running insurgency in Ukraine's east where the recognition by Russia of two separatist republics signalled the inevitability of the invasion.

 

Nirupama and Shubhajit Roy wrote separate explainers on the foreign policy bind that the crisis has put New Delhi in, torn between friendships and strategic interests on both sides, which explains its abstention in the US-sponsored vote on the UN Security Council resolution deploring the Russian invasion.

 

On Sunday, the US and its allies announced they were locking a number of Russian banks out of the SWIFT payment gateway, their most potent economic sanctions step against Putin yet. Anil Sasi explained how the SWIFT system works, and how it can be expected to hurt Russia's international financial transactions. Anil also wrote how Germany - the most important European and NATO player in the crisis, and a country with enormous stakes in the war — has been hardening its position towards Putin and, in the process, adding vital muscle to the western front against him.

 

There are a few non-Ukraine war explainers too that I would like to draw your attention to this week. Do read:


* With Covid-19 in continuous retreat around the country and with almost all restrictions having been lifted now, Anonna Dutt explained what the pandemic in endemic stage will look like, and what it will mean for control measures such as masking or distancing, as well as vaccination.

* Zeeshan Shaikh and Khushboo Narayan wrote on the Enforcement Directorate case against Maharashtra minister Nawab Malik, who was arrested this week on charges of money laundering and funding of terrorists.

* After the convicted murderer and rapist Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh was granted security cover by the Haryana government, Deeptiman Tiwary wrote on the process by which the Centre or states decide who needs to be protected, and how and by whom this protection is extended.

 

Keep reading The Indian Express Explained. Some of our content is behind a paywall, so if you haven't subscribed to The Indian Express yet, this may be the perfect time to do so. Click here to subscribe.

 

Sincerely, 

 

Monojit

 

(monojit.majumdar@expressindia.com) 

 

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