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Joekan Zeleko in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
AS the bombs and gunfire continue to crack open Ukraine, the first truth that should never be forgotten is that Russia-Ukraine crisis did not start with Moscow’s special military operation in Kiev. NO!
Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine is a culmination of many events, in which the United States (US) and its allies, would have avoided the war if they had not urged on Ukraine to continue activities that provoked the safety of its neighbour, Russia.
The war is a failure in diplomacy and understanding of geopolitics by the Ukrainian government led by Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
It is fact, not fiction, that the US and its allies in western Europe have ganged up against Russia over Ukraine and in all of this, Africans are found in the mix.
When it comes to the safety of refugees, cats and dogs come first before black people in Ukraine.
It is also fact not fiction, that the US and its allies have for long been pained by Russia’s inroads into Africa in terms on investments, anchored on win-win deals.
In Africa, Russia has of late been strengthening its relations with the continent through win-win deals without post-colonial prejudices like western Europe which has not dropped colonial hangover and seen Africa as subservient to it.
Russia has grown its reputation in Africa as a fair dealer and pure business partner unlike western Europe which uses chicanery, deception, racism and sanctions to gain access to vast untapped natural resources.
Where the US and its allies have abused terms like democracy, good governance and accountability in order to keep African governments under check, Russia has gone for straight business deals.
Russia has no colonial stories with Africa. It was never a colonial power in Africa. But the US and its allies fear the ever expanding Russian influence in Africa.
So where do Africans stand in the Russia-Ukraine conflict?
Besides vast business investment done by Russians, there are a lot of African students in Russia and Ukraine.
There are also a lot of Africans in western Europe and US. So, patriotic Africans have no choice, but to quickly follow events as they unfold.
They mostly support Russia in the conflict, but they might not declare it openly.
The treatment of Africans or black students by Ukraine is certainly informed by its pro-western values that see black people as second class.
The post-colonial hangover an obsession with ill-treating black people.
But look at Russia. It has asked all black refugees that are being ill-treated by white Ukrainians to report to its military forces there and Russia will arrange their uplifting to safety and eventually repatriation to home countries.
The difference between the Russian ideology and western Europe ideology in terms of black people is too vast.
You can see how neo-Nazism is at play in Ukraine. Is it not funny that the US and its allies are now supporting neo-Nazism?
Is it not unheard of that the US and its allies are now sponsoring neo-Nazism?
The reason is very simple, for a few years the US and its allies had seen Ukraine look west policy as an opportunity to deal with Russia militarily.
They are prepared to throw away their anti-Nazi sponsorship simply because it gives them an opportunity to crush Russia.
Of course, the US and its allies knew of the Minsk Agreement which barred Ukraine from allowing NATO to expand towards Russia.
Ukraine was supposed to keep the red line clear, but it chose to allow NATO to straddle the red line.
The conflict itself is very clear. After Ukraine started betraying Russia by becoming clearly pro-western, Russia saw it fit to defend its borders through a special military operation.
The operation was meant to protect Russians in the South East of Ukraine, who for eight years where under bombardment from Ukraine. Russia could not accept that. It cannot accept it.
In the final analysis, it is clear that the US and its allies are trying to isolate Russia and ring-fence it with enemy states.
The US and its allies would be happy to leave Russia with no friends at all. They would be happy to destroy Russia.
They will be happy to paint Russia as a rogue state and yet they provoked Russia into this Ukrainian special military operation.
Propaganda or no propaganda, Ukraine had become a bad and dangerous neighbour to Russia.
It was beginning to give Russia’s enemies a platform from where they would attack Russia with much ease.
For Africans in general, and Zimbabweans in particular, the illegal sanctions imposed on Russia over the special military operation in Kiev, reminds them of the more than 20 years of suffering under the illegal sanctions imposed on the southern African country by the same culprits US and its allies, over its genuine land reform programme
Russia also has too many huge investments in Africa that makes it very special for African governments.
The same US and its allies in the European Union (EU) that imposed sanctions of Zimbabwe without a United Nations resolutions have done exactly the same on Russia. Hypocrites!
Zimbabwe is, therefore, quick to draw parallels with anger and disgust that what they are feeling over the illegal sanctions is exactly what the Russians are feeling over, a very genuine political manoeuvre.
Russia has to defend its interests. It cannot just watch and fold hands while a neighbour sells it out.
The US and its allies have pumped every ear with lies and propaganda. They have tried to make everyone in the world buy their lies.
The truth is that Russia reacted to provocation from Ukraine. That truth will not change, no matter what the allies want us to believe.
Russia is very correct in defending its territorial integrity and Russia should not be treated as the villain.
Jeokan Zeleko is a freelance Pan African journalist based in Ethiopia.
Online Reporter