The DSR Daily Brief Newsletter – Wednesday, May 25, 2022
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Ukraine
Yesterday marked 90 days of war in Ukraine. Officials there gave estimates of Russian combat losses, including 29,350 personnel. Russian media differs significantly in its reporting. The Ukrainian death toll is estimated at 3,930 civilians and between 3,000 and 11,000 troops, depending on the source. Zelensky has largely downplayed Ukrainian casualties – possibly for morale reasons – but is speaking up about the increasing number in Donbas.
The Americas
Soldiers from Colombia will train forces in Ukraine on landmine removal. Landmines are pervasive in Colombia due to 50 years of fighting between the FARC rebels and the government. The country has seen an estimated 12,152 victims as of January, 2022.
America’s own weapons problem once again resulted in tragedy, with an 18 year-old gunman killing 19 children and two adults at an elementary school in Texas. In response, President Biden asked, ‘When in God’s name are we going to stand up to the gun lobby?’
Canada is sending $98 million in military aid to Ukraine, including 20,000 155mm artillery shells – compatible with M-777 Howitzers.
Europe and Central Asia
According to Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto, Finland and Sweden are sending delegations to Ankara to ‘try to resolve Turkish opposition’ to their NATO applications. Turkish president Tayyip Erdoğan’s stated goal in blocking accession is stopping the countries’ alleged support of Kurdish ‘terrorist organizations,’ but this seems like a deflection, given his plans for a new military operation in Syria.
Norway’s Climate and Environment Minister Espen Barth Eide announced a significant policy shift regarding Arctic development. Prior to the war, Norway was ‘unimpressed’ with a proposed EU ban on oil and gas extraction in the Arctic. Problematic Russia ties and the push for renewable energy sources led Eide to the conclusion that, ‘[t]he future of the High North does not lie in oil and gas’ but rather in the ‘green shift.’
The Indo-Pacific
Russia’s foreign minister Sergey Lavrov announced plans to strengthen relations with China. His goal is complete economic independence from the West.
Australia’s new prime minister laid out his first condition for a relationship reset with China: remove tariffs on Australian goods. China views the ball as being in Australia’s court with the opportunity to be less ‘provocative’ toward Beijing. This likely refers to former PM Scott Morrison’s love of anti-China rhetoric. However, as predicted, Morrison’s drift into outright racism backfired and helped sway the vote toward Anthony Albanese.
The Middle East and Africa
Iran had access to sensitive IAEA documents and used them to evade detection of nuclear activity, according to new reporting.
Pfizer will lower vaccine prices in 45 of the world’s poorest countries, starting with Ghana, Malawi, Rwanda, Senegal and Uganda. African and other emerging markets represented one fifth of Pfizer’s 2020 sales revenue at $8.4 billion.
Doctors in Africa note a ‘double standard’ in reporting on monkeypox in the US and Europe. The UN says the outbreak can still be contained.
DSR Exclusives
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The DSR Network Team (Chris Cotnoir, Grant Haver, and Katherine Hill)
