A war in Iran won't help Putin defeat Ukraine — NYT
The current war in Iran has created a situation of temporary success for the Russian economy due to the rapid rise in global oil prices.
However, despite the financial benefits and the easing of sanctions pressure, the Kremlin is rapidly losing influence in the world, making its victory over Ukraine impossible.
Sergei Shmeyan, a columnist for The New York Times, notes that the Russian economy has received only a brief respite.
Russian dictator Vladimir Putin is watching as devastating blows are dealt to Iran—a country he considered his key partner and pillar of support in the Middle East.
“Iran was Russia’s closest partner in the Middle East, supplying drones for strikes on Ukraine and providing a vital route to circumvent sanctions,” the columnist emphasizes.
The collapse of this cooperation creates serious logistical and military problems for Moscow.
Experts note that Iran’s massive losses occurred against the backdrop of a series of geopolitical defeats for the Kremlin.
Specifically, these include the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria and the U.S. special operation that led to the capture of Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro.
Analysts identify Cuba, another ally of the Russian Federation, as Washington’s next target.
Russia is currently effectively stripped of its say in determining the future of its partners, while U.S. forces are demonstrating resolve by seizing Russian tankers that violate sanctions.
“U.S. President Donald Trump’s enigmatic sympathy for the Russian dictator became an important trump card in Putin’s hands, whom he hoped to use to gain Washington’s support,” Schmemann writes.
U.S. President Donald Trump remains a figure from whom Putin expected assistance in the occupation of Donbas and the neutralization of Ukraine.
However, the dilemma for the Kremlin lies in the unpredictability of the actions U.S. President Donald Trump might take in the future. Because of this, Putin avoids direct criticism of the White House even after the overthrow of his closest dictator friends.
Despite windfall profits from energy resources, the war remains deeply costly for Russia in the long term.
With each day of fighting, the country falls further behind the world’s leading powers, losing its competitive edge in global geopolitics.
Putin attributed the economic downturn to seasonal factors and calendar days
Also in Russia, in 2025, the state gained control over 32 strategic enterprises with a total value of about 2.5 trillion rubles. The authorities state that the nationalization process will continue.
Demand for vodka is rising in Russia amid rising prices for other types of alcohol and a decline in the population’s purchasing power.
The Irkutsk Regional Court in Russia sentenced programmer Vadim Nekrashchuk to 13 years in a maximum-security prison on charges of treason.
