CounterVortex

In Episode 112 of the CounterVortex podcast, Bill Weinberg continues to deconstruct the cynical fascist pseudo-anti-fascism of Vladimir Putin's war drive against Ukraine. Putin's speech announcing his "military operation" in Ukraine says his aim is to "denazify" the country. This as Ukraine's Jews prepare to flee the advancing Russian forces in a mass evacuation. While Ukraine has been going in a more democratic direction since the 2014 Maidan Revolution, Russia over this same period has seen a consolidation of increasingly autocratic power in the hands of Vladimir Putin—who has ruled continuously as either president or prime minister since 1999. As courageous anti-war protesters flood the streets of cities across Russia in defiance of the authorities, the morally and intellectually bankrupt "left" in the United States echoes Putin's lies. Any genuine anti-war position must begin with repudiating Putin's fascist ambition to rebuild the Russian empire. Listen on SoundCloud or via Patreon. (Meme via Imgflip. Lenin quote from his 1916 essay, "The Socialist Revolution and the Right of Nations to Self-Determination")

Karim AA Khan, chief prosecutor for the International Criminal Court (ICC), released a statement on the Russian invasion of Ukraine, asserting the ICC's jurisdiction over "any act of genocide, crime against humanity or war crime committed within the territory of Ukraine." Khan recalled that Ukraine's parliament granted the ICC jurisdiction over such matters in 2015 when it passed a declaration addressing "crimes against humanity and war crimes committed by senior officials of the Russian Federation." Khan's statement comes as reports from the conflict strongly suggest the possibility of Russian war crimes. Ukraine's Foreign Ministry claims that Russia has targeted a kindergarten and orphanage, vowing to send evidence of these attacks to The Hague. Social media posts from Kyiv show footage of smoke billowing from residential housing complexes apparently hit by Russian forces. (Photo: Jurist)

Thousands have taken to the streets of cities across Russia in open protest of Putin's invasion of Ukraine—from Kaliningrad in the west to Vladivostok in the east. What began as isolated "solo pickets"—essentially the only legal form of public protest in Russia—quickly snowballed into mass unpermitted marches and rallies. The largest demonstrations were reported from Moscow and St Petersburg, where they were met with riot police in full body armor. In Moscow, Red Square was closed off by military vehicles, preventing protesters from marching on the seat of government power. Independent monitoring group OVD-Info counted some 1,800 protesters arrested by security forces in some 60 cities, including Tyumen, Kazan, Rostov-on-Don, Novgorod, Novosibirsk, Irkutsk and Yekaterinburg. Popular slogans include "No to war" and "Hands off Ukraine." Many demonstrators were heard to shout "Arrest Putin, not me!" as they were dragged away by police. (Photo of St Petersburg protest: OVD-Info)

Ethiopia's parliament voted for an early end to a six-month state of emergency, citing the government's improved military position. The measure—introduced as Tigrayan rebel forces threatened Addis Ababa in November—gave the government power to detain citizens without charge, and thousands of Tigrayan civilians were rounded up. Tigrayan forces have since withdrawn to their stronghold in the country's north. Before doing so, they committed atrocities in the contested Amhara region, according to a report by Amnesty International. Government forces and their Eritrean allies are also accused of widespread abuses. Both sides are under international pressure to find a political solution to the war—with the release of detainees held under the state of emergency seen as an important step to dialogue. But fighting continues in Tigray, and the humanitarian situation remains dire. (Map via EthioVisit)

The European Union imposed new sanctions on five Russians over their role in elections in the Crimean peninsula. The EU sanctions framework was instated in March 2014, when Russian forces invaded and annexed the peninsula from Ukraine. At the time, the EU declared the move a "clear violation of Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity by acts of aggression by the Russian armed forces." The new sanctions target five individuals involved in election of members to represent the annexed peninsula in the Russian Duma. Three are newly elected Duma representatives for the city of Sevastopol. The other two are head and deputy head of the Sevastopol electoral commission. (Map via Wikimedia Commons)

US air-strikes in Afghanistan this May resulted in civilian casualties and violated international humanitarian law, the UN Assistance Mission to Afghanistan (UNAMA) reported. On May 4 the US Forces-Afghanistan carried out air-strikes on buildings located in Bakwa district, Farah province, and neighboring Delaram district of Nimroz province. The air-strikes were aimed at potential drug facilities in the area but resulted in 39 civilian casualties, including 14 children. In a press release, UNAMA stated: "The report, jointly produced by UNAMA and the UN Human Rights Office, concludes that drug facilities and associated workers may not be lawfully made the target of attack and should be protected." (Photo: USAF)

As Putin finally ordered his forces across the Ukrainian border into the breakaway Donbas region, the Russian anarchist group Autonomous Action issued a statement to the world, entitled "Against annexations and imperial aggression." It reads: "We urge you to counter the Kremlin's aggression by any means you see fit. Against the seizure of territories under any pretext, against sending the Russian army to the Donbas, against militarization. And ultimately against the war. Take to the streets, spread the word… Do not be silent. Take action. Even a small screw can jam the gears of a death machine." (Banner reads: "No war between peoples, no peace between classes." Via Autonomous Action)

President Joe Biden is said to be considering re-designating Yemen's Houthi rebels as a terrorist organization following the group's missile attacks on the United Arab Emirates, which leads the anti-Houthi military coalition with Saudi Arabia. Aid groups—part of a successful lobbying campaign that saw Biden remove the label shortly after he took office last January—warn that a redesignation would have "catastrophic consequences for Yemeni civilians." Not only would it hit the economy hard, making it even more difficult to import food, fuel, and medicine, but it would also decrease the flow of much-needed aid to Houthi-controlled territory. Violence is meanwhile escalating, and not just around the battlefields of the contested province and city of Marib. Between early October and early February, 1,535 civilians were reportedly killed or injured, more than double the figure for the previous four months. (Photo of displaced persons camp in Marib by Mohamed Ghazi/TNH)

In Episode 111 of the CounterVortex podcast, Bill Weinberg explores the legacy of Francis Parker Yockey and other exponents of the fast-growing current in the Western fascist tradition that looks to Russia as a patron and ally. Under the leadership of Alexander Dugin, "Putin's Rasputin" and the theorist of a "Eurasian" bloc against Western democracy, resurgent far-right Russo-nationalism is building ties to neo-fascist organizations across Europe—as well as to supposed "anti-war" leftists in the United States. The Putin propaganda machine's Nazi-baiting of the Ukrainians is yet another example of the sinister trend of fascist pseudo-anti-fascism. It is imperative that progressives in the West do not take the toxic bait of this "Red-Brown Alliance." Any genuine anti-war position must begin with repudiating Putin's threats and aggression against Ukraine. Listen on SoundCloud or via Patreon. (Photo: Far-right protesters in Germany with sign reading "Putin, save us!" Via PRISM)

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled that Uganda must pay $325 million in reparations to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) for its involvement in the Ituri conflict two decades ago. The ruling is based on a 2005 ICJ finding that Uganda violated international law by engaging in military activities in the DRC after occupying the latter's northeastern Ituri province. Uganda was held responsible for the killing and torture of civilians, destruction of entire villages, conscripting child soldiers, inciting ethnic conflict, and plundering of natural resources. The ICJ moved to determine the quantum of reparations after the two parties failed to come to terms. (Photo: MONUSCO via Defense Post)