Russia Ukraine War: Putin’s Crimean revenge, chaos from Black to Red Sea

The Israel-Hamas war appears poised to escalate into a regional crisis. Signs of war spreading in Gaza are beginning to be felt after the attack on a merchant ship near the shores of India. Behind this is the age-old battle for supremacy in the Middle East. It cannot be considered a coincidence that on December 23, MV Chem Pluto was targeted by a drone attack by Houthi rebels. It was targeted at a distance of about 200 nautical miles from the Indian coast. The cargo ship was carrying crude oil from Al Jubail port in Saudi Arabia to New Mangalore port in India.

War spread from Black Sea to Red Sea

On the evening of 25 December, Crimea was shaken by threats. Ukraine launches missile attack on Novocherkassk, Russia. But 24 hours later, on December 26, 2600 kilometers away from the Black Sea, Putin opened the biggest proxy war front against America. This is Putin’s direct challenge to America. There had never been such a major attack on an American ship in the Red Sea before. Russian President Putin, along with his ally Iran, has launched a major war against America in the Red Sea. Houthis started attacks targeting American naval frigates off the coast of Yemen. The MSC United cargo ship was attacked. Houthi attacked this ship with 5 missiles. Along with this, Houthi also carried out 12 drone attacks. Actually, Russia has opened a big front of war against America. This is being considered as retaliation for Putin’s Black Sea attack.

How could increasing conflict affect the world?

The implications of this war are not limited to the immediate theater of conflict. The global impacts are profound, with the potential to disrupt trade and global crude oil supplies. The attacks have prompted some cargo carriers to take the Africa route instead of the more economical Suez Canal route. This could disrupt the global supply chain. More than 20% of the world’s crude oil comes from West Asia, and conflict in the region could push crude oil prices as high as $150 a barrel. For the U.S. economy, an increase could push gas prices above $5 a gallon, increase inflation, and risk plunging the country into recession. The international community watches with concern as the stability of the Middle East hangs in the balance with the possibility of far-reaching economic and geopolitical consequences. An example of this happening was seen in the attack on the India-bound MV Chem Pluto on 23 December, not far from the Indian coast.

Israel’s big announcement

Israel has announced that it will no longer automatically grant visas to UN personnel. The Israeli government alleged that some UN employees were complicit partners with Hamas. It added that applications from UN personnel will now be considered on a case-by-case basis. The Israeli government spokesperson launched a scathing attack on the United Nations while announcing the decision.