By
Mahir Balunywa
Many analysts have misconceived Russia’s covert conflict with Ukraine and the United States. To grasp this struggle better, one must liken it to the story of a rich but isolated man and a poor but misunderstood one.
Once upon a time, there was a wealthy man who had a hearing impairment. Although he could see, he could not speak. One day, he noticed a poor man scavenging through his rubbish pit. Moved by sympathy, he instructed his son to discreetly pack a special meal with the trash so that the poor man could find it. The rich man feared that offering the food directly would lead to its rejection.
However, the son, who was also hearing-impaired, could not communicate with the poor man. Every time he delivered the food, the poor man would express gratitude, but the son’s silence was perceived as arrogance. One day, the poor man approached the son’s mother to thank her for the meals and shared his discomfort about the son’s lack of response. Tears welled up in the mother’s eyes as she explained that the son was suffering from a similar impairment and that his father had recently passed away.
Realizing the truth, the poor man felt remorseful for misinterpreting the son’s nonverbal responses. He came to understand that both the rich man and his son were fighting their own silent, internal battles—a struggle of isolation and an inability to interact freely.
In this analogy, Russia has been fighting a painful, self-humiliating battle with the United States, characterized by a perceived ongoing attempt to weaken and dismantle its influence, akin to the disintegration of the Soviet Union. This encroachment, with Ukraine seen as Russia’s metaphorical “bedroom,” is a source of deep grievance for Moscow.
From the administrations of Presidents Bush, Clinton, and now Biden, Washington’s actions have been perceived by Russia as a continuous infringement—one that has severed ties with former Soviet states like Latvia, Georgia, and Ukraine. In this context, President Putin’s actions can be seen as a bid to reclaim the pride of his nation, restore the lost glory of the Soviet Union, and revive the essence of its cultural and political lineage.
For many Russians, there exists a profound sense of loss over the country’s diminished global influence, compounded by what they perceive as Western indifference and betrayal. On the other hand, the West is increasingly disillusioned with Russia’s unwillingness to integrate into the Western-led global order, viewing Russian leaders as unpredictable and, at times, criminal.
These contrasting views have continued to fuel tensions, and the West’s interference in Russian affairs has persisted globally. To frame this situation simply as a conflict between Russia and Ukraine misses the point. Instead, Ukraine has become the battleground for a deeper confrontation between Russia and the United States. Suggesting that the U.S. and its allies are setting the stage for a third world war is not far-fetched, given historical precedents from the World Wars.
Moreover, recognizing the diminishing neutrality of the United Nations, now seen as influenced by the U.S. and NATO, lends credence to the notion that the seeds of global conflict are being sown once again. The United Nations Security Council’s role in crafting new global alliances is evidence of a slow but sure escalation. Russia appears to be positioning itself, akin to the formation of the Triple Entente before World War I.
Africa and the Middle East are aligning themselves, visiting Moscow for strategic discussions. Meanwhile, the expansion of BRICS to eight countries hints at a potential alternative to the IMF and World Bank, suggesting a shift from a unipolar world to a multipolar one.
All these developments point to a looming dark cloud over humanity, hinting at a turbulent future where a new global conversation shifts from the Washington Consensus to a Beijing-led one.