Ukraine War Economic Warfare in Serbia
The Ukrainian conflict is the ongoing conflict between the Russian Federation and the independent state of Ukraine.
It has been waged since 2014 with the Russian military seizing the Crimea peninsula as well as parts of eastern Ukraine.
Since 2014, Russia has been popping up a puppet government in eastern Ukraine and directly invaded Ukraine in February 2022, with military forces having a direct engagement between Ukraine and Russia since February 2022.
Since the start of the war between Ukraine and the Russian Federation, Ukrainians have been using economic warfare to damage Russia’s ability to supply its military in Ukraine and the borders of Russian territory by destroying Russian roads and Russian train networks.
Economic warfare or economic war is an economic strategy belligerent nations utilise to weaken other states’ economies. The use of economic blockades primarily achieves this.
For thousands of years, ravaging the enemy’s crops has been a classic method.
Russians are using economic warfare against Ukraine during winter months, with the Russian air force deliberately targeting powerplants and methods Ukrainians use to keep their homes warm and to prevent being frozen to death during brutal winters.
In the summer months, the Russian Federation targets Ukrainians’ ability to feed themselves.
In essence, it could be stated that Ukraine is in the middle of a siege where the enemy is, the Russians trying to starve them to death and freeze them to death depending on the seasons.
There’s been a series of explosions along one of the main lines of the Trans-Siberian rail network. To fully understand the significance of these attacks, we must look at Russian exports, alternative options, and what maintenance looks like.
The Trans-Siberian rail network built in the 1970s and 1980s was the last time Russia had access to a significant population of native-born engineers. The average Russian engineer, now in their mid-60s, is the youngest, and most engineers operate in the Ukrainian front repairing infrastructure.
Repairing the trans-Siberian railway could take years operating in mountainous terrain and the permafrost, making conditions especially hard during Russia’s winter months, potentially delaying repairs by years.
These explosions could cause disruptions to Russian exports, specifically those bound for China, but the lack of alternative routes and limited maintenance capabilities could be the nail in the coffin.
Ukrainian officials have claimed responsibility for these attacks — unofficially, of course. Regardless, Russia’s economy could be facing a severe blow if these explosions continue.
