俄羅斯以糧食做武器，將引發美國軍事干預 WP 20220526

【縛雞之論】英文拷到 G / D 找中文翻譯
As a stakeholder, the U.S. and the members of NATO have the right to intervene in any other country that blockades the supply of critical resources for human welfare or obstruct the enforcement of international law.  It is something communist countries are not aware of or do not recognize.  Despite the laws of war strictly prohibiting the pillage during the occupation, Russia is now blockading Ukraine’s grains export, which already caused the starving of the poorest countries and influenced the price globally.
Not only using food as a weapon, but Russia may be also making big money because of the blockade in the war.  China is supposed to threaten to use a nuclear weapon to invade Taiwan.
 There is a mixed signature from Moscow: the one is the blockade continues, according to the spokesperson of the Kremlin; the other is from Italian Prime Minister Draghi that Putin allows the grains commercial ships to leave the ports.  Another unknown Russian leader said it is Ukraine using floating mines to blockade the ports.  That tells a situation in which Putin is losing his control.

Russia’s grain blockade may require U.S. intervention, general suggests    WP 20220526

Western officials accused Moscow of using food as a form of blackmail.

The American general slated to become NATO’s next supreme allied commander warned Thursday that Russia’s blockade of Ukrainian grain exports could enable terrorist networks in other parts of the world and may require U.S. military intervention to ensure global markets don’t become destabilized.  俄羅斯對烏克蘭糧食出口的封鎖可能使恐怖分子在世界其他地區形成網路，並可能需要美國軍事干預以確保全球市場不會變得不穩定。

Gen. Christopher Cavoli, commander of all U.S. Army forces in Europe and Africa, told members of the Senate Armed Services Committee that groups including the Islamic State, al-Shabab and Boko Haram stand to benefit from food shortages resulting from the war. Those groups, he said, “feed on weak governance and food insecurity and corruption and poverty.” Cavoli appeared on Capitol Hill as part of the confirmation process to lead U.S. and NATO forces in Europe.

Ukraine is the world’s largest exporter of sunflower oil, the fourth largest exporter of corn, and the fifth largest exporter of wheat. Western officials have accused Moscow of using food as a form of blackmail, as Russia’s navy effectively controls all traffic in the northern third of the Black Sea, according to U.S. intelligence assessments.  烏克蘭是世界上最大的葵花籽油出口國、第四大玉米出口國和第五大小麥出口國。 西方官員指責莫斯科利用食物作為敲詐的一種形式，因為俄羅斯海軍有效控制了黑海北部三分之一的所有交通，

There were mixed signals Thursday over Russia’s willingness to release any of the wheat now at risk of rotting while it sits on commercial vessels unable to depart Ukraine’s seaports. The Kremlin’s spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said no ships carrying Ukrainian grain would be allowed to leave until Western governments lift their sanctions on Russia. Hours later, Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi told reporters that, in a call, Russian President Vladimir Putin had agreed in principle to liberate several million tons. A Kremlin readout of the leaders’ conversation did not go that far.  克里姆林宮發言人Dmitry Peskov表示，在西方政府解除對俄羅斯的製裁之前，不允許任何載有烏克蘭糧食的船隻離開。幾小時之後，意大利總理Mario Draghi說，俄羅斯總統普丁在電話中原則上同意釋放數百萬噸。克里姆林宮對領導人談話的宣讀並沒有那麼遠。

U.S. intelligence document shows Russian naval blockade of Ukraine

British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss condemned Moscow for attempting to “hold the world to ransom” and “essentially weaponizing hunger.” In calling on Putin to end the blockade, she rejected the idea of lifting sanctions and said “any appeasement” would only make the Russian leader “stronger in the longer term.”  英國外交大臣Liz譴責莫斯科試圖「勒索世界」和「將飢餓實質上武器化」。 在呼籲普丁結束封鎖時，她拒絕了解除制裁的想法，表示「任何綏靖政策」只會讓俄羅斯領導人「在長期內變得更強大」。

Draghi, the Italian premier, said during a news conference that he decided to call Putin because “millions and millions of lives are at stake.” The Russian leader, he said, blames Ukraine for blocking its seaports by laying floating mines to stave off attack. The proposal involves a collaboration between Russia and Ukraine, “on the one hand on demining, and on the other on guaranteeing” that no attacks are launched while the operation is being carried out, Draghi said, adding that he intends to inquire with Kyiv whether Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky would support such an arrangement.   Draghi說，俄羅斯領導人指責烏克蘭鋪設水雷來阻止其海港的攻擊。提議俄羅斯和烏克蘭雙方合作，「一方面是排雷，另一方面是保證」在行動進行期間不會發動襲擊，Draghi打算與基輔詢問是否烏克蘭總統澤連斯基會支持此安排。

In his Senate testimony, Cavoli hinted that, at some point, the U.S. military could get involved in an effort to guarantee that exports from Ukraine can resume. But he declined to say whether he would recommend such an approach if he is confirmed to take over at NATO, apart from preparing the options requested by civilian leaders.  Cavoli說美國軍方可能會努力介入，以保證恢復烏克蘭的出口。

For now, he said, “it’s going to be a combination of modes of transportation that we’re going to have to use” to get around Russian efforts to stymie grain shipments from leaving Ukraine. Romania has already made the Black Sea port of Constanta available to exports of Ukrainian grain, though Cavoli noted that accounts for only about 90,000 tons a day. About 22 million tons remain backed up in Ukraine, he said.  Cavoli說，「這會是我們將不得不使用的多種運輸方式的組合」，以規避俄羅斯阻止糧食運輸離開烏克蘭的努力。羅馬尼亞已將黑海康斯坦察港提供給烏克蘭穀物出口，不過每天僅約 90,000 噸而烏克蘭仍有約 2200 萬噸的儲備。

Germany’s rail line Deutsche Bahn also has begun an operation Cavoli referred to as the “Berlin train lift” — intentionally reminiscent of the Berlin Airlift of 1948 and 1949, when Allied forces flew food and other vital supplies into Berlin to circumvent a Soviet blockade of the roads and rail lines. That option would route Ukrainian grain supplies through Poland, which established a border crossing regime to facilitate such passage, and on to ports on Germany’s northern coast for shipping.  德國鐵路也開始「柏林火車救援」，一如1948、1949柏林危機的空運。

“Some efforts are taking place,” Cavoli told senators, adding: “Much more needs to be done.”

Pentagon spokesman John Kirby, speaking to reporters later Thursday, said “there are no plans to use the United States military, or military sources or assets, to assist in the movement of grain outside of Ukraine.” The Biden administration, he added, is “in discussion with our international partners and allies about how best to address this.”  美國國防部：「無使用美國軍隊或軍事資源或資產來協助將糧食運往烏克蘭以外的地區的計劃。」

Army Gen. Christopher Cavoli, right, warned U.S. lawmakers Thursday about the security risks emanating from Russia's continued naval blockade of Ukraine. (Spc. Nyatan Bol/5th Mobile Public Affairs Detach)

Cavoli also acknowledged that the influx of Western arms flows into Ukraine poses the risk of weapons smuggling by or to illicit groups who could in turn use them to undermine U.S. interests elsewhere.  西方武器流入烏克蘭會有非法團體走私武器或向非法團體走私武器的風險，這些非法團體可能反過來利用這些武器破壞美國在其他地方的利益

“Establishing accountability over where all of that equipment [goes] is a vital task for us,” Cavoli said, adding that doing so is “challenging right now” as the United States has no military presence in Ukraine. “ … As the conflict winds down or concludes, that will be one of the things that I have to get at,” he added, telling senators: “I share your concern on it.”  Cavoli說「…隨著衝突逐漸平息或結束，這會是我必須解決的問題之一」

Cavoli, a Russian speaker with extensive experience and expertise in the region, would take over at U.S. European Command as Putin, having failed to topple the government in Kyiv, has scaled down his ambitions in Ukraine.  Cavoli：因為未能推翻基輔政府，普丁已縮減了他在烏克蘭的野心。

Putin’s forces have made only slow, grinding progress in their renewed campaign to seize territory in eastern Ukraine’s Donbas region, Western intelligence assessments show. The Pentagon on Thursday said that Russian commanders are attempting to entrap Ukrainian forces defending key towns in Donbas even as the Kremlin’s combat losses continue to mount in the face of significant resistance.

The northeastern part of Severodonetsk, a strategic city in the region, appears to have been seized by Russian forces, said a senior U.S. defense official, speaking on the condition of anonymity under ground rules established by the Pentagon. Collectively, this official said, the strategy amounts to “an encirclement effort” meant to cut off Ukrainian forces from reinforcement and resupply of Western weapons.

The war, entering its fourth month, has been a costly endeavor for the Russians, the senior U.S. official said. They’ve lost about 1,000 tanks, 350 artillery pieces, three dozen fighter-bomber aircraft and more than 50 helicopters, according to Pentagon estimates. More than 80 percent of Russia’s go-to fighting units — battalion tactical groups — have been committed to the war effort, the official said, stressing, however, that Russian forces have “a significant amount of their capability” remaining.  四個月的戰爭對俄羅斯人代價高昂。他們損失了大約 1000 輛坦克、350 門火砲、三打戰鬥轟炸機和 50 多架直升機。

Ukrainian military officials have claimed their forces have expunged nearly 30,000 Russian troops from the battlefield. The Pentagon has declined to provide an estimate of either side’s casualty figures.  烏克蘭軍方官員稱，他們的部隊已經從戰場上驅逐了近 3 萬名俄羅斯士兵。五角大樓拒絕提供雙方傷亡數字的估計。

Pitrelli reported from Rome. Shane Harris, Jennifer Hassan, Mary Ilyushina contributed to this report.