Podcast host Dan Bongino Saturday questioned Russian President Vladimir Putin’s goals for his invasion of Ukraine, which is being destroyed.
The host of “Unfiltered” noted the toll economic sanctions have taken on the Russian economy and wondered how the Russians will be able to finance the war. Bongino declared the resilience of Ukraine fighters has slowed the pace of Putin’s invasion of that country. The podcast host opined that capturing the large cities, especially the capitol Kyiv, may take months or even years.
Bongino was referring to measures like Western countries freezing the $600 billion in foreign currency reserves Russia stored in the United States and Europe, prohibiting trade with Russia except for energy and kicking them off SWIFT.
“As Russian forces unleash their assault on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities, we are resolved to continue imposing costs on Russia that will further isolate Russia from the international financial system and our economies,” the leaders of the allied economies said in a joint statement announcing the accounts freeze on Feb. 26.
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Nothing is perfect, however, and that includes the attempted economic blockade of Russia designed to punish it so much it stops attacking Ukraine and cries “Uncle”. A “Fortune” magazine report notes that 13 percent of Russia’s foreign reserves are held by China, which has refused to impose economic sanctions on Russia. Other countries like India, Iran, Syria and Saudi Arabia have also not imposed economic sanctions on the Russians.
A recent Bloomberg report explained how Russia may be able to tap about $24 billion in special reserves held by the International Monetary Fund, frustrating Western countries trying to deprive Putin of every penny (or ruble) they can.
The podcast host asked if Putin is being strategic and calculating with his ground forces, wondering aloud why he would hold his ground forces back in the convoy that has remained about 15 miles outside Kyiv.
“Is he bogged down?” Bongino asked. “Did they not prepare? Does he really want to destroy major cities like Kharkiv and Kyiv?” Bongino questioned the wisdom of destroying cities and ports Russia intends to later occupy.
“Can he afford to rebuild them later?” he continued.
Watch the full monologue:
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