In the months leading up to the 24th of February 2022, Vladimir Putin‘s Russian Army was moving troops into the Ukraine Russo border area. This was done under the guise of “military exercises.” Russian leaders repeatedly assured the West they had no intention of invading Ukraine. This was of course, untrue.

On the 2nd of August 2022, Nancy Pelosi and 5 Democratic Party members visited Taiwan as part of a tour of Asian nations. On the 4th of August Xi Jinping‘s PLA Navy conducted naval exercises that encircled Taiwan. The intimidating gesture included missiles being fired over the island nation. The US Navy had a carrier strike group operating in the Philippine Sea at the time.

The press described China’s “exercises” as a reaction to Pelosi’s visit (Reuters). This is a fallacy. There is no way the PRC could have the number of ships it deployed in the exercise to sea in 2 days; the event was planned in advance. The USS Ronald Reagan strike group operating nearby and Pelosi’s visit are not coincidental. The US knew China’s exercises were going to happen and the trip by Pelosi was a message to them saying as much. The naval strike group was a similar warning; in case Xi was planning on pulling a Putin.

The same strategy of performing “exercises” as a pretense for an invasion were used in these situations. Is it possible both strongman leaders have handlers with the same boss? It sure is.

Ukraine forces would do well to destroy the Sevestapol Naval Base