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The Winners and Losers of the Russia-Ukraine War

Two months have passed since the outbreak of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and the major question in the world media is about the winners and losers in this war.
What makes answering this question very difficult is the foggy state of the war and the misleading media war from Russia, Ukraine, and the West. Each side claims that it is the victor so far in this dirty war, like all wars.
Former British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain said, “In war, whichever side may call itself victorious, there are no winners, but all losers.” The content of this saying also applies to the Russian war against Ukraine.
However, both warring sides, Russia, and Ukraine, claim that they are victors in this war. Russia asserts that the war is going according to the plan laid down in advance. But it has not yet been able to achieve all the goals for which it has fought this war.
Moscow has failed to annex Ukraine or overthrow President Zelensky and designate a pro-Moscow government. But at the same time, it has achieved military victories in eastern and southern Ukraine by adopting a scorched-earth policy, which was accompanied by a massive destruction of infrastructure and a horrific displacement of civilians.
It seems that Moscow is heading to divide Ukraine and annex its east and south to Russia, after it has so far been unable to control the capital, Kyiv. On the other hand, Ukraine cannot defeat Russia through conventional warfare. But it appears that resisting the Russian advance and thwarting its efforts to seize Kyiv is considered a victory according to the official point of view in Kyiv.
However, the millions of internally and externally displaced personnel and the massive destruction inflicted on the infrastructure, economic and military in Ukraine is not deemed a loss according to the vision of the Ukrainian leadership.
The United States is regarded one of the winning players in the Ukrainian war, as the American leadership believes that Ukraine will gradually turn into a quagmire to drain Russia. This in itself is considered a triumph from the American point of view, regardless of the affliction inflicted on the Ukrainian people.
Therefore, Washington is making all its efforts to provide arms to the Ukrainian army to prolong the war and undermine any diplomatic efforts undertaken by Germany and France to end the war peacefully.
The Ukrainian crisis has emerged as a historic opportunity for Washington to improve its military image and strengthen its leadership position in NATO. Especially after several setbacks suffered by Washington militarily and diplomatically in several countries in which it intervened militarily, such as Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, and Libya.
The bitter truth is that no matter how leaders attempt to convince their people that they are waging wars for them, the only losers from the war are the people, not the leaders. Especially for the great powers that do not get tired of expansion and domination.
We are all considered losers in this absurd war because it shows that we live in a world where the law of the jungle prevails, that is, the strong eat the weak or “The weak are meat, and the strong do eat” as David Mitchell says.
All international laws and human rights laws are nothing but ink on paper that the powerful do not abide by, and no one can force the great powers to abide by those laws.
The perpetual global peace between the powerful states that Kant talked about is a great illusion, and the permanent wars and the resulting grievances and calamities are, unfortunately, the bitter and orphan fact.
BU: Jwan Dibo
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BENEFIT AGM approves 10%...
- March 27, 2025
BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).
Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.
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