Oleg Konyukhov — Press Digest: Is West trying to hurt Russia by driving Ukraine to default?

“It cannot be ruled out that the IMF is trying to force Russia to aid Ukraine under the threat of a default,” says deputy head of the CIS Institute Vladimir Zharikhin. “In that case, we may be left without the recovery of gas debts and the $3-billion loan issued late last year. In addition, as a result of a social upheaval, there may be a mass influx of Ukrainian immigrants into Russia.” 

According to Mikhail Delyagin, head of Russia’s Institute of Globalization Problems, leading Ukraine into bankruptcy is a deliberate policy by the West. “A default will make it possible to obtain Ukraine’s assets at minimal prices or maybe even free of charge: the energy system, the gas transportation system, ports, mineral deposits. Russia will surely write off Ukraine’s huge debts, while the West will do no such thing,” says Delyagin.

Like Michael Hudson has been saying.

The other scenario is that in the face of being forced into default the leaders of the Ukraine will seek to draw Russia into a hot war eastern Ukraine in order to draw in NATO. This is the scenario that some Russian analysts forsee as a potential move.

Russia Beyond the Headlines
Press Digest: Is West trying to hurt Russia by driving Ukraine to default?
Oleg Konyukhov