Stop Putin's war

He 24 February 2022 Russia began the invasion of Ukraine and another war broke out in Europe. The Ukrainian people are the most affected and, more than three million refugees cause a serious humanitarian emergency. For Putin's responsibility, The Russian economy is sinking and a social disaster is looming. The breadbaskets of the world are at risk, making the spread of hunger a serious threat.. The cost of energy is through the roof, generates inflation and salary devaluation. The war and its consequences generate mobilizations that alarm the powerful. In three years there was a global economic crisis, pandemic and war, all under the retrograde sign of imperialist capitalism. We say: No to war and let the capitalists pay for the crisis, on the path of socialism by which we build the International Socialist League and its national sections.

ByRuben Tzanoff

The war between the Russian imperialist ambitions led by Vladimir Putin and the expansionism of Western imperialism of NATO, OF. THE. and the EU, has unpredictable consequences. Putin aspired to achieve a quick victory, in a lightning operation, but met resistance, the population did not receive the tanks as“saviors” but as invaders.

The Ukrainian people are the most affected

Regarding Ukraine, an analysis ofFocus Economics points out that“massive damage to infrastructure, The large migratory flows and the total paralysis of activity will cause among 40%-60% of contraction in 2022”. Inflation would reach 50% and interest rates 30%. The economic deterioration predates the war, is marked by corrupt management in the government ofVolodímir Zelenski and the dominance of oligarchic interests. The paralysis of activities as a result of the war and the mobilization to the front forces the social consequences to fall mainly on the backs of the workers and the people who are making a heroic effort in conditions of economic and military inferiority..

There is a serious humanitarian emergency underway

Attacks on cities, to hospitals and the civilian population have already caused more than three million people to leave their homes, displaced to other regions of Ukraine or to other countries.The governments of the European imperialist countries act cynically, They fill their mouths with humanitarian phrases, but the truth is that they receive limited numbers of Ukrainians and they did not put into practice the essential mechanisms for a massive reception. In Spain, the authorities do not even know how many refugees arrived in the country. The expressions of solidarity come mainly from the population who in different countries offer their homes and from some unions that collect food..

The Russian economy is in decline

Sanctions for Putin's regime have so far caused an estimated loss in 30.000 million dollars of GDP, with a forecast of contraction of the economy that ranges between 9% and the 15% for the current year. Gas exports are not affected by sanctions, but they will contract at least 5% due to the impossibility of selling it through the Black Sea ports. The cessation of payments on the external debt is a latent possibility.

a Europe, Russian oligarchs had some luxurious yachts confiscated, but they won't suffer too much. They have been privileged billionaires for years, favored by the proximity to the power of the Putin regime. The costs of the expansionist and fratricidal war will fall on other shoulders.

The bill for the invasion will fall on the workers and the people

The withdrawal of many companies has already generated massive layoffs. The fall of 40% in the value of the ruble is a blow to the pockets of popular households. The managing director of the looting IMF,  Kristalina Georgieva , evaluated:  “Russia is entering a “deep recession and the collapse of the ruble is causing inflation to rise and seriously reducing the purchasing power of the Russian population.”Putin is responsible for this situation., which alsochase, represses and imprisons to those who protest against his policies.

In Russia, anti-war mobilizations began on the same day as the invasion of Ukraine.. At the by, Claims have begun to arise in the labor movement, as a result of worsening living conditions. It is essential that the mobilizations develop and spread throughout the Russian Federation, to achieve a powerful No War Movement, confronting the government and the regime, demanding the end of the invasion and the satisfaction of social rights for the great majorities.

The mobilizations in Moscow, Saint Petersburg and other cities. The strikes, like the one that occurred spontaneously in the Gemont company (Nizhnekamsk) due to the late payment of salaries and the devaluation of the sector, They mark the way to follow and deepen. With each day of combat, with every bomb that explodes in Ukraine, The effects of the shock wave are being felt more intensely and further away from the epicenter located in Eastern Europe. The consequences began to be felt. And they can get worse.

Barns in danger

The Russian Federation is the world's largest exporter of wheat and Ukraine is the fifth. Between them they provide the 19% of barley supply, he 14% of wheat and 4% of corn, I mean, a third of world cereal exports. They are also the main suppliers of rapeseed and represent half of the global sunflower oil market.. He 25% of European fertilizers comes from Russia, the world's largest producer. It is not known whether Ukrainian farmers will be able to harvest the crops, Black Sea ports closed and warehouses could be destroyed.

Hunger on the table

Added to the food shortage is the increase in prices of basic mass consumption products. “The FAO food index has risen 50% since mid 2020 until now reaching its all-time high. Wheat has become more expensive 50% in two weeks, to the highest levels in 14 years". “At this rate, We will not make it to July if we do not find another supplier. It is inevitable that the final consumer will have to assume this extra cost., yes or yes.”Above, speculators take advantage to get rich, as they did during the pandemic with private health, basic supplies and vaccines.

No guaranteed alternative supply

Australia, India and parts of Europe can provide extra wheat, but insufficient to compensate for the 14 million tons missing. Wheat stocks are running out in Canada and a question arises: Will the United States and Argentina limit their exports to guarantee domestic consumption?? Egypt, which is the largest importer of wheat in the world, buy the 80% of grains from Ukraine and Russia. The Libano, has stock for at most one month. Rising prices will exacerbate social contradictions and poverty in the country. Tunisia imports half of its wheat from Ukraine and Yemen is on the brink of famine.

Energy through the clouds

The other element that sets off all the alarms is the increase in the cost of fossil fuels., leading to widespread increases in cascading effect. In Europe, electricity bills have been growing without limit for a long time, in some countries they reached historic peaks. With the war, the price of gas that arrives via Russia rose, mainly to Germany, also the gasoline.

For the first time in decades, inflation has set in again in the EU. Hits the great majorities in Germany, France, Spain and other countries. It is no coincidence that in France there areunion demands since January, against inflation and reduction in purchasing power. Because, at the Versailles summit held last week by the EU, They agreed to try“limit the contagion effect of rising gas prices on electricity prices”. The Club is on high alert due to the tensions that are accumulating and can lead to struggles among European and world workers..

They are terrified of protests

"Majesty, the people rebel, there is no bread, they shouted at Marie Antoinette before France's Ancien Régime fell under the weight of the Revolution in the late 18th century. Current economic history offers, bridging the distance, similar ingredients, with epilogues yet to be written.” This is how a note from the newspaper La Vanguardia begins, of the 13/03/2022 warning about what can happen.

The CIDOB researcher(Barcelona Centre for International Affairs), Eduard Soler, remembered that“More than a decade ago, the increase in the price of bread was one of the factors that triggered the protest movements of the Arab Spring in the year 2010 y 2011”. 

The EU's arguments for“decouple” gas and electricity prices have the objective of avoiding possible explosive social situations in the countries that make up the EU due to the succession of continued capitalist catastrophes.

At the base of everything, the crisis of the capitalist economy

In January 2019 The IMF and the World Bank began to raise the existence of poor economic indicators and an uncertain outlook. During the 2019 GDP growth forecasts adjusted 2020-2021 in 3 downside opportunities. Given the enormous deterioration in the living conditions of millions of people, a new revolutionary rise shocked the world.

Pandemic and war without continuity solution

In March 2020 The WHO announced that cases of coronavirus disease constituted a pandemic. More than six million people died. Extreme poverty is above 150 millions of people. Inequality spread throughout the planet: while a handful of privileged people accumulated sky-high profits, the great majority of humanity accumulated sufferings. Many countries and continent have ultra-limited access to vaccination, as a product of the criminal voracity of profits of the laboratories. And now the war is added, while Covid-19 continues to develop in large regions of the world.

No to war

On all continents they are developinganti-war mobilizations. The parties that make up the International Socialist League intervene in this process in unity of action with different sectors, promoting own actions and, fundamentally, supporting our comrades of the Ukrainian Socialist League who resist the invasion together with the people. With a principled policy, structured by raising Russian imperialism out of Ukraine, out NATO and EE. THE. Eastern European, for support of the Ukrainian resistance. The LIS has been expressing its opinions instatements, actions and in the word of one's ownUkrainian comrades from kyiv.

For a dignified humanitarian reception

Millions of people flee war to neighboring countries as EU authorities build walls“Fortress Europe”. It is a retrograde and anti-human construction that prevents those fleeing wars and hunger in Africa from entering the Old Continent.. As a result, Thousands of people die at sea every year or are returned to the horror from which they came. We must demand that European governments provide all the necessary resources for a dignified reception. Today to the Ukrainian refugees, always to the people who need it, come from the continent come.

Capitalists should pay for the crisis

We must not let the Russian imperialists, Nor do Westerners embark the labor movement on its war adventures and patriotic feelings.. The campism defended by reformist currents is a trap to be avoided. Nor should we give in to workers doing“more efforts” to solve expansionist adventures. Mobilization and strikes are essential so that governments do not offload the costs of war and the economic crisis on the backs of the vast majority..

Capitalism leads to barbarism

Since the occurrence of the crisis of the capitalist economy, going through the pandemic until the outbreak of war, It hasn't been three years yet.. The situations were different, of an economic nature, health and war. Nevertheless, there is a common denominator that brings them together: imperialist capitalism. expansionism, profit ambitions, to gain new markets and extend political influence, They are at the base of the social suffering of the great popular majorities. They are not isolated and unconnected events. It is the result of the dominance of a global system of exploitation and oppression, savage and murderous.

Without socialism, there is no solution

We must defeat imperialist capitalism so that it does not lead humanity towards barbarism and build socialism. A system without exploiters or oppressors. That unites the working class of different countries instead of confronting them. Put life before profits. And that it distances itself from the Stalinist bureaucratism that stained the flags of socialism. To achieve this, it is essential to build an international socialist and revolutionary organization.; strong and made up of parties spread throughout the world. It is the task that the International Socialist League carries out daily..