russia – Scribbles from the Ivory Tower

In this recap, I cover some democratic shenanigans in Indonesia as the domestic political elites dangerously entertain a motion to allow the incumbent head of state to extend their term in office. Then, I move over to South Korea, where a new president has been elected. Finally, some updates on the effects of Western sanctions on the Russian economy.

But first, coffee. This week’s recommendation is again from 20mL Coffee’s (at this point, they should sponsor me) Corta blend, which is their proprietary blend of East Nusa Tenggara, Bali, and West Sumatran Arabica beans. I’ve brewed these beans using a V60 and a mokapot, with the mokapot brew served with frothed milk. The V60 brew had a subdued acidic flavor with a rather distinct hint of spices (can’t really tell which spices though, but it does remind me of cloves). The mokapot-brewed white coffee, however, had strong hints of chocolate with low acidity.

Now, on to the recap.

Continue reading →

With the flood of information coming out of a near-infinite number of sources, it would be impossible for me to provide decent coverage. So, I shall keep it brief, and stick to mostly the reputable news sites (because there’s an absurd amount of bad information out there) and cover only major developments.

On the eve of the attack (21 February 2022), Russia recognised the independence of the Luhansk and Donetsk regions — also known as Donbas — on Monday. The recognition of the two “People’s Republics” allowed Moscow to mobilise Russian troops into the region, setting up the invasion.

On 24 February 2022, Putin addresses the Russian people, announcing a “special military operation” against Ukraine. In the address, Putin justified the military operations as a response to the “expansion of NATO to the east” and other forms of “illegitimate use of military force” and “containment” by the United States. Putin invoked Article 51 of the UN Charter as the basis for its military operation, which would be aimed to “protect people who have been subjected to abuse and genocide by the regime in Kiev… and pursue the demilitarization and the denazification of Ukraine…”

Early Friday morning, Russia begins its three-front assault on Ukraine.

Continue reading →

Tag: russia

Over Coffee #14: Indonesia and South Korea politics updates

Over Coffee #12: Russia invades Ukraine