North Korea, China and Russia commemorate ‘victory’ 70 years ago, while aligning on Ukraine
The real scandal is that Smirnova, and other Russian athletes, are still allowed to participate in international championships.
And of course, what better way for moscow to bribe african countries than to deliver free grain? 
Here’s Simon Jenkins to explain why the West must relax sanctions on Russia.
Fuck Simon Jenkins in his ear.
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I would suggest a different wording them the one you chose, since I think it would probably not survive on the editor’s desk, but the sentiment is spot on.
That piece is gross.
the root cause of much misery will be the western sanctions that [Putin] regards as justification for so many malign actions.
Did he sign his column “Simon Jenkins, useful idiot” when he sent it to the Editor?
Some replies have jumped in with the “nature is healing” meme, but it only makes sense if you define “nature” as “resilient, fast growing grasses”, because everything else - animals, trees, fragile plants - are getting blown to bits by constant shelling, mines, small arms fire, etc. And the frontline will remain visible for a long time after the war ends or moves on - right-bank Kherson region still looks like a frontline nearly a year after liberation because de-mining will have to continue for years.
So what else is new. He’s been banging that drum since before the invasion. It’s one of those things that he is proudly and consistently proven wrong about time and again, but keeps on writing about anyway. Just like his other constant bad take of “Brexit is going to be successful any day now”.
I’d ask why they still give him a column, but it’s the Grauniad, so hosting opinion writers with terrible, out there takes on everything is just their brand at this point.
IIRC grain exports from Russia have increased since the beginning of the war. Oddly enough he didn’t mention that.
ETA:
