23-05-2026: After years of relentless provocations full of unrestrained hostility from the governments of the US and the European Union (EU), the Russian Federation looks set to retaliate militarily with its awesome arsenal. Russia has been pushed into a position where it is more dangerous not to respond to strikes on Russian territory, than to absorb the blows while continuing to grind down the Nazified US/EU proxy Ukrainian state through its Special Military Operation (SMO). The trigger may have been the CIA targeted Ukrainian drone strike on the Moscow region on May 17, when up to 1500 drones struck, killing four people and wounding a dozen others.[1] Arguably, this was the drone strike that unhinged (and unelected) Ukrainian “President” Zelenskyy first organised for the May 9 Victory Day parade, but chose not to on that occasion after the Russian Defence ministry issued a statement that the centre of Kiev would be pounded in response if it did so. For six months prior to the May 17 attack, NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organisation) backed Ukraine has been firing drone attacks against oil refineries and airfields within Russia.[2] Yet the May 17 attack was clearly an assault on civilians in the Moscow region, which has a population of 21 million people.
Involvement of CIA/EU
Far from alleged “Russian propaganda”, the New York Times itself has revealed on several occasions the deep involvement of the notorious Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) in Ukraine over previous decades. Former CIA whistleblower John Kiriakou reviewed a New York Times article published in 2024 which stated that beginning in 2016, the CIA trained the elite Ukrainian commando force known as Unit 2245. This unit captured Russian drones and communication gear so that CIA technicians would reverse-engineer them to crack Moscow’s encryption systems. CIA trained Ukrainian commandos took part in clandestine sabotage missions into Crimea and Donetsk to commit assassination and terrorist acts.[3] And this is likely to be just the tip of an iceberg. In reality, all Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian territory are carried out with CIA intel for direction and targeting. It is not an exaggeration to state clearly: Washington is using Ukraine as a staging post for war against the nuclear armed Russian Federation.
What is more, Washington is knowingly arming Nazi militias in Ukraine to conduct a war which constantly threatens World War III. In 2024, the US government lifted the official ban on weapons being supplied to the infamous Nazi force, the Azov Battalion.[4] In reality, the US state had been arming the Azov Battalion and other Nazi units such as the Aidar Battalion, C-14 and Right Sector for years prior. The EU combines with Washington in financing the Ukrainian state so it does not collapse. On the 23rd of April, the EU supplied a 90 billion Euro “loan” to Ukraine, which in fact is a gift which will never be repaid. This gift is for the express purpose of covering Ukraine’s “budgetary and defence industrial capacity”.[5] That is to say, it will fund Ukraine to enable it to wage war against Russia, regardless of the cost to Ukrainians. Last month, the Russian Defence Ministry published a list of Ukraine linked military production facilities around the world. There is a network of facilities in EU countries, producing drones and their components which are then sent directly to Ukraine. This includes the United Kingdom (UK), Germany, Denmark, the Netherlands, Latvia, Lithuania, the Czech Republic and Poland. The Russian Defence Ministry stated that instead of strengthening European security, such actions are drawing Europe into a war with Russia.[6]
Horrific war must be averted
Despite the universal chorus of pro-war on Russia rhetoric from EU leaders, many Europeans are horrified at the thought of re-creating the Second World War, or even worse. In Germany on May 8, 45 000 students joined a school strike against conscription across 150 cities, on the 81st anniversary of Victory Day.[7] The German state is driving towards a suicidal war with Russia and is attempting to use conscription for young Germans to do so. Thankfully, many Germans and Europeans are aghast at the prospect of war with Russia, even if they do not otherwise react to saturation pro-war propaganda. The situation appears to be different in the UK, where views against war with Russia seem to be in a distinct minority. This appalling situation is largely due to a so-called left, which, with a few notable exceptions, are almost entirely silent at the potential approach of World War III. Whatever one’s political opinion of the Russian government and its political leadership, the mainstream left’s silence in the face of the prospect of the termination of European society is a betrayal of epic proportions.
Russian professor Sergey Karaganov is known as an “offensive realist”, but his views, he argues, now form the majority of Russian opinion. Four years ago, he was in a very small minority. Karaganov argues that Russia should strike European NATO members with conventional weapons, and if they do not submit, enact use of Russia’s nuclear weapons.[8] Rather than such a call being that of a “hawk”, this is effectively a call to save the world through the threat of force before a truly catastrophic war breaks out. It is difficult to argue against such views, especially within Russia currently. Russians have been subjected to attack after attack, with the essentially moderate leadership of President Putin seemingly allowing strikes on Russia, with the view that Russia is winning on the ground in any case in Ukraine. This is certainly the case, but Russians have now also witnessed Iran respond to a US war with significant ballistic missile force – yet Iran itself does not possess nuclear weapons, and Russia does.
The war on Iran, the war on Russia, the coming war on China are products of the rapid decline of capitalist imperialism, seeking to drag the world down with it before it exits the stage of history. Working people have a vital interest in preventing World War III, by defending Iran, Russia and the rising multipolar world against the ongoing depredations from the US and the EU. At the same time, the multipolar governments are not seeking to mobilise working people in a class struggle for socialism, which can permanently end the threat of civilisation ending war. This task falls to Marxist vanguard parties animated by the promise of a new world. No War on Russia! No War on Iran! Abolish NATO! Abolish AUKUS!
Workers League
www.redfireonline.com
E: workersleague@protonmail.com
[1] www.nbcnews.com/world/ukraine/ukraine-drones-kill-four-russia-moscow-faces-biggest-attack-year-rcna345529 (20-05-2026)
[2] www.reuters.com/world/europe/ukraine-launches-drone-attack-moscow-other-regions-russian-officials-say-2024-08-21/ (20-05-2026)
[3] www.covertactionmagazine.com/2024/02/28/cia-spills-the-beans-about-deep-involvement-in-ukraine-part-of-ploy-to-undercut-republican-congressional-opposition-to-war/ (20-05-2026)
[4] www.news.sky.com/story/us-lifts-10-year-weapon-ban-on-ukraines-controversial-azov-brigade-13151380 (20-05-2026)
[5] www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2026/04/23/council-finalises-90-billion-support-loan-to-ukraine/ (20-05-2026)
[6] www.rt.com/russia/638431-europe-manufacturing-ukrainian-drones/ (20-05-2026)
[7] www.peoplesdispatch.org/2026/05/15/german-students-expand-their-strike-against-conscription-and-militarization-to-150-cities/ (20-05-2026)
[8] www.journal-neo.su/2026/05/06/sergey-karaganov-we-are-facing-a-major-historical-dual-task-to-save-the-country-and-to-save-the-world/ (20-05-2026)
Image: http://www.nytimes.com
Red Fire 