{"id":1724,"date":"2021-03-26T17:21:47","date_gmt":"2021-03-26T18:21:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/malvinartley.com\/blog.malvinartley.com\/?p=1724"},"modified":"2021-03-26T17:25:20","modified_gmt":"2021-03-26T18:25:20","slug":"shoigus-workshop","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/malvinartley.com\/blog.malvinartley.com\/2021\/03\/26\/shoigus-workshop\/","title":{"rendered":"Shoigu\u2019s workshop"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino;\">I have read somewhere that when dealing with Russia, one can either speak with Lavrov or one will have to speak with Shoigu. One goes first to Lavrov, Russian Foreign Minister. If talks don\u2019t work, then one has to speak with Shoigu. Sergei Shoigu is Russian Defense Minister. Recently Shoigu and Putin spent the weekend taking in the air of the forest, most likely in Tuva, Shoigu\u2019s home base, and Shoigu\u2019s workshop. Apparently the man enjoys woodworking and has a nice shop, from the photos. But that is not the subject of this post. Shoigu also has charge of another \u2018workshop\u2019, and it would appear that \u2018talks\u2019 between various parties and Shoigu will soon be taking place.<!--more--><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino;\">From <span style=\"color: #993300;\"><a style=\"color: #993300;\" href=\"https:\/\/malvinartley.com\/articles_west25.htm\">the Aries letter<\/a><\/span> this year the world geopolitical scene is changing very rapidly. And from appearances, there are two areas in particular where Shoigu will be plying his professional craft, if various commentators in the know have it correct. Those two areas are the Ukraine and Syria. Several recent events point to why. In the Ukraine we have the following developments:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino;\">Reports of\u00a0<span style=\"color: #993300;\"><a style=\"color: #993300;\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/MilitaryBlog\/status\/1370315978102427650\">heavy milita<\/a><a style=\"color: #993300;\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/MilitaryBlog\/status\/1370315978102427650\">ry equipment being shipped<\/a><\/span> to the east of the nation by train<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino;\"><span style=\"color: #993300;\"><a style=\"color: #993300;\" href=\"https:\/\/en.interfax.com.ua\/news\/press-conference\/724964.html\">Zelensky\u2019s\u00a0<\/a><a style=\"color: #993300;\" href=\"https:\/\/en.interfax.com.ua\/news\/press-conference\/724964.html\">polling is terrible<\/a><\/span> now and the nation is <span style=\"color: #993300;\"><a style=\"color: #993300;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wilsoncenter.org\/publication\/kennan-cable-no-65-constitutional-crisis-ukraine-looking-solutions\">in the midst of a constitutional crisis<\/a><\/span>.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino;\">Reports of <span style=\"color: #993300;\"><a style=\"color: #993300;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.osce.org\/special-monitoring-mission-to-ukraine\/480898\">numerous ceasefire violations<\/a><\/span> in the Donbass region by Ukrainian forces<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino;\">The COVID crisis is extreme in Ukraine, with <span style=\"color: #993300;\"><a style=\"color: #993300;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.msn.com\/en-xl\/europe\/europe-top-stories\/ukraine-covid-19-hospitalisations-jump-to-record-high\/ar-BB1etwCs\">record numbers of people in hospital<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ukrinform.net\/rubric-defense\/3205598-delegation-of-nato-allied-land-command-arrives-in-ukraine.html\"><span style=\"color: #993300;\">A NATO delegation was just in Ukraine<\/span><\/a>, headed by an American general, looking at cooperation between the Ukrainian army and NATO forces.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino;\">Russians <span style=\"color: #993300;\"><a style=\"color: #993300;\" href=\"https:\/\/mobile.twitter.com\/carlbildt\/status\/1370029760110354433\">are making discreet preparations<\/a><\/span> along the border with the Donbass region<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/tass.com\/politics\/1265245\"><span style=\"color: #993300;\">Moscow is starting to send warnings to Kiev<\/span><\/a> about escalating tensions with the Donbass<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino;\">In Syria we have the following recent events:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino;\">Russia has started hitting illegal oil and gas theft operations in Syria (<span style=\"color: #993300;\"><a style=\"color: #993300;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.arabnews.com\/node\/1821076\/middle-east\">here<\/a><\/span>, <span style=\"color: #993300;\"><a style=\"color: #993300;\" href=\"https:\/\/english.iswnews.com\/17873\/russian-missile-attack-to-militias-illegal-oil-infrastructure-in-aleppo-video\/\">here<\/a><\/span> and <span style=\"color: #993300;\"><a style=\"color: #993300;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/article\/us-syria-security-idlib\/russian-jets-hit-gas-facilities-and-civilian-areas-near-turkish-border-witnesses-and-rebels-say-idUSKBN2BD0E2\">here<\/a><\/span>)<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.msn.com\/en-us\/money\/markets\/lira-and-turkish-stocks-collapse-after-erdogan-fires-central-bank-chief-as-european-airline-stocks-drop\/ar-BB1ePChP\"><span style=\"color: #993300;\">Turkey\u2019s economy<\/span><\/a> is in increasingly poor shape, and the Russian airstrikes have cut oil supplies that were flowing into Turkey<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bloomberg.com\/opinion\/articles\/2021-03-15\/erdogan-the-west-should-help-turkey-end-syria-s-civil-war\"><span style=\"color: #993300;\">Erdogan is begging for Western help<\/span><\/a> to end the Syrian war, all the while threatening to send waves of refugees into Europe<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino;\">A <span style=\"color: #993300;\"><a style=\"color: #993300;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.al-monitor.com\/originals\/2021\/03\/russia-launches-air-campaign-against-islamic-state-syrian-desert\">marked increase in Russian airstrikes<\/a><\/span> in the Badia desert region<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino;\">Turkey is <span style=\"color: #993300;\"><a style=\"color: #993300;\" href=\"https:\/\/southfront.org\/turkey-refuses-to-give-up-on-its-syrian-interests\/\">once again fighting the Kurds<\/a><\/span> in NE Syria<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.aa.com.tr\/en\/middle-east\/lavrov-meets-with-delegation-from-lebanon-s-hezbollah\/2177205\"><span style=\"color: #993300;\">A delegation from Hezbollah was recently in Moscow<\/span><\/a> for <a href=\"https:\/\/english-beta.almayadeen.net\/news\/politics\/1464809\/al-mayadeen-exclusive:-raad-describes-moscows-visit-as-quant\">talks with Russia<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino;\">The US is looking (probably) at <span style=\"color: #993300;\"><a style=\"color: #993300;\" href=\"https:\/\/ejmagnier.com\/2021\/03\/23\/lebanon-on-the-brink-of-the-precipice\/\">setting up a de facto US military base<\/a><\/span> just tens of kilometers from Damascus on the Lebanese border<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/english.iswnews.com\/17943\/establishment-of-a-new-military-post-by-turkey-in-idlib-province\/\"><span style=\"color: #993300;\">Turkey has opened a new military outpost<\/span><\/a> on the border crossing with Idlib<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino;\"><span style=\"color: #993300;\"><a style=\"color: #993300;\" href=\"https:\/\/english.iswnews.com\/17999\/rocket-attacks-on-us-base-in-the-syrian-province-of-deir-ezzor\/\">Rocket attacks against American bases<\/a><\/span> are starting to occur in Syria now, and not just Iraq<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino;\">The questions then arise, looking at all the preceding points, will there actually be military conflict in these two nations, who would be the ultimate target, <em>cui bono<\/em>, and what would be the probable outcome? We\u2019ll start with Syria.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino;\">We start with the national chart for Syria: 16 Sep 1941, midnight, Damascus. That chart is from Marc Penfield, and I have found it to be the best working chart for Syria. The chart is set for when France ended its mandate and the British followed suit, thus recognizing Syrian independence. The chart is below (<span style=\"color: #993300;\"><a style=\"color: #993300;\" href=\"http:\/\/malvinartley.com\/PDF%20Files\/charts\/syria.png\">bigger<\/a><\/span>):<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-1727 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/malvinartley.com\/blog.malvinartley.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/syria-1024x568.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"525\" height=\"291\" srcset=\"https:\/\/malvinartley.com\/blog.malvinartley.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/syria-1024x568.png 1024w, https:\/\/malvinartley.com\/blog.malvinartley.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/syria-300x166.png 300w, https:\/\/malvinartley.com\/blog.malvinartley.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/syria-768x426.png 768w, https:\/\/malvinartley.com\/blog.malvinartley.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/syria.png 1437w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 525px) 100vw, 525px\" \/><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino;\">We won\u2019t go into an analysis of the chart here except to note a few pertinent points relating to their current situation. Firstly, we note the Aries Midheaven and in particular the midpoint, MC=Sat\/Plu: \u201cRestlessness, <strong>indefatigability, prudence, vision<\/strong>, aspirations for <strong>innovations and reforms<\/strong>, mobility, the <strong>instant grasp and exploitation of every situation<\/strong>.\u201d The question on most people\u2019s minds when looking at Syria is if the Syrian government will prevail in the conflict that started in 2011 and will Assad remain as leader. The answer is mostly likely yes. We\u2019ll see why as we go along here, but the midpoint just described is a big factor in that assumption.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino;\">The next factor is the Saturn\/Uranus conjunction in the 11<sup>th<\/sup> house (alliances): \u201c<strong>A self-willed nature<\/strong>, <strong>tenaciousness and toughness<\/strong>, obstinacy, <strong>strong emotional tensions or stresses<\/strong>.\u201d This is trine to the Sun and Neptune, the latter two also conjunct, with the Sun on the North Node and square to Jupiter. Neptune rules the 9<sup>th<\/sup> house \u2013 foreign influences, pro and con, with Neptune on the IC (the populace, infrastructure and opposition parties). That Neptune also represents Syria\u2019s oil resources as well as the blurred boundaries between legitimate and foreign proxy opposition groups.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino;\">The preceding brings us to the present war in Syria, which has been called a civil war, but which is in reality a proxy war involving other regional and Western powers, using proxy forces intermixed with local opposition forces, like the Kurds. The chart for the start of the conflict is below (<span style=\"color: #993300;\"><a style=\"color: #993300;\" href=\"http:\/\/malvinartley.com\/PDF%20Files\/charts\/syrian_proxy_war.png\">bigger<\/a><\/span>):<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-1728 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/malvinartley.com\/blog.malvinartley.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/syrian_proxy_war-1024x568.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"525\" height=\"291\" srcset=\"https:\/\/malvinartley.com\/blog.malvinartley.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/syrian_proxy_war-1024x568.png 1024w, https:\/\/malvinartley.com\/blog.malvinartley.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/syrian_proxy_war-300x166.png 300w, https:\/\/malvinartley.com\/blog.malvinartley.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/syrian_proxy_war-768x426.png 768w, https:\/\/malvinartley.com\/blog.malvinartley.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/syrian_proxy_war-1536x852.png 1536w, https:\/\/malvinartley.com\/blog.malvinartley.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/syrian_proxy_war.png 1776w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 525px) 100vw, 525px\" \/><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino;\">The chart shows directed Mars square the MC, with transiting Uranus at the MC and transiting Saturn square the Ascendant and activating the directed Pluto, also square the Ascendant. Such a combination of factors is a classic setup for a war at least, and the overthrow of a government. Transiting Neptune squares the Vertex from the 8<sup>th<\/sup> house (death of the state and transformation) with directed Pluto and transiting Saturn both semisquare the Vertex. Anyone looking at this chart at the time would be inclined to say Syria was doomed or in for very significant if not massive changes. The Pluto square to the Horizon axis also shows the subversion involved. But the wild card there are the midpoints described above. No one had counted on the resilience of the Syrians and their capacity to give as well as they took, and also the alliances they formed in the process of the battles.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino;\">Looking at the directions today (below, <span style=\"color: #993300;\"><a style=\"color: #993300;\" href=\"http:\/\/malvinartley.com\/PDF%20Files\/charts\/syria_2021_dir.png\">bigger<\/a><\/span>), we see from the directed midpoints that violence is coming (Ura\/MC=Mars), a revolution midpoint that usually shows events a few years before it is exact, which is what is showing. That is reinforced by the transit of Neptune opposite Syria\u2019s Sun (shown in the next chart), the latter ruling the 2<sup>nd<\/sup> house (finances), with the Sun also ruling leaders in general. With the Caesar Act in place, Syria\u2019s finances are badly strained, as in at starvation levels, but that is also set to change.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-1726 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/malvinartley.com\/blog.malvinartley.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/syria_2021_dir-300x282.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"282\" srcset=\"https:\/\/malvinartley.com\/blog.malvinartley.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/syria_2021_dir-300x282.png 300w, https:\/\/malvinartley.com\/blog.malvinartley.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/syria_2021_dir-768x721.png 768w, https:\/\/malvinartley.com\/blog.malvinartley.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/syria_2021_dir.png 921w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino;\">We see the prime \u2018revolution midpoint\u2019, Ura\/Plu, conjunct the Syrian Sun, exact in about seven months. It can either mean complete independence or a catastrophe. The latter is not showing. There is a deal in the works for Syria and Yemen, and it is quite possible Syria will begin to take part in the growing <span style=\"color: #993300;\"><a style=\"color: #993300;\" href=\"https:\/\/thesaker.is\/sitrep-the-unipolar-moment-is-over-the-multipolar-moment-is-here\/\">bypassing of US sanctions that Russia, Iran and China are just about to finalize<\/a><\/span>. At that point we can probably look at China coming into Syria to rebuild its infrastructure. But there is another side to that, too, relating to the Arab States.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thesaker.is\/trade-off-looming-on-syria-and-yemen\/\"><span style=\"color: #993300;\">Here\u2019s the proposed deal<\/span><\/a>: To end the wars in Syria and Yemen, Iran and Hezbollah withdraw from Syria, the Saudis leave Yemen and Syria re-enters the Arab League. The Saudis and UAE pay reparations to Syria and allow it to rebuild. Russia stays in Syria, Assad stays in power, Hezbollah keeps its weapons and neither Israel nor the US have any say in the deal. It is not difficult to imagine there will be all sorts of attempts by Israel and Western powers to prevent such a deal from taking place. It is a Russian initiative. This is possibly shown by the directed Sun\/Ven and Sun\/Node midpoints to the Syrian MC. Syria would trade with the Chinese, Russians and Iranians in local currencies, bypassing the SWIFT system and thus nullifying the Caesar Act.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino;\">If the preceding sounds too good to be true, at least to the Syrians, we\u2019ll have to wait and see. 2021 will still be a tough year, given the midpoints directed to the Ascendant. But from what we see here, there are better possibilities manifesting for Syria. Of course, the SAA will still have to deal with the Turks, the Kurds and the US, as in removing them from their territory. But with rocket attacks on Americans now taking place in Syria as well as Iraq, and with the Turks now fighting the Kurds, with Russia bombing oil convoys and infighting between the \u2018moderate rebels\u2019, we see movement toward a sort of end game.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino;\">Looking at the transits and the standard directions (w\/o midpoints), we have the following below (<span style=\"color: #993300;\"><a style=\"color: #993300;\" href=\"http:\/\/malvinartley.com\/PDF%20Files\/charts\/syria_march21_dir_trans.png\">bigger<\/a><\/span>):<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-1725 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/malvinartley.com\/blog.malvinartley.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/syria_march21_dir_trans-1024x564.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"525\" height=\"289\" srcset=\"https:\/\/malvinartley.com\/blog.malvinartley.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/syria_march21_dir_trans-1024x564.png 1024w, https:\/\/malvinartley.com\/blog.malvinartley.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/syria_march21_dir_trans-300x165.png 300w, https:\/\/malvinartley.com\/blog.malvinartley.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/syria_march21_dir_trans-768x423.png 768w, https:\/\/malvinartley.com\/blog.malvinartley.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/syria_march21_dir_trans-1536x846.png 1536w, https:\/\/malvinartley.com\/blog.malvinartley.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/syria_march21_dir_trans.png 1797w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 525px) 100vw, 525px\" \/><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino;\">Hidden enemies of the state are being mobilized, or at least attempted, shown by directed Mars in the 12<sup>th<\/sup> house, square to natal Mercury, which rules that house (hidden enemies of the state). However, neither the 10<sup>th<\/sup> house (sitting government) nor its ruler (Mars in this case) are affected adversely now, showing the government will remain intact. Instead, the directed MC is conjunct the natal Jupiter, exact in about 6 weeks, showing a fortunate turn of events.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino;\">In summary, then, we see that there is nothing terrible about to befall Syria, no large military conflict, though there may be another faked chemical attack. What will probably eventuate instead are several pushes by the SAA to clear remaining pockets of Daesh in the desert, increasing attacks on opposition groups in Idlib, increasing attacks on American forces, as in nuisance attacks seeking to send the massage they are not wanted in Syria and which would lower American morale, increasing diplomatic efforts between all parties involved, mostly at Russian initiative, and so on.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino;\">If there is to be a military push which would involve Russia, it is most likely to come in Ukraine, which will be covered next. In the meantime, since 2015 Sergei Shoigu has been sharpening the tools in his other \u2018workshop\u2019 \u2013 the Russian military and their emerging technologies and weapons systems. The Syrians have been getting good experience using some of those weapons systems, too, and are quite adept now at shooting down missiles from Israeli nuisance air raids.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino;\">Russia has played a cool hand in Syria, being careful not to rouse the American Leviathan, <span style=\"color: #993300;\"><a style=\"color: #993300;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.strategic-culture.org\/news\/2021\/03\/15\/leviathan-mobilises-for-decisive-battle\/\">as it has recently been called<\/a><\/span>, all the while building on experience, strengthening its own military and showing its diplomatic skills, which have gained strong trust in the region. With these points in mind we move on to consider the other room in Shoigu\u2019s workshop, where it look like he will be \u2018talking\u2019 to Ukrainians. <span style=\"color: #993300;\"><a style=\"color: #993300;\" href=\"https:\/\/malvinartley.com\/blog.malvinartley.com\/2021\/03\/26\/shoigus-other-workshop\/\">Continue to Part II<\/a><\/span>\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino;\">Featured pic from <span style=\"color: #993300;\"><a style=\"color: #993300;\" href=\"https:\/\/arabic.sputniknews.com\/russia\/202103221048425503-%D9%82%D9%8A%D8%A7%D8%AF%D8%A9-%D9%85%D8%AC%D9%86%D8%B2%D8%B1%D8%A9-%D9%88%D8%B4%D8%B1%D8%A8-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B4%D8%A7%D9%8A%D8%A8%D9%88%D8%AA%D9%8A%D9%86-%D9%8A%D9%82%D8%B6%D9%8A-%D8%B9%D8%B7%D9%84%D8%A9-%D9%86%D9%87%D8%A7%D9%8A%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A3%D8%B3%D8%A8%D9%88%D8%B9-%D8%A8%D8%BA%D8%A7%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%AA-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AA%D8%A7%D9%8A%D8%BA%D8%A7-%D8%A8%D8%B1%D9%81%D9%82%D8%A9-%D9%88%D8%B2%D9%8A%D8%B1-%D8%AF%D9%81%D8%A7%D8%B9%D9%87%D9%81%D9%8A%D8%AF%D9%8A%D9%88-%D9%88%D8%B5%D9%88%D8%B1\/\">Sputnik News Arabic<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>I have read somewhere that when dealing with Russia, one can either speak with Lavrov or one will have to speak with Shoigu. One goes first to Lavrov, Russian Foreign Minister. If talks don\u2019t work, then one has to speak with Shoigu. Sergei Shoigu is Russian Defense Minister. Recently Shoigu and Putin spent the weekend &hellip; <\/p>\n<p class=\"link-more\"><a href=\"https:\/\/malvinartley.com\/blog.malvinartley.com\/2021\/03\/26\/shoigus-workshop\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &#8220;Shoigu\u2019s workshop&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1729,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[192],"tags":[11,22,100,38,428,5],"class_list":["post-1724","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-military","tag-astrology","tag-china","tag-nato","tag-russia","tag-shoigu","tag-syria"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/malvinartley.com\/blog.malvinartley.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1724"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/malvinartley.com\/blog.malvinartley.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/malvinartley.com\/blog.malvinartley.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/malvinartley.com\/blog.malvinartley.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/malvinartley.com\/blog.malvinartley.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1724"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/malvinartley.com\/blog.malvinartley.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1724\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1732,"href":"https:\/\/malvinartley.com\/blog.malvinartley.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1724\/revisions\/1732"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/malvinartley.com\/blog.malvinartley.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1729"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/malvinartley.com\/blog.malvinartley.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1724"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/malvinartley.com\/blog.malvinartley.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1724"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/malvinartley.com\/blog.malvinartley.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1724"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}