In Brief: Russia 'has attacked environment' in war
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Russia 'has attacked environment' in war
Russia's invasion of Ukraine is also a "massive attack on the environment", as Moscow has adopted a scorched-earth approach in its war on the sovereign nation, a senior German minister said yesterday.
"The Russian invasion isn't just a violation of international law - it's also a massive attack on the environment," Dr Tobias Lindner, Germany's Minister of State at the Federal Foreign Office, said at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore.
Moscow's near-strikes at nuclear plants in Ukraine and its "scorched-earth approach" in bombing oil refineries and chemical facilities, causing "a massive spill of toxic waste" into the Sea of Azov, have all contributed to extensive environmental damage amounting to several billions of euros, Dr Lindner said.
Climate change increases the risks of conflict, and conflict in return has an extremely high carbon and climate cost, he told a panel of experts discussing climate security and green defence at Asia's top security summit.
Magdalene Fung
US admiral warns of threat to world order
The global security environment is under threat and in potentially the most dangerous period since World War II, the top United States military officer in the region here warned.
Admiral John Aquilino, commander of the US Indo-Pacific Command, cited what he saw as an authoritarian Russian regime undertaking an illegitimate and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, North Korea's nuclear and missile tests threatening the livelihood of all nations, and a slew of Chinese moves as justification for his statement.
"The PRC's (People's Republic of China) destabilising actions throughout the Indo-Pacific include coercion, unsafe intercepts against our allies and partners, failure to respect agreements in the form of Hong Kong, border disputes as identified on the Indian border and the line of actual control, and lastly… a declaration of 'no limits' in the relationship between the PRC and the Russians," said Adm Aquilino.
"These aggressive behaviours are escalating tensions, increasing the potential for miscalculations."
Justin Ong
Cambodia defends building of naval base
Cambodian Defence Minister Tea Banh yesterday defended his country's building of the Ream naval base - which has attracted criticism for receiving funding from China - reiterating that it is not for China's exclusive use.
The Washington Post, citing unnamed Western officials, said in a report last week that a new facility at the Ream base - located in the Gulf of Thailand - was being built for the "exclusive" use of the Chinese navy.
Both Beijing and Cambodia have denied this charge.
Lim Min Zhang
