By John Q. Hosedrinker 
According to Ukraine’s military intelligence, Russia is attempting to involve Laos in its war against Ukraine under the guise of humanitarian aid. Moscow is organizing the deployment of Lao military engineers to Russia’s Kursk Oblast for demining operations, with Laos reportedly agreeing to send up to 50 engineers and offer rehabilitation services to wounded Russian soldiers. This move is part of Russia’s broader efforts to recruit foreign personnel, as the Kremlin uses “humanitarian rhetoric” to legitimize foreign military presence. Laos, which has close ties with Russia and China, has not yet commented on the claims.
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Russia seeks to involve Laos in war against Ukraine, military intelligence claims, and this is where things get really interesting, or rather, incredibly worrying. The claim, according to sources, is that Moscow is actively working to deploy a unit of military engineers from Laos to Russia’s Kursk Oblast. The stated purpose? Allegedly, demining operations. Now, if you’re like me, you might be thinking, “Demining? In *Russia*? Why Laos?” Well, that’s the million-dollar question, isn’t it? The potential implications are, frankly, pretty alarming.
Russia’s desire for additional “manpower” in Ukraine can’t be denied. We know about the involvement of North Korean troops. If this claim is accurate, then we have to contend with the fact that Russia wants to involve Laos in the conflict as well. It’s a move that throws a wrench into the existing dynamics of the war, expanding its scope and complexity. And, let’s be honest, it makes us question the extent to which the West is willing to go to stop this “Special Military Operation.” The question becomes, “What are we so afraid of?”
The situation in Ukraine right now feels like a proxy war, with multiple nations playing their part, some directly, some indirectly. With Russia allegedly getting Laos involved, you start wondering about what constitutes a “world war”. The potential for wider involvement, especially if other nations like China or Vietnam are involved, makes the situation all the more precarious. Remember, Laos has a history with Russia, with links dating back to the Cold War. Laos is also one of the remaining communist countries, with China, Vietnam, North Korea, and Cuba.
The history of Laos, a country that has been bombed relentlessly, further complicates this. The people of Laos just want peace, so it’s heartbreaking to see their country potentially pulled into a conflict of this magnitude.
The question then becomes, what can the West do, or even should the West get involved? If Russia is indeed pulling in other countries, shouldn’t NATO or the US be playing the game by the same rules?
And what is the motivation? Well, Russia needs more soldiers. It’s a simple as that. Is there a need to hide casualties?
This whole situation is creating a kind of “Axis of Shitheads,” with Russia at the core, supported by North Korea, Iran, Belarus, and potentially now Laos. It appears China is also playing a shadow role. And if Russia brings in China and Vietnam, we’ll be even further down the road. The West will certainly be strongly condemning it. But what then? More meetings? More photo ops? More unwavering support to Ukraine? Or will the West finally step up?
In an ideal world, the West would be able to control the air defense to some extent, taking some burden of security off Ukraine. Russia knows that, too. If other countries are involved they should be involved.
It seems that the West is largely reluctant to get involved. This could simply be a strategic maneuver to keep the conflict dragging on for as long as possible, which is a terrible thought.
Laos, of course, is a landlocked nation. Its primary trade, investment, and infrastructure is based on China. They also have a history with Russia.
Laos has a unique skill set in that their experience with demining operations is unparalleled. It’s a grim reality that points to the level of destruction and suffering the people of Laos have endured throughout history.
This is why it is so important to consider what a world war would look like today.