PUTIN HAS MORE CARDS TO PLAY: Facing a humiliating stalemate in much of Ukraine and the inability to subdue Kyiv, Vladimir Putin is not likely to withdraw. He's more likely to double down with weapons that could alter the narrative of this gruesome war.

PUTIN APPARENTLY HAS USED hypersonic missiles in recent days, President Biden said yesterday. These missiles travel faster than five times the speed of sound and had not been used used before in combat.

AN IMMINENT THREAT MAY BE CYBERWARFARE: Biden indicated yesterday that Russia may be close to launching a cyber attack on the U.S. and other countries. This is disconcerting because U.S. intelligence has been unusually accurate in predicting Russian tactics; the initial invasion of Ukraine was predicted precisely.

BIDEN URGED BUSINESS LEADERS yesterday to beef up their cyberwarfare defenses. "It's a patriotic obligation for you to invest as much as you can," he stated.

VERY MUCH ON THE TABLE is the use of chemical or biological weapons - which Putin used to kill thousands in Syria. "The more his back is against the wall, the greater the severity of the tactics he may employ," Biden said.

AND THEN THERE'S THE UNTHINKABLE: A chilling article in this morning's New York Times quoted military experts who don't rule out Russia using tactical nuclear weapons in the battlefield. These weapons would be roughly half the size of the Hiroshima bomb, but the destruction and loss of life would be devastating.

IF THE MASSACRE OF INNOCENTS in cities like Mariupol isn't enough to win this war, Putin is prepared to do much more. He doesn't care that thousands of Russian soldiers have been killed or wounded. He wants to crush Ukraine, and is prepared to use horrific weapons to achieve that goal.

THE END GAME: There are three options: the ouster of Putin, perhaps in a public uprising or coup; a truce that gives both countries what they can call a victory; or a decisive victory by one of the two combatants.

UNFORTUNATELY, the first option is very unlikely and the second and third options do not appear to be imminent, as a stalemate persists - which could prompt the war criminal Putin to double down with new weapons.

The views expressed in this blog are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the opinions of AGF, its subsidiaries or any of its affiliated companies, funds or investment strategies.

The views expressed in this blog are provided as a general source of information based on information available as of the date of publication and should not be considered as personal investment advice or an offer or solicitation to buy and/or sell securities. Speculation or stated believes about future events, such as market or economic conditions, company or security performance, or other projections represent the beliefs of the author and do not necessarily represent the view of AGF, its subsidiaries or any of its affiliated companies, funds or investment strategies. Every effort has been made to ensure accuracy in these commentaries at the time of publication; however, accuracy cannot be guaranteed. Market conditions may change and AGF accepts no responsibility for individual investment decisions arising from the use of or reliance on the information contained herein. Any financial projections are based on the opinions of the author and should not be considered as a forecast. The forward looking statements and opinions may be affected by changing economic circumstances and are subject to a number of uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated in the forward looking statements. The information contained in this commentary is designed to provide you with general information related to the political and economic environment in the United States. It is not intended to be comprehensive investment advice applicable to the circumstances of the individual.

AGF Investments is a group of wholly owned subsidiaries of AGF Management Limited, a Canadian reporting issuer. The subsidiaries included in AGF Investments are AGF Investments Inc. (AGFI), AGF Investments America Inc. (AGFA), AGF Investments LLC (AGFUS) and AGF International Advisors Company Limited (AGFIA). AGFA and AGFUS are registered advisors in the U.S. AGFI is a registered as a portfolio manager across Canadian securities commissions. AGFIA is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland and registered with the Australian Securities & Investments Commission. The subsidiaries that form AGF Investments manage a variety of mandates comprised of equity, fixed income and balanced assets.

Founded in 1957, AGF Management Limited (AGF) is an independent and globally diverse asset management firm. AGF brings a disciplined approach to delivering excellence in investment management through its fundamental, quantitative, alternative and high-net-worth businesses focused on providing an exceptional client experience. AGF's suite of investment solutions extends globally to a wide range of clients, from financial advisors and individual investors to institutional investors including pension plans, corporate plans, sovereign wealth funds and endowments and foundations.

For further information, please visit AGF.com.

©2022 AGF Management Limited. All rights reserved.

Attachments

  • Original Link
  • Original Document
  • Permalink

Disclaimer

AGF Management Limited published this content on 22 March 2022 and is solely responsible for the information contained therein. Distributed by Public, unedited and unaltered, on 22 March 2022 11:21:01 UTC.