Russian President Vladimir Putin’s spokesperson Dmitry Peskov summarised his country’s cryptic pragmatism as the US-Israel war on Iran widens to the oil-rich Arab world and engulfs the global economy. “We should probably secure benefits for ourselves where possible,” he said this week, “no matter how cynical that may sound.” Vladimir Putin’s four-year-long invasion of Ukraine is the culmination of a quarter century spent tightening his grip on power, crushing opponents and trying to expand Russia’s influence and borders. (AFP File Photo) As West Asia descends into chaos following American and Israeli strikes on Iran — and the latter retaliates with missiles, drones, and oil-crunch tactics — the geopolitical paradox is hard to miss. Russia is reportedly providing Iran with satellite imagery and drone-targeting tactics to facilitate its retaliation against US forces and their bases and facilities in the UAE, Oman, Qatar and other American-Israeli allies. It is simultaneously reaping a massive financial windfall from US President Donald Trump’s war policy. This gives Moscow critical revenues apparently needed to sustain its ongoing invasion of Ukraine. The …