Larry Nails It.

Exactly! Will China send weapons to Russia.

Yes. I think they will. But not because Russia is running out of shells and rockets. Nope. I think China wants a chance to field test some of its weaponry and drones against a foe that shoots back in order to see how they perform in a combat environment. Firing artillery or surface-to-air missiles on a closed range does not compare with lighting them up on a bona fide battlefield.

Real General Staffs salivate at the opportunity to try their technology and fighting doctrines on a real battlefield. It is all about those precious war correlates, performance data and its statistical analysis which allow to constantly update tactical and operational manuals, to shape technical requirements, which, in the end, translate into crucial advantages over the enemy. 

We, who have some background in military-intelligence affairs, already know about dismal performance of the NATO weaponry, which cannot be fixed, because it is systemic, and this fact inevitably translates from operational reality into the strategic and political one. Any unbiased observer can see the agony in Washington precisely because of that, while Chinese who are present (rumor has it) on some level in Moscow, also were learning to fight together with Russians as single joint units and formations as early as Vostok 2018 maneuvers.  

The signs of Washington's agony? Here comes this LOL)) Maria already explained what current US "diplomacy" is--Blinken trying to catch (ambush, actually) Lavrov in lobbies. Now State Department responds...

ВАШИНГТОН, 2 мар - РИА Новости. Госсекретарь Энтони Блинкен в ходе беседы с главой МИД РФ Сергеем Лавровым поднял волнующие Вашингтон темы, поэтому США не станут за нее извиняться, сказал официальный представитель госдепа Нед Прайс. "Я знаю, наши российские коллеги пытаются наделать из этого шума. Но с нашей стороны важно отметить, что это был короткий контакт, а не полноценная двусторонняя встреча. Но в более широком смысле, мы не станем извиняться за действия в наших интересах", - сказал Прайс. Так он ответил на вопрос о том, по чьей инициативе состоялся контакт. Ранее в МИД РФ сообщили, что о беседе попросил Блинкен. 

Translation: WASHINGTON, March 2 - RIA Novosti. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, during a conversation with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, raised topics of concern to Washington, so the United States will not apologize for her, said State Department spokesman Ned Price. "I know our Russian colleagues are trying to make a fuss out of this. But on our part, it is important to note that this was a short contact, and not a full-fledged bilateral meeting. But in a broader sense, we will not apologize for acting in our interests," Price said. That is how he answered the question on whose initiative the contact took place. Earlier, the Russian Foreign Ministry reported that Blinken had asked for a conversation.

 

So, Blinken did ambush Lavrov. I guess being schlimazels comes naturally to the modern crop of the US "diplomats". God, how the mighty have fallen. Once upon a time one could at least reason with American diplomats and have a meaningful conversation with them. Evidently, not anymore. But, what can I say, sic transit gloria mundi. The American mundi, that is, aka Pax Americana. In conclusion, a little bit of a strategic boohoo:

Disgruntled airlines have said that Chinese carriers have an “unfair advantage” because they can fly over Russia, cutting time and costs. A raft of airlines including British Airways, Swiss and Virgin Atlantic have recently announced that they are either restarting flights to China or increasing the number due to global travel restrictions relaxing. Western airlines have been banned from crossing Russia since the invasion of Ukraine in early 2022 but Chinese carriers are still free to fly shorter routes over the territory. “Between Paris and Seoul, it can add up to three hours in flight time. If you’ve got a Chinese carrier that is flying over Russia, they’ve got an unfair advantage over us,” Ben Smith, chief executive of Air France-KLM, told the Financial Times. Finnair chief executive Topi Manner also spoke with the publication and said that airlines were at a “significant” disadvantage. Finnair was forced to rethink its flights to Asia after formerly relying on routes across the north of Russia to reach countries like Japan.

What can I say. They wanted it and now they complain of getting unfair disadvantage, cry me a river. Or as they say--well, too bad--you reap what you sow.