Commentary Russia began a military invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24. Countries around the world were quick to take action, opting to hit Russia with economic sanctions. China, however, refrained from (and continues to refrain from) taking similar measures against Russia. This should come as no surprise. In fact, China appears to be helping Russia evade those hefty sanctions. China and Russia are incredibly close, both geographically and ideologically. Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping see eye-to-eye on several key issues, including the threat posed by the United States. Another key issue that both men agree on is the importance of Africa, the fastest-growing continent on the planet. In January of this year, just a few weeks before Putin decided to invade a sovereign nation, Russia and China made headlines by blocking the United Nations Security Council from sanctioning Mali’s military leaders. In 2020, the National Committee for the Salvation of …