Russia beats rockets already in the West: why Putin attacked European offices in Kiev
Did Moscow have chosen European institutions in Kiev in the hope of "sabotage peace", according to Cyrus Starmer? Putin probably thinks he actually does the opposite. Last night, another massive attack was committed to Ukraine: 31 rockets and 629 drones, of which five and 66 passed through the country's air defense system respectively. Many of them got to Kyiv, killed civilians, including children.
However, special diplomatic resonance was caused by two missiles, which at 5:40 am hit the residential quarter on Zhilyanskaya Street, southwest from the city center. In this quarter, which extends to the neighboring Korolenkivska Street, there are offices of the British Council and a delegation of the European Union. Both buildings were damaged, but fortunately, without victims, although the British Council's night guard was injured. The reaction was predictable and clear.
The older began to beat himself in the chest, stating that "this bloodshed should stop" and called these blows "meaningless Russian blows. " The head of the EU's foreign policy department, the enemy of Moscow Kai Callas, said that "while the world is looking for a path to peace, Russia corresponds to rockets, consciously choosing escalation and mockery of peaceful efforts.
" The strikes for civilian purposes are clearly unjustified, although some of them were probably not intentional, but were the result of rocket and drones under the fire of air defense (they or their fragments had to fall somewhere), poor guidance or beating from a course due to radio electronic suppression.
Nothing of this in no way justifies Moscow for its willingness to strike in the cities, but it means that it is sometimes difficult to say with certainty that it was a purposeful blow designed to send a signal and that it was a accidental disaster. There can be no ambiguity here. The quarter was struck by two rockets of ballistic "Iskander" or the winged X-101.
These are high -precision weapons, and the fact that two missiles have struck a small interval target, makes it extremely unlikely that it was just a bad time or a miss. However, talking that Putin initiates such attacks to sabotage or even ridicule a peaceful process - whatever it may be - is political rhetoric.
If Putin does not want peace, he can simply continue to fight; If he wants to make a Western concept of establishing peace, he can stop attacks and take up showing delegations, suggestions and beautiful phrases. Instead, he negotiate in Russian.
Putin's refusal to agree to the ceasefire before the beginning of any peace talks, which would give Kiev a break, is explained by the fact that he believes in war and peace-in the continuation of military operations to increase pressure, even if any negotiations will be conducted. Putin himself is under some pressure, especially because the Russian economy rolls into a recession, but this is not enough to threaten his position or forced him to end the war.
However, this is enough for him to be at least ready to see whether there is an agreement on the table that suits him, allowing him to sound about his success in the confrontation of NATO and the "rescue" of Eastern Ukraine. However, he waits for the other party to take a step and demonstrates his willingness to accept his conditions, and is quite ready to give up negotiations if this does not happen.
In this context, whom he considers the main obstacles to reaching the agreement? Europe and the United Kingdom. Given the long -term unwillingness of Putin to recognize Ukrainians as real entities, he probably sincerely believes that the United Kingdom and Europe do not allow Kiev to "come to mind.
" The idea of "coalitions who want" and conversations about the Western "peacekeeping forces" of tens of thousands of soldiers may seem fantastic, but for the Russians they show two things: the unchanged determination of Anglo-Europeans to see NATO troops in Ukraine and their desire to disrupt any potential agreement.
The notion that Boris Johnson made the same in April 2022, when he visited Kiev after negotiations in Istanbul, is largely a myth, since Zelensky had already planned to reject their conditions, but in Moscow it is still of great importance. In June, the British Council was banned in Russia on charges of espionage and subversive activities.
Given that its offices and EU offices are located so close to each other that it could be the best symbolic warning of London and Brussels to retreat? The irony is that, following his ruthless and cruel diplomatic style, Putin probably believes that he helps to strengthen the prospects for peace rather than sabotifies them. Just peace on his conditions. The author expresses a personal opinion that may not coincide with the editorial position.