100 days since the attack on Ukraine
It is 100 days since the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Attacks on Ukraine came from the east, south through Crimea and north through Belarus. Putin apparently thought it would all be over in a few days. That’s not how it went. Huge Russian losses. Somewhere between 20,000 and 35,000 Russian soldiers were killed, several hundred lost tanks, large losses in the number of aircraft and the loss of a couple of Russian warships.
What is best remembered, however, is the brutality against the civilian population carried out by the Russian occupation army. Proven bombing of civilian homes, schools, hospitals, etc. In Butsja, north of Kyiv, the world saw Russia’s atrocities. Civilians lay in the streets dead, backed up and shot. Large mass graves have also been found in the areas of Kyiv after Russian forces were forced to retreat by Ukraine. Large-scale rape of women has taken place. A war that so far has cost 50-100000 lives.
The lie before the assault
The Russian invasion of Ukraine was expected. For a long time, Russia built up military forces along the border with Ukraine and in Belarus. Ever since late autumn 2021, intelligence has said that Russia is planning an attack on its neighboring country. Putin’s regime rejected this. Lie of course. The Russian invasion was carefully planned for a long time.
It is also a lie when Putin describes this as a military operation. Avoiding the term war seems to be important for Putin. Maybe because war against a peaceful neighboring country with which most Russians have good relations would be difficult. To not tell the Russian people that this is a war is to tell them the facts. Russia went to a brutal war of aggression against a neighboring country.
The story to the Russian people that it is a military operation to liberate Ukraine from the Nazis is obviously a lie. Ukraine is a democratic country with free elections and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is legally elected. The story Putin tells the people of Russia is a lie. Volodymyr Zelensky or Ukraine is Nazi. Putin would rather tell the truth. A truth that he fears a functioning democracy up against Russia’s borders. Russia is a country that imprisones opponents of the regime and shuts down critical newspapers, television and radio. In fact, this censorship Russia shows is quite similar to censorship used by the Nazis. The invasion of Ukraine is explained with a lie by Putin.
Violence against the civilian population
The extreme violence against civilians in the war must be condemned. Ukraine is currently putting some imprisoned Russian soldiers on trial. A life sentence has been handed down, a couple of others have received long prison sentences. These are convicted of having shot and killed a civilian man on a bicycle, as well as having fired grenades at civilian homes. Pure executions against civilians, torture and rape are well documented.
Part of the strategy in the Russian warfare has clearly been to intimidate and weaken Ukrainian morale. Then abuse of the civilian population is part of the strategy. The strategy probably became even more important when it turned out that the morale of both the soldiers and civilians in Ukraine is high.
How long does the war last?
No one can say how long this war will last. Nor can anyone say what Putin’s goal is now. Originally, the goal was to take over the whole of Ukraine. But after Russian forces suffered major defeats at Kyiv, Sumy and Kharkiv, plans are likely to change. In any case, Russia may be able to occupy parts of Ukraine by force, coercion and a Putin-based regime. But they can never win the Ukrainian people.
Ukraine is constantly receiving weapons from Western countries. These are weapons that are absolutely necessary for Ukraine to stand against the Russian bear. Ukraine is now getting more and more advanced weapon systems. When the training of these is completed, they will make the Ukrainian resistance even stronger.
I do not see any rather peaceful solution to the conflict. There are two reasons for this. Putin will hardly survive a defeat in Ukraine and will therefore hardly accept Ukraine’s demands. Russia has also proved to be a country that Ukraine can hardly trust. The Russian invasion of Ukraine is the largest violence committed in Europe since World War II.
SLAVA UKRAINI