War Speeches. Russia intimidates Ukraine but gets the backlash

Past week (October, 10–16) started for Ukrainian people anything but easy. russia carried out a massive missile strike on civilian infrastructure, such as the electric power plants in dozens of densely populated cities (Kharkiv, Dnipro, Lviv, Odesa and many others). 

The capital city also caught a rocket strike. The total number of missiles launched at Ukraine by russian troops is 84. 45 of them have been taken down. In addition, the anti-aircraft systems destroyed 9 out of 12 Iran produced kamikaze drones "Shahed-136" launched by russian army. 

It is not the first rocket strike by the russian army. Civilian critical infrastructure facilities and civilian people are not the first time targeted, either. However, it has been by far the most massive russian attack since February, 24, 2022 . 

russia pursues the objective to intimidate Ukrainian people by destroying the energy supply system. Nevertheless, kremlin failed in that attempt. Moreover, massive russian strikes gave more impetus to Ukraine’s Western allies to act more decisively and increase the weapons supply, such as the cutting-edge air defense systems to protect Ukrainian cities and civilians against russian bombing. 

In addition, russia is suffering defeats in the diplomatic front, too. First, the UN GA supported Ukraine’s territorial integrity and condemned the russia-organized sham referenda in the occupied territories. And later, the PACE recognized russian regime to be terrorist. 

Why russia Opted for October, 10? 

The official reason is that all the strikes were sent in response to the explosion on the Crimean bridge on October, 8. According to the kremlin, it was done by Ukrainian special forces. Russian law-enforcement even managed to collect the "evidence base" to match the version, although it does raise many questions for people with at least some critical thinking.

russia’s president, vladimir putin, called the attack at the Crimean bridge (used by russians to transport 75% of weapons to Ukraine’s occupied territories) a "terror act" designed "to destroy russia’s critical civilian infrastructure." Allegedly, that is why russia had to respond. 

However, there is another plausible version. Official moscow decided to intimidate civilian Ukrainian people and make our country to stop resisting the russian invasion. Crimean bridge was just a scene starter. In fact, it does not even matter who sent the blow at it.

If russia had not launched a blow on October, 10, they would have organized massive strikes on another day. The scenario does not leave any doubts since Ukrainian authorities and experts have repeatedly emphasized that russia might attempt at striking Ukrainian energy infrastructure before winter season, trying to disrupt it. 

The version was confirmed by Ukrainian intelligence services. According to the agency, russian troops were ordered by the kremlin to prepare massive rocket strikes at Ukraine’s civilian infrastructure back on October, 2 and 3. Military units of strategic and long-range russian air force have been given the orders to prepare the massive missile attacks.

"They were targeting critical civilian infrastructure and central areas in the densely populated cities in Ukraine," shared the Central Intelligence Department of Ukraine.

On the other hand, massive rocket attacks can bring fear to civilians but also make the country’s military and political command not to transfer the war to the territories that Russia had considered as their own before February, 24. This is a suggestion admitting that Ukraine did strike the Kerch bridge that connects russia with the occupied Ukrainian Crimea. 

At least, this is what Vladimir putin implied after the strikes at Ukraine. Thus, during the meeting with permanent members of the rf security council, the russian dictator said that moscow would have a hard-line response in case of "continued attempts of terror acts" on their territory. 

"russia’s response will be hard and in line with the scale of the threat approaching russian federation," he said on Monday, October, 10.

However, russia failed to receive the expected results. It turned out otherwise – they were not able to intimidate common Ukrainian people; neither did they succeed to impose fear on the country’s military and political command. For example, in one case alone when Serhiy Prytula and Serhiy Sternenko initiated the fundraiser "to revenge the russians" to buy the kamikaze drones, Ukrainian people donated UAH 352 mln in one day alone. 

As to the country’s leaders, the President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine said that the russian attack had an objective to spread panic and chaos through the strikes at Ukraine’s energy system and through killing as many civilians as possible. However, according to the President, the plans are no-win because "Ukraine has been there before that enemy appeared, and Ukraine will be thereafter." 

Furthermore, Zelensky labelled russia’s actions as terrorism. The opinion was supported also by the Foreign Minister, Dmytro Kuleba, who called the Russian dictator a "terrorist who speaks with rockets." "putin’s only tactics is terror against peaceful Ukrainian cities," said the Minister. He added that the russian terror will fail to break Ukraine down. 

Against the Backdrop of russian Attacks: Allies to Strengthen Ukraine’s Air Defense

Massive russian strikes inspired Western allies of Ukraine to act more decisively and supply more weapons, such as the cutting-edge air defense systems.

On October, 10, German Defense Minister, Christine Lambrecht, informed that Berlin wanted to transfer to Ukraine the first air defense system IRIS-T "in the coming several days." As soon as on the next day, according to news reports, Ukraine received them. Later, spokesperson of the Air Force Command, Yuriy Ihnat, reported that the German IRIS-T was already in operation.

"The air defense systems we have today are very few. The IRIS-T complex that is found nowhere else in the world was delivered to Ukraine by Germany in the first place. The system is already in operation in the Ukrainian Army, in a southern axis. We expect the remaining systems to be delivered by Germany," said he.

At the same time, Defense Minister, Oleksii Reznikov, said that Ukraine will soon receive the cutting-edge air defense systems – the Norwegian surface-to-air missile systems NASAMS designed to destroy the maneuvering targets on low and high altitudes.

According to Reznikov, shortly after the sixth meeting of Ukraine Defence Contact Group ("Ramstein format") on October, 12, US Defense Minister, Lloyd Austin, and the head of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Mark Milley, made it public that they prioritized the provision of support in creating an integrated air-defense and anti-missile system to defend the Ukrainian skies.

In parallel, several countries announced they would transfer the weapons to reinforce Ukraine’s air defense. Thus, Great Britain said they will be giving to Ukraine the AMRAAM missiles for NASAMS air defense. According to the UK Defense Secretary, Ben Wallace, the missiles would help Ukraine protect the skies and strengthen the anti-missile defense.

The Netherlands announced they would transfer surface-to-air rockets for the system provided to Ukraine by another unidentified state. On the other hand, Spain is transferring to Ukraine 4 ADMS Hawk. In addition, according to Oleksii Reznikov, several other such systems are already on their way.

The U.S. announced the delivery of another package of aid to Ukraine, in the amount of USD 725 mln. It includes, among other things, missiles for the 155 mm artillery and 200 armored "Hammers". The EU has not stayed allof, either. They allocated EUR 500 mln to support the Ukrainian Army.

Israel started talking about providing military support to Ukraine, although they have been refraining from any such action. It goes about the Minister of Diaspora Affairs, Nachman Shai. The statement came in the context of Iran’s possible transfer of ballistic missiles to russia. Thus, on October, 16, according to "Ukrainian Truth," The Washington Post referred to the U.S. security services and the allies, and informed that Iran was intensifying their commitments to deliver weapons to russia for the war against Ukraine, and that they were ready to deliver not only the missiles but also the "surface-to-surface" rockets.

The UN Supports Ukraine’s Territorial Integrity, PACE Recognizes rf’s Regime as Terrorist

russia continues suffering losses on the international arena.

On October, 13, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution on "Territorial Integrity of Ukraine: Protection of Tenants of the UN Charter," condemning Russian sham referenda on the occupied territories of Ukraine. It received 143 votes "in favour," 5 votes "against," and 35 "abstained" votes. In addition to russia, other "no" votes came from Belarus, Syria, North Korea, and Nicaragua.

After the vote, permanent representative of Ukraine to the UN, Sergiy Kyslytsya, made an elegant trolling against russians. The diplomat brought the binoculars along with him to the meeting, to see into the lack of support for Russia during the vote. Later, he posted the photo on his Twitter. "Oh God! Can’t see it! How many you said voted for russia? 4? Blimey!…" wrote the diplomat. 

At the same time, following the vote, the President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine wrote on his Twitter that the world delivered a verdict: russia’s attempt at the annexation is null and void, and will never be recognized by free nations.

Another nuisance for russia also came on October, 13. The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) that expelled russia after the full-scale invasion on Ukraine, passed a resolution on support for Ukraine and the recognition of rf’s regime as terrorist. 

The resolution was supported by 99 delegates, and one of them abstained. It is a historic result as PACE was the first in the world international organization recognizing russia’s regime as terrorist. 

On the other hand, Volodymyr Zelensky, in his online address to the MPs, called the PACE decision a strong sign to the world community that punishment for crimes is inescapable.

In addition, with their resolution, the Assembly supported the earliest possible establishment of the international tribunal to investigate russia’s war crimes in Ukraine, and called on the member states to deliver air-defense systems to Ukraine. PACE also condemned nuclear threats to russia and emphasized that the country was holding a seat in the UN Security Council illegally, as they appropriated the membership of the Soviet Union.