The Russian-led so-called “Special Military Operation” in Ukraine has now become a truly full-scale war, the bloodiest that Europe has seen since World War II. Having been unleashed almost a year ago, now it has evolved from a phase of active offensive by Russia into positional confrontation, characterized by significant human victims (measured in thousands), as well as material losses.
This is a war where the equipment and weapons of industrialized powers are used, which is one of its main features. In the course of this war, the widest range of modern war arsenal is employed, including that available to European nations and the United States.
The mere fact that Russia unleashed a war in Ukraine is seen by modern society, primarily Western, European, which has learned the lessons of the two world wars that flared in Europe in the last century, as blatant and appalling. The policy of the Russian leadership has clearly demonstrated to the civilized world its aggressiveness and unacceptability in terms of modern international relations.
The method of warfare pursued by Russian forces, which see the civilian population and civilian infrastructure of Ukraine as almost their main military targets, in total violation of the Geneva Conventions, international humanitarian law, and the law of armed conflicts, is another characteristic feature of this war.
The whole world now is aware of the facts of the absolutely inexplicable cruelty of Russian soldiers and their atrocities against the civilian population of Ukraine in Irpin, Bucha, Mariupol, Izium, Kharkiv, Mykolaiv, and most recently in Bakhmut, Soledar, Kherson, Zaporizhia, and Dnipro … These actions can only be assessed as «Russian state-sponsored terrorism.»
The latest period of the war sees Russia sharply boosting its terror against the Ukrainian infrastructure through missile strikes. Russians especially “focus” on energy facilities throughout Ukraine, from Lviv to Kharkiv, from Zhytomyr to Odesa. Russia’s cynical efforts to destroy Ukrainian energy infrastructure are clearly terrorist in nature! Is blackout in Ukraine the last hope of the terrorists?
The lack of heating and electricity paralyzes normal functioning of settlements and puts ordinary citizens of Ukraine on the brink of survival in winter months. Isn’t this another clear example of the genocide of the Ukrainian population by Russia?!
Moreover, the settlements themselves, especially those near the front lines, are regularly subjected to Russian shelling – regular, indiscriminate, and cynical! It is impossible to find explanations for the regular Russian artillery strikes, in particular those involving multiple launch rocket systems. Among the targeted regions are Kherson, Zaporizhia, Kharkiv, and Sumy. What arguments can Russia offer when they employ weapons of indiscriminate action that affect vast territories?
It is equally impossible to explain Russia’s use of the so-called «high-precision» weapons, developed back in the 1960s in the former USSR, whose circular deviation radius stands at about 500 meters! As they say in Russia: «nearly a tram stop.» What military tasks were solved by the Russian forces when they destroyed half of the residential building in Dnipro, which led to more than 50 deaths, not to mention those miraculously surviving and becoming homeless?!
Earlier in this article, a peculiarity of this war was mentioned, which is about the use of modern weapons by both parties. It is probably a bit erroneous to phrase it this way, but not totally wrong.
Western military experts agree that the artillery systems supplied by Europe and the United States (MLRS, self-propelled, towed howitzers), air defense systems, reconnaissance systems, and a host of other weapons and equipment are used by Ukrainian military really effectively despite the extremely short terms of training and the adverse operating conditions for these weapons. The successes demonstrated by the Armed Forces of Ukraine clearly testify to the military skill of the Command and the ability of Ukraine’s forces to use the widest variety of new weapons supplied.
The Russian Bear, as before, climbs over the stump and keeps swinging the club indiscriminately. So much for their “modern high-precision” weapons and the tactics of their use …
Obviously, in the current situation, without the supply of special types of weapons to Ukraine, primarily offensive ones, it will be much harder for the nation to achieve battlefield success, which will lead to a prolongation of the war, an unjustified increase in the number of war casualties, including civilian, in Ukraine.
In the context of the above, the fears of some Western leaders that Ukrainians won’t be able to master new equipment seem to be out of place. The answer is obvious: they will master it, quickly! It is also obvious that in many respects, it is on Ukraine that the soonest end to the war in the center of Europe and the victory over the Russian aggressor encroaching on European stability now depend!
To date, the only objective and correct stance on the part of the civilized world, primarily the United States and Europe, has been and can only be full-scale support for Ukraine in its struggle for sovereignty and territorial integrity. Also, it turns out, it’s also fighting for the whole of Europe as Ukraine is now an actual outpost in repelling Russia’s global aggression.
Obviously, understanding all this, as well as the possible implication for Europe in case Russia attains Its war goals, one of which is control over Europe, the civilized West is simply obliged to continue to provide Ukraine with comprehensive assistance and pursue further international isolation of Russia.