Russia has unleashed a bloody large-scale war, so hoping it won’t touch its own territory would be naive. Putin drove Russia into isolation; even its staunch ‘friends’ now recognize the toxicity of their ties. The economy has crumbled, leaving many Russians in poverty. Millions of migrants are being brought in to replace the deceased Russians. A series of indicators within Russia suggest that Putin’s regime is becoming fragile. Internal political processes are entering a qualitatively new phase. The authoritarian leader has proven politically weak. Dissatisfaction with the regime’s inability to address urgent country problems has led to internal armed resistance. Priogzhin’s large-scale crisis in the military elite could be the beginning of a series of similar actions, which is a predictable outcome of Russian aggression.
Heroically defending itself, Ukraine pays a high price for a cleaner and safer world. It makes no claims to foreign land, uninterested in Russian territory. Ukraine fights on all fronts for its survival, protecting its territory, sovereignty, and statehood. Ukrainian authorities have repeatedly stated that Ukraine’s goal is to return to internationally recognized borders of 1991, rejecting any compromises on territorial integrity. The only acceptable outcome for Ukrainian society and the country as a state is the full return of its territories.
Russia is destroying Ukrainian cities, killing civilians, and intentionally provoking a humanitarian catastrophe, doing whatever it pleases, while Ukraine must abide by certain «red lines» when defending its territories.
Western allies, fearing escalation with Russia, imposed a condition on Ukraine that the long-range weaponry they provided cannot be used to strike Russian territory. However, the temporarily occupied territories of mainland Ukraine and Crimea are still considered Ukrainian territories, exempt from this condition.
Currently, the Armed Forces of Ukraine are focused on striking targets in the temporarily occupied territories of Russia and liberating their own territory. Kyiv has committed not to use weaponry provided by Western allies on Russian territory, but this restriction does not apply to Ukrainian-made weapons. It is a brutal and bloody war, and in response to the loss of its citizens and the occupation of its lands, Ukraine has the full right to neutralize the enemy by disrupting their logistical lines, targeting their bases, and headquarters, even on Russian territory, to safeguard human lives.