Col. Manoj Pal
Moscow (Russia): Foreign Minister of Russia Sergei Lavrov again threatened Ukraine on Monday, December 26 to either surrender the territories controlled by Russia or the Russian Army would decide. This threat came after President Putin said that he is open to talks. President Zelensky with support of Ukraine’s Western allies dismissed Putin’s offer to talk. His forces battering Ukrainian towns with missiles and rockets and Moscow continuing to demand that Kyiv recognize its conquest of a fifth of the country. However, President Zelensky is determined to fight until Moscow withdraw.
Lavrov in a statement said that “Our proposals for the demilitarization and denazification of the territories controlled by the regime, the elimination of threats to Russia’s security emanating from there, including our new lands, are well known to the enemy”. He further added “The point is simple – fulfil them for your own good. Otherwise, the issue will be decided by the Russian Army”.
It’s been more than 10 months since launch of invasion of Russia on Ukraine on Feb 24, terming it as a Special Operation to Denazify and demilitarise Ukraine. Whereas the Ukraine and West has termed it imperialism. Though the plan of Russia was to swiftly mobilize the forces and occupy Ukraine. But this operation is proving a big embarrassment to the Russia. None had anticipated and expected that Ukraine would be able to resist Russian Forces and its missile firepower so long and there is no end in sight.
There were lethal attacks from Russia on military and non-military establishments. Russia has emptied its missile arsenal but results are not so encouraging. The West is supporting and supplying latest war head, air defence systems, short- and long-range missiles, anti-tank missiles, surveillance equipment besides humanitarian aids. The Ukraine’s neighbouring countries have provided refugees everything they need to survive and this gave strength the President Zelensky to fight the Russian invasion. In the latest attack by Ukraine exposed the gaps in Russia’s air defence, a drone believed to have penetrated hundreds of kilometres through Russian airspace causing a deadly explosion at the main base for its strategic bombers.
Russian forces are moving ahead, captured large area but could not hold on to it. Ukrainian forces on the other side constantly pushing them back and recapture the ground they lost. During winter, fighting a war in open ground beating the strong defences made by the Kyiv is very difficult for any military of the world however it may be strong and well equipped. The Russia has timed well to invade Ukraine in February while summer is setting up but they could not take decisive control over land as expected.
Though, it would be early to say that Russian invasion of Ukraine is heading towards fate of Russian-Afghanistan and American-Vietnam war which were fought over decades with no results. The question comes up, what Russia gained out of it and what Ukraine lost? Russia is paying for Putin’s erstwhile USSR ambition and Ukraine’s security by membership to NATO which did not materialize as yet. Both sides have lost thousands of soldiers have died. Villages, cities, infrastructure, farming lands and so on have been razed from the ground. Ukraine at the cost of NATO membership and false assurance of America and Western Countries; has lost what they created over three decades. Even if Russia retreats, Ukraine has paid a heavy price. Though, the President Zelensky is fighting well better than the seasoned politician in the chair the people of Ukraine is paying a heavy cost of Russia’s misadventure and defiant attitude of Zelensky of not exploring enough diplomatic channels.
