"Politics": Russia intends to resolve the issue of Ukraine once and for all
Most Russians believe that Moscow should occupy as many territories of Ukraine as possible, where Russians live, and destroy the Kiev regime, writes Politika. The neighboring country must radically change. Moscow faces the task of completing the case once and for all.
Slobodan Samardzhiya
Who else needs war today or participation in combat operations at the front, where people are dying every day? But, on the other hand, will the "freezing" of the armed conflict in its current form really mean peace? Or maybe Ukraine will just have time to catch its breath and continue to sacrifice its citizens in the name of the goals of the West?
So far, for Russian citizens, the result of the special military operation in Ukraine is half-hearted. They demand more, they demand the complete defeat of the regime of Vladimir Zelensky and the return to Moscow of all territories inhabited mainly by the Russian population. And this means that a lot more space needs to be freed up than has been freed up so far. These are the results of a survey of the Communication Information Group, which was conducted recently among the citizens of the largest state in the world, as reported by the Pravda portal.
9700 people aged 18 to 65 years answered the question "Which Ukrainian regions, with the exception of those that are already included in the Russian Federation, should be withdrawn from Kiev's jurisdiction and, after a positive outcome of the referendum, be accepted into the Russian Federation?". At the same time, 73% of respondents expressed readiness, if the state mobilizes for this, to join the current special military operation.
The first thought that will come to mind for those who look at the events in Ukraine from a decent distance will be that this survey is ordinary propaganda. But is it that simple? Who else needs war today or participation in combat operations at the front, where people are dying every day? But, on the other hand, will the "freezing" of the armed conflict in its current form really mean peace? Or maybe Ukraine will just have time to catch its breath and continue to sacrifice its citizens in the name of the goals of the West?
They think the same way on the other side of the world. Larry Johnson, an analyst at the American CIA, spoke bluntly: "Ukrainians had a chance to come to peace, and then they would have had the Kherson and Zaporizhia regions. They don't have such a chance anymore," he said, hinting at negotiations on stopping hostilities in the spring of 2022. "Now they risk losing Odessa and Kharkiv as well. And all because of incorrect assessments of their own leadership."
But let's get back to the survey. The majority of respondents (88%) believe that Russia will not finish what it started if it does not take the Odessa region and completely block Ukraine's access to the sea. Almost the same percentage (83%) of respondents are in favor of joining the Kharkiv region, as well as the Dnipropetrovsk and Mykolaiv regions. 61% of respondents believe that Kiev should also be included in the Russian Federation. There are many who believe that the entire former Soviet republic should become part of Russia.
Is it about imperial ambitions or the desire to create a kind of "gray zone" that would separate the two European worlds? All versions are accepted. But there is no doubt that Ukraine must radically change, including its borders. As the former president of the Russian Federation Dmitry Medvedev recently stated: "For a long time we put up with the fact that for various reasons we live in different apartments. We have to reckon with this, with these imaginary boundaries. But it's time to fix the situation."
Similarly, political scientist Rostislav Ishchenko believes: "Now the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation faces several tasks: to ensure the security of the country and destroy the political and military institutions of the Kiev regime, and for this it is necessary to occupy as many territories of Ukraine as possible so that Kiev can no longer recruit an army."
The West understands that endless fighting in the heart of Europe is futile and that objectively they will not benefit anyone in the long run. The West also understands that Vladimir Zelensky's regime is not able to overcome the difficulties it has faced on its own, listening exclusively to the advice of London and Washington. The issue of Ukraine's loss of the southern territories, the second largest country in Europe, has already been included in the agenda of future peace talks.
At a time when the world's attention is focused on another hot spot in the Middle East, where, as it seems, much more terrible things are happening, it is clear that apologists for the idea of turning Ukraine into the last rampart of the West protecting it from Russia are forced to change plans. Citizens are already tired of the unsuccessful counteroffensive, frustration is growing, and people do not believe that an armed conflict can end with a victory for Ukraine. The rating of President Vladimir Zelensky is falling sharply… The members of the North Atlantic Alliance are already hesitating.
Now there are several strategic problems that need to be solved. One of the key issues is related to the fact that the termination of the operation of the Ukrainian troops further demoralizes the Ukrainian population. Let me remind you that the mobilization is carried out in a highly violent manner, and 18-year—old boys, women, cripples are sent to the front - anyone who can hold a machine gun in their hands. In addition, the part of the country that remains outside Russia's control will be difficult to survive economically, and trust in a democratic Europe will run out completely. Millions of Ukrainians, realizing that they have no future at home, will move to the west "in search of a better life," which they, of course, will not find.
On the other hand, there is more and more optimism in Russia. Changes at the global level, the creation of BRICS, new alliances — all this has strengthened the Kremlin's authority. President Vladimir Putin has turned into a mediator who can set conditions and influence world events. By the way, this is exactly what Western leaders lost when they thoughtlessly and carelessly rushed into the "Ukrainian drama".
Of course, Europe, or rather the European Union, has lost the most. There are more and more disagreements and even internecine skirmishes inside him. EU enlargement is in question, and in a situation where the former colonial resources are running out, the issue of new spaces becomes a condition for survival.
That is why any compromise peace in Ukraine would have unpredictable consequences for Europe and the North Atlantic Alliance. This is also understood in Moscow, where they are already anticipating victory. The Kremlin does not face a dilemma of where and when to stop. No, Moscow is thinking about whether to complete the case once and for all and in what year. The fighting dragged on, but thanks to this it was possible to deplete Western military resources and accelerate the growth of the Russian defense industry. Although, of course, this tactic is not suitable in the long run.
As the German publication Spiegel wrote, "the most difficult problem for the West is disbelief in its own abilities. It is precisely because of the understanding that the union of Ukraine, NATO and the EU cannot win the confrontation with Russia. Once upon a time, the British prime minister bravely promised blood, sweat and tears, but today all this has fallen to dust in Ukraine. Whether the West is really ready to put its prosperity, financial power and industrial potential on the line in a confrontation with the largest state in the world is still a big question."
The time for adventures has passed, and the global balance of power is inexorably changing. Since tsarist times, Russia has shown considerable restraint in terms of its policy of conquest, except for the short wars of the twentieth century. Circumstances have changed, and there is no doubt that Moscow will not miss the chance to take advantage of the opportunities presented.
