Ivan Sichen
August 24, 2022, Ukraine celebrated the 31st anniversary of its independence. On this very day, exactly six months ago, Russia started a full-scale war against our state. All this is a good opportunity to sum up both the next stage in Ukraine’s recent history and its heroic resistance to Putin’s aggression. Especially as they are impressive. Corresponding assessments have already been given in the Ukrainian, Western and Russian media. However, they have a rather different character. Therefore, let’s try to summarize them.
Let’s start with the most important thing, namely, with what is currently determining the situation in the world. Its main content is the struggle between “light” and “dark” forces. The former are freedom and democracy — the basis of the values of the Western world. The latter are totalitarianism and imperialism — the ideology of Russia and other similar countries.
It is on the results of this struggle that the future of human civilization depends. What will it become next — a common and safe space for everyone, or the horror of continuous wars and armed conflicts?
Ukraine is at the center of the confrontation between the mentioned forces. On the one hand, this gave it geopolitical significance in the world, and on the other, it made it literally a battleground of two opposing world systems. In this context, based on the development of events around Ukraine during the past six months, it is possible to make the following conclusions and assessments.
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…Ukraine has finally become an independent state… |
First, Ukraine has finally become an independent state. All Russia’s attempts to disintegrate Ukraine’s state system both by organizing internal rebellions in our country and by a full-scale war against it have failed completely. Moreover, Russia’s war against Ukraine became a powerful catalyst for an even stronger unification of Ukrainian society and its transformation into a single nation.
The majority of Ukrainians stood up to defend their Motherland. The strongest went to the front as part of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the National Guard or Territorial Defense. For one place in the mentioned units and forces, six or seven people are applying, which is proved by the queues of volunteers in our military recruiting offices. I also queued. However, I was rejected. They said: “Old man, you are already of retirement age. Besides, you were declared unfit for service at all due to injuries back in 2015. You have already served your time, go and rest”. My attempts to join local military units also ended in about the same way.
Many Ukrainians found themselves in this situation. Therefore, we realize our experience, opportunities and desire to serve the Motherland in many other ways. Some created their own self-defense in a village or urban neighborhood. Some joined the partisans. Others are fighting on the information front. Still others help the Motherland as volunteers in various fields, which is no less important than the courage of our soldiers and commanders who are at the front.
Second, V. Putin and his henchmen’s attempts to restore the image of the Soviet Union or the Russian Empire based on the ideas of building a “Russian world” have completely failed. After what Russia has done in Ukraine, “Russian world” is perceived by all normal people around the world as absolute evil. And how else can one perceive the total destruction of peaceful settlements and mass murders of the civilian population by the Russian army?
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| “Russian world” is perceived by all normal people around the world as absolute evil |
Because of this, even its closest allies in the CSTO, who have no desire to be involved in Russian crimes, abandoned Russia. And not at all because of the threat of Western sanctions, but for moral and ethical reasons. Indeed, what normal country would associate itself with outright murderers of women and children included?
The exception to the rule is the A. Lukashenko regime in Belarus, which exists solely thanks to support from Moscow. As is known, he provided the territory of his country for the aggression of Russian troops against Ukraine, but did not dare to involve his armed forces in the war. Because back in March of 2022, the majority of Belarusian army refused to cross the border with Ukraine. And some of them, in general, expressed their willingness to come over to our side. And they did. A Belarusian regiment is already fighting as part od the defense forces of Ukraine.
Third, the opinion about the “weakness” and “fragmentation” of the Western world, which allegedly fears Russia with its “invincible” armed forces and “powerful” nuclear weapons, was once again refuted. In June of 2022, a new Strategic Concept of the Alliance was adopted at the NATO summit, which defines Russia as its main adversary. In accordance with the adopted decisions, further strengthening of the US and NATO military presence in Europe was initiated, as well as increased aid to Ukraine.
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| The opinion about the “weakness” and “fragmentation” of the Western world, which allegedly fears Russia, was once again refuted |
In addition, the leadership of the EU and the leading member states of the European Union have taken a number of decisive steps aimed at getting rid of energy dependence on Russia. So far, Moscow still manages to manipulate oil and gas prices in Europe by limiting their supply to the European market through its gas and oil pipelines. However, most of the EU countries have already given up (or are planning to give up) Russian energy carriers, and receive them from other suppliers. Finally, everyone understood that it is impossible to have any business with Russia, especially on such strategic issues as energy.
Fourth, any military threats from Moscow no longer frighten anyone. Including the Kremlin’s statements that “the supply of weapons to Ukraine will involve Western countries in a direct conflict with Russia”. Weapons are supplied to us by almost all NATO and EU countries in ever-increasing volumes. In addition to MANPADS, ATGMs, UAVs and small arms, such supplies have included long-range and high-precision missile and artillery systems, tanks and other armored vehicles, as well as medium-range air defense systems.
This has already allowed us to change the situation on the front line, namely, to stop the advance of Russian troops, to launch a counteroffensive on certain directions, and also to turn the rear areas of the Russian army in the occupied territories into a combat zone. Occupants’ barracks, headquarters and command posts, warehouses with weapons and airfields explode there every day.
And today the war is returning to Russia itself, which started this war. This is evidenced by the explosions (“cotton fireworks”) in the border areas of Bryansk, Kursk, Voronezh, and Rostov regions of the Russian Federation, as well as in the occupied Crimea. The military infrastructure of the Russians is attacked daily by all possible forces and means. And the “second most powerful in the world” Armed Forces of Russia cannot prevent this in any way.
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| Today the war is returning to Russia itself, which started this war |
And what for does Russia need “referendums” on the occupied territories of Ukraine? There is absolutely no point of holding them. Moscow can “declare” these territories as its own, but this will not create any obstacles for our struggle to return them to Ukraine.
Fifth and most important! Russia’s actions create a threat of nuclear catastrophe in the world. Moscow has long openly threatened to use nuclear weapons against its opponents. I would like to think that it will not come to that. Although you can expect anything from V. Putin’s regime.
Let’s look at the situation around the Zaporizhzhia NPP, which Russia has turned into its military base and is creating obstacles with the permission of the IAEA inspection. It is there Russia hides its military vehicles from the strikes of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. From there, strikes are launched on neighboring cities of Ukraine, with the expectation that we will not strike at the nuclear power plant. Although punishment finds enemies even there. Ukrainian UAVs operate with jewel-like precision. And exactly so do our Special Operations Forces and partisans.
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| Russia’s actions create a threat of nuclear catastrophe in the world |
However, the problem is more serious. Since the spring of 2022, the actions of the Russian Armed Forces in the Chernobyl zone damaged the top layer of contaminated soil, as a result of which radioactive dust rose into the air. Added to this were shelling by Russian troops of the border strip of Chernihiv region of Ukraine, which borders on Bryansk region of Russia. It was there in 1986 that the largest release of radioactive materials took place. And in July of 2022, a Russian Su-30SM fighter jet flying to bomb Ukraine accidentally fired a missile at the Kurchatov nuclear power plant in Kursk region of the Russian Federation.
Although let’s hope for the best. In the article “There Comes the Last Parade”, we wrote about how the Russian occupiers hoped to celebrate their “victory” on Khreshchatyk back in March 2022, and our local collaborators bought flowers to welcome them. Well, the “parade” of the Russian army on Khreschatyk did take place. But in the form of their broken and burned military vehicles and equipment, which was brought there from under the unconquered Kyiv. This is what the withered bouquets of traitors came handy for.
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| Destroyed Russian military vehicles on the main street Khreshchatyk in Kyiv, August 2022 | |
We will also have a final parade. After the Victory, we will leave the forests and fields. We will leave the trenches and roadblocks. And we will walk along the main streets of those towns and cities that we liberated or defended. It will be the highest honor. And let the girls with flowers walk along Khreshchatyk.
We will return to a peaceful life. But we will keep our weapons until our enemies disappear like dew in the sun. The Ukrainians now have enough weapons for two more wars, because the transport convoys of the Russian troops fifty kilometers long, which entered our country as early as February 2022, brought enough of them. However, now there is one law in force in Ukraine: “entry is a hryvnia, but exit is ten”.
And here, on our roads, anything can happen. Several dozen shells or UAVs can arrive. Special Operations Forces or partisans can visit. The peasants of Poltava region alone, where there was no fighting at all, somehow managed to “take away” eleven tanks from the enemy in the neighboring regions.
In Russia they say that Ukrainians are “greedy”. We are not greedy, we are just thrifty. I don’t know why I need a tank in the farm. However, I have to have it just in case. And it has to stand in the forest next to my house. With three ammunition sets… Besides, within six months, the Armed Forces of Ukraine destroyed more than 12,000 pieces of Russian military equipment worth about 17 billion dollars.
Together we will win!
