Essential Russia, which has always maintained a belligerent tone in its speeches towards Ukraine, seems to have made its statements even more radical in recent days in connection with strikes against the entire Ukrainian power grid.
When Russia no longer has the initiative on the battlefield in Ukraine, the statements of those close to power become increasingly radical and threatening. Something that puzzles the content of these threats, which could be an admission of Russia’s weakness and desire to provoke an escalation of the conflict.
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For example, the Vice-President of the Duma (Russian National Assembly), Piotr Tolstoy, on November 23, at the invitation of our colleagues from BFMTV, pointed out that “Ukraine’s infrastructure is being destroyed and Ukraine is being transported back to the 18th century.” However, the vice-president of the assembly did not stop with threats aimed directly at Europe: “We went to war twice against Europe. The first time we finished it in Paris, the second time in Berlin saying that Kyiv is our goal is still very modest.”
Cockroach President of Belarus threatens “total destruction” of Ukraine if it “doesn’t stop” (stop what?). Quite consistent with the recent Russian PsyOp aimed at forcing Ukraine into negotiations, and Peskov claimed that the special operation’s objectives would be completed. pic.twitter.com/vRtPmKpY2Y
— Dmitry (@war translated) November 24, 2022
constant bullying
“You will pay the price for your support of Ukraine through your economy,” Piotr Tolstoy also claimed. But he is not the only one attacking Russia’s opponents: Alexander Lukashenko, the President of Belarus and a very close ally of the Kremlin, for his part stated that peace must be concluded between Kyiv and Moscow, otherwise “the next stage will be the completion of the destruction of the Ukraine”.
Words that can be compared to the radical statements of Ramzan Kadyrov, the despot of the Russian region of Chechnya. The latter declared at the end of October that after the defeats of the Russian army at the front it was necessary “to raze the Ukrainian cities from the face of the earth”. For his part, Evgueni Prigojine, the founder of Wagner, proposed on November 23 to send a bloody mace to the European Parliament, declaring it dissolved from the Russian point of view.
“What is important to note is that they cannot help it,” notes geopolitician Carole Grimaud-Potter, who specializes in Russia: “Russian strikes continue, but they are being defeated on several fronts, most recently in Kherson. Meanwhile, patriotic programs on TV cause viewers to lose,” notes the researcher, who heads the Center for Russia and Eastern Europe Research (CREER).
Boundaries still unclear
“There are also personal interests behind these statements,” says the researcher: “Prigojine has an interest in the war continuing in view of Wagner’s record profits … For their part, the Duma deputies have no other way of maintaining their power, and the population must, after the loss be re-motivated by Kherson.”
According to Carole Grimaud-Potter, “However, there are limits to these bellicose statements: a Russia Today journalist was suspended after calling for the drowning of Ukrainian children in October. It remains to be seen which line must not be crossed and how far Prigoyine and the others will go can walk in their words without losing that validation,” concludes the expert.