For years, Russia has formulated two “red lines” that must not be crossed because they endanger the country’s security:
- Ukraine joining NATO
- An attack on its own country
In 2014 the ukrainian democratic government of Viktor Yanukovitch was overthrown in a coup. After the new government of Petro Poroshenko abandoned Ukraine’s neutrality policy, Russia annexed Crimea after a referendum. Crimea is predominantly inhabited by Russians. Donbas, also predominantly inhabited by Russians, declared itself independent. Subsequently the “Minsk Accords” were negotiated to protect the Russian population in Ukraine. Yet, they were not implemented by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. They had been guaranteed by Germany and France.
After the deaths in Donbas did not stop but escalated in 2021, Russia asked Ukraine and the USA for negotiations to protect the Russian population in eastern Ukraine. When these negotiations were finally rejected in February 2022, the Russian military launched what it called a “special military operation” in Ukraine, which was called “The unprovoked Russian War of Aggression” by the Western media.
The immediately following peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine were successfully concluded in April 2022 with the “Istanbul Agreements”. However, a visit by British Prime Minister Boris Johnson to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy ensured that this peace was not realized.
Since then, there has been open war. The ethnic Russians are being supported by Russia, the Ukrainian nationalists by NATO and the EU. Russia has announced that it will respond devastatingly to an attack on its country, meaning nuclear weapons. In August 2024, Ukraine attacked the Russian Kursk region, which was planned by NATO. Its aim was to capture the Kursk nuclear power plant. The attack failed.
The day before yesterday, on November 20, 2024, the US and UK launched their first attack on Russia from Ukraine (on the Kursk and Bryansk regions) using ATACMS and “Storm Shadow” medium-range missiles. This attack had already been approved by US President Joe Biden weeks earlier. 6 missiles were fired, 5 were intercepted, one landed in an ammunition depot.
The attack was answered by Russia the next day, yesterday, with an attack by a medium-range missile on an ammunition depot in Ukraine (in the city of Djnepropetrovsk). A supersonic missile like this of the “Oreshnik” type cannot be intercepted. The missile was not equipped with a nuclear warhead. The next targets on NATO bases are already programmed, and the missiles will be armed.
Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that he agrees to negotiations for a ceasefire if they are led by US-President-elect, Donald Trump. Trump had been asked what he believed why God had saved him from being assassinated. Trump replied: “To save the world.”
—
Vienna Calling 