Hours after a Russian bombing hit a maternity hospital and killed a baby, the European Parliament passed a symbolic resolution declaring the Russian state a “promoter of terrorism”. The practical consequences of this vote, apart from annoying Moscow and leading to a computer attack on Parliament’s website, have yet to be determined. At the beginning of the ninth month of the “special military operation”, Moscow is committed to the continuous attack on infrastructure in order to bring Kiev to new negotiations or a ceasefire.
With Russia dealing with heavy human and material losses and Ukraine facing very serious problems in securing essential services, calls are being made for a ceasefire and peace plans, but the negotiating path still seems a long way off. “If Moscow really believes that power cuts will cause the Ukrainians to overthrow the government and beg for mercy, then after nine months of war the Kremlin still knows nothing about Ukraine,” said the president’s adviser Mikhailo Podolyak. “Either you force Ukraine to peace, or you force the West to force Ukraine to peace,” Zelensky’s chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, said of Moscow’s tactics.
The Kremlin admitted last week that its continued attacks on power plants and other infrastructure are aimed at getting the Ukrainians to negotiate. “Yes, we want negotiations, but we also want a result that ensures a sovereign and independent Ukraine,” NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg assured.
In Strasbourg, the final text of the resolution recognizing the Russian Federation as a state supporting terrorism, an unprecedented initiative among European parliamentarians, received support from all banks. It was approved by 494 votes in favour, 58 against and 44 abstentions. Poland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and the Czech Republic.
In addition to condemning Russian attacks and atrocities, MEPs say it is time for a public debate on the crimes of the Soviet regime.
Since the EU only has the power to designate individuals or terrorist groups, Parliament is asking each member state to pass its own legislation, which would further limit relations with Russia. Otherwise, MEPs urged the European Council to put the Wagner mercenary group, the 141st Special Motorized Regiment (from Chechnya, also known as Kadyrovtsy, after the leader of the region) and other militias on the list of terrorists. to place. .
In the 18 points of the resolution, the European representatives emphasize that the “deliberate attacks and atrocities committed by the Russian Federation against the civilian population of Ukraine, the destruction of civilian infrastructure and other serious violations of human rights and international humanitarian law amount to acts of terror against the Ukrainian population and constitute war crimes”.
However, they also urge Russian citizens to refuse to participate in the war and to “protest the heinous war crimes committed against the Ukrainian people” and their support for civilians fighting against the regime. At some point, for everyone, but especially for Russians, the need for a “historical and legal assessment” and a “public debate on the crimes of the Soviet regime” is emphasized, because “the lack of accountability and justice only leads to the repetition of similar crimes”.
In apparent indifference to Europe’s near unanimity towards the Russian invasion and its methods, Russian forces continued their attacks on various parts of Ukraine. At daybreak it was the regions of Kharkiv (two dead in Kupiansk) and Zaporizia (a newborn baby dead, mother and a doctor injured in the maternity ward in Vilnyansk). Later, dozens of cruise missiles were launched from bombers and two ships in the Black Sea to different parts of the country. The Ukrainian air force says it shot down 51 of the 70 missiles, as well as five drones. However, the shells that passed through the defenses killed at least five people in the Kiev region alone and led to the temporary shutdown of almost all power plants.
Kiev was left without electricity or water in what was the fifth large-scale cruise missile attack since October. “The European Parliament recognized Russia as a state that sponsors terrorism. Finally, thanks to all Members of the European Parliament. And then Russia proved to the whole world that this statement is true by launching 67 missiles on our infrastructure, on our energy system and on the common people.”, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky responded.
Western intelligence analyzes indicate that Russia has an empty arsenal of precision missiles and Ukrainian services say the Russians can only launch large-scale strikes “three or four times”. But former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev said after visiting an armaments workshop that “there is enough for everyone,” contrary to what the “enemies” say, according to the Tass agency.
Biden against terrorist label
The Ukrainian authorities’ call for other countries to designate Russia as a terrorist state has not gone unheeded in the United States. In July, in a rare moment of unanimity, senators passed a resolution – non-binding – urging Secretary of State Antony Blinken to designate Russia as a “state sponsor of terrorism” for its actions in Ukraine, as well as in Syria, Georgia and Chechnya. In September, however, President Joe Biden tried to end the discussion by answering journalists with a simple “No.”
There is no benefit to the White House in putting Russia on the same plane as Syria, North Korea, Iran and Cuba. According to Blinken, the restrictions approved in the sanctions are “fully consistent with the consequences that would exist with the designation,” and without the drawbacks the White House claims to create (impairing the ability to “bring Ukraine to the negotiating table.” supports” is affected). , or to “provide humanitarian aid in certain regions of Ukraine”.
Source: DN
