Russia’s threat to destroy Kyiv HPP, Kaniv reservoir dams is not just blackmail

Are they trying to intimidate us? They are. But why?

Russia is well aware of the existing stalemate and that is why, through all possible platforms, from talking heads such as opinion leaders to corrupt politicians such as Orban, they are implanting in the media space a narrative about the need for peace negotiations and a “ceasefire”.

At the same time, the Russians feel they are able to strengthen such public sentiments only through ultimatums.

In May, a month prior to the Peace Summit in Switzerland, Russia launched an offensive in Kharkiv region, trying to intimidate everyone with the claim that they have enough capacities to continue occupying more territories of Ukraine and opening new fronts. Stop the war now, they pressed, while we still have such an opportunity, but exclusively on Moscow’s terms. As a result, Russia drove itself into a trap in the north of Kharkiv region and achieved exactly the opposite result.

In July, on the eve of the NATO summit, Russia launched a terrorist missile attack on Ukraine and chose the destruction of civilian targets as their priority. The strike on the Okhmatdyt children's hospital in Kyiv is nothing but a direct threat: negotiate now, otherwise we will continue to kill your children.

But this blackmail saw harsh condemnation on the part of the international community and only some mentally challenged talking heads, some for a certain financial reward, relayed the narrative on the need to negotiate.

Now they are trying to intimidate us with massive disasters at hydroelectric power plants... which Russia is not capable of causing… However, through their confident rhetoric, these terrorists are trying to persuade us to bow down to their demands.

All this is happening because Russia is in a stalemate. I have repeatedly emphasized that 2024 is a critical year for the Russian military industry. Their warehouses and depots where heavy military equipment is supposed to be stored are almost depleted. They will soon have nothing left to replenish their monthly weaponry losses to the required extent. Outnumbering Ukraine in terms of manpower yields no high-quality results. The effectiveness of offensive efforts remains low despite their maximum intensification.

If we compare the battlefield developments and the degree of f Russian threats with hints at peace talks and a ceasefire, we see they are directly related to each other.

A rat driven into a corner will furiously attack, trying to bite as painfully as possible. In this case, Maria Zakharova played the role of that rat. But this is a futile attempt. We will finish off their whole nest.

Source

About author. Oleksandr Kovalenko, Ukrainian military and political observer of the Information Resistance group.

The editors do not always share the opinions expressed by the blog authors.