Following a series of successful counteroffensives by Ukrainian military forces, Russia has struck civilian infrastructure (dams and power plants) and in a special announcement yesterday declared the following:
- Russia would institute a mandatory military draft
- Russia would impose a lockdown, and no males could leave the country
- Russia will annex four regions of Ukraine
- Western countries that interfere could be subject to a nuclear strike
Multiple reports note that Russia is in a state of chaos. There was a recent attempt on Russian President Vladimir Putin’s life, the Russian stock market is crashing and Russian troops in Ukraine are surrendering, refusing to fight and abandoning weapons.
In an effort to regain control of the situation, Putin has called up a draft, threatened those who refuse to fight with 10 years imprisonment and warned the West that interference could trigger a nuclear response, threatening this is “not a bluff.”
Seemingly desperate to make his case, Putin justified his nuclear response threat by accusing Western countries of resorting to “nuclear blackmail.” However, no NATO-aligned nation has threatened a nuclear strike.
In a highly publicized national address on Wednesday, Putin said:
“To those who allow themselves such statements regarding Russia, I want to remind you that our country also has various means of destruction, and for separate components and more modern than those of NATO countries, and when the territorial integrity of our country is threatened, to protect Russia and our people, we will certainly use all the means at our disposal.”
Putin added: “It’s not a bluff.”
In August, Ukraine launched a series of counteroffensives that forced Russian troops to relinquish thousands of square miles of Ukrainian territory.
Attempting to ease into the draconian measures he intends to impose on his nation, Putin announced a “partial military mobilization” on Tuesday. The policy will activate reservist civilians.
Fox News reports that “fear of a wider mobilization has caused a mass exodus of young men fleeing Russia.”
Putin responded with a lockdown, arguing conscription is the necessary means ‘to protect our homeland, its sovereignty and territorial integrity, to ensure the security of our people and people in the liberated territories.'”
President Biden is scheduled to address the United Nations General Assembly this week. Early reports note that Biden will condemn Putin’s “naked aggression” and charge Russia with violating the U.N.’s core tenets.
National security adviser Jake Sullivan said Tuesday: “He’ll offer a firm rebuke of Russia’s unjust war in Ukraine and make a call to the world to continue to stand against the naked aggression that we’ve seen these past several months.”
Sullivan continued that “He will underscore the importance of strengthening the United Nations and reaffirm core tenets of its charter at a time when a permanent member of the Security Council has struck at the very heart of the charter by challenging the principle of territorial integrity and sovereignty.”
Many question the weight Biden’s words will carry, given that numerous declarations the president has made have been walked back by White House advisers — including his recent pledge to defend Taiwan if China attempted to invade.
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