I was following the posts in President Zelenskyy’s preview Telegram channel when I was struck by the fact that there is a SERIOUS russian attack on the cities about every two days. And every attack targeting the cities is a war crime. That’s in addition to the smaller daily attacks on cities or villages and the actual military clashes along the frontline.
Let that soak in, because it’s important. The press rarely mentions this fact when reporting on these attacks, and there is a real danger that readers will get used to these atrocities and think that they are normal military tactics.
These terrible attacks are not the only thing happening in Ukraine, though. Somehow the valiant populace has managed to carry on normal life, as well, such that they have a growing economy and the kids are going to school. Attacks like no army has ever before withstood are as common a part of civilian life as catching the school bus, just not nearly as pleasant.
So here I’ve copied the posts from a typical week. My added titles and comments are in the usual off-white text, while words in light blue-green are quoted directly from the President’s posts. I’ve used a darker blue to highlight some of his more striking observations.
A week in the life of Ukraine
Monday 11-11-24
Kryvyi Rih. An ordinary five-story building hit by Russian terrorists with a missile. Apartments from the first to the fifth floor of one of the entrances were destroyed. At this time, it is known that seven people were injured, including two children. An emergency rescue operation is underway, and everything is being done to save them. There may be people under the rubble.
Every day, every night, Russia commits the same terror. Except that an increasing number of civilian objects are becoming targets. Russia only wants to continue the war, and each of its strikes refutes any statements from Russia about diplomacy. Ukraine needs weapons to protect against Russian terror and stronger support from the world so that diplomacy becomes real and strong. Without principled decisions and strong support for Ukraine, Russia will have no motive to seek peace, but will only look for new targets.
“but will only look for new targets.” They’ve already begun looking for new targets, and they are finding them, too. There have been provocations all along the russian border, involving Norway, Finland, and Sweden. There’s a detailed, notorious takeover plan for Moldova. They’ve also been really careless about crashing drones and rockets in places like Moldova, Romania and Poland.
And, there’s that new ICBM they fired at Dnipro.They certainly don’t need an ICBM to hit Dnipro from russia. Obviously, it was a test of their new missile, which can reach much further, to more distant places like Spain, Portugal, France, and the like.
The only way russia knows to test and evaluate itself is to attack somebody. Stupid? YES. Primitive? YES. Infantile? YES. But very, very dangerous.
Wednesday 11-13-24
This morning, there was another combined Russian strike on our cities, and there was an effective response from our air defense. Russian missiles were shot down, including ballistic missiles, cruise missiles that attacked Kyiv, as well as drones. In total, about 90 attack drones attacked Ukraine.
And it is important that our forces have what it takes to defend the country from Russian terror. I am grateful to each of the partners who help. Delivering anti-missiles to our air defense on time, fulfilling agreements on defense systems, on the production and supply of electronic warfare is, without exaggeration, being people’s saviors. Each such manifestation of the effectiveness of our air defense is lives saved, infrastructure protected. And the more results our soldiers have, the closer the end of the war will be. This is how peace is achieved through force.
Friday 11-15-24
Russia does not stop shelling Ukraine, terrorizing our regions, peaceful cities and communities. Over the past day, the occupiers have struck with artillery, drones and KABs in the Donetsk region, where a drone strike took one life, Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhia, Mykolaiv, Kharkiv, Luhansk, Kherson, Sumy, Chernihiv regions.
Last night, there was a combined massive strike on Odessa. Rockets and drones. Residential buildings, a heating main, an educational institution, a church were damaged. There were also hits in the port area. Unfortunately, one person died as a result of this terror. Ten more people were injured, including two children. We help everyone who needs it. Thank you to everyone who is involved in saving our people and eliminating the consequences.
Notice the lack of military targets. Each of these attacks is a war crime, targeting, as they do, civilian infrastructure. So, what does russia gain from these expensive attacks? putin stated, back at the beginning, that his aim was to: “wipe out the very concept of Ukraine.” I’ve gotta give you credit, putin, that’s the most succinct statement of an intent to commit genocide ever written!
If that’s his aim in this evil and ignoble effort, then I guess every little bit of electricity generating infrastructure, every school, every church, every hospital, and each apartment building counts toward his goal.