A war of annihilation

It is firmly stated by leading Russian voices that the war is holy, against not only Ukraine but also the West, and a matter of the survival of the Russian state, as Kremlin pundits have suggested for some time. The wanton destruction in Ukraine of infrastructure, power stations, dams, harbours, grain storage facilities etc. is clearly intended to break the spirit of Ukrainians and bring civil life to a standstill especially during the coming winter.

By summer 2024, the war had moved further into a campaign of annihilation of all that is Ukrainian; the Ukrainian state, culture, identity, and anything which defines it as a nation or state.

Now, supposedly, ‘the only solution is the total liquidation of Ukraine’.

This blunt assessment is not ours. It is the key message in leading, Russian state-controlled outlets, like the main TV channels, or the RT-Sputnik network, reaching global audiences and indicating the political direction.

It expands on Putin’s erroneous claim from July 2021 that Ukraine is an artificial creation. But there is a considerable distance from Putin’s semi-philosophical, yet ridiculous, concept that Ukraine should in theory not exist, to loud and clear calls for the liquidation of all that is Ukrainian. A precise quote from Sputnik illuminates this imperialist, revisionist position.

“Стратегически может быть достигнуто одно – единственное решение, связанное с Украиной, это полная ее ликвидация как самостоятельной структуры”

Our translation into English:

“Strategically, one thing can be achieved – the only solution related to Ukraine is its complete liquidation as an independent entity”

The words came from the Russian parliamentary deputy, political advisor Anatoly Wasserman. He may not be the most prominent speaker, but his words and similar calls by others are condoned and promoted. Having less prominent speakers push the boundaries of mainstream communication and perceptions is a Kremlin tactic we have already documented.

Don’t be deceived.