Last week (September, 12–18), Russians have not been unanimous in their positions, again.

On the one hand, at the international negotiations, putin said he will "do his best to have the war end,” and accused Ukraine of not wanting to negotiate. On the other hand, dmitriy medvedev demanded “total capitulation of the Kyiv regime on russia’s terms” and threatened NATO with the “third world war.”

Clearly, medvedev’s aggressive position and putin’s statement about the “unchanged goal” of the so-called "liberation of the entire Donbass territory" do not leave any slightest chance for successful negotiations. Ukrainian leaders understand it and postpone negotiations until the point when Russian troops leave Ukrainian territories.

After military defeat in Kharkiv region and a series of diplomatic failures, russia has resorted to their usual terrorism practices. They struck with cruise missiles at the infrastructure of Ukrainian cities. The strikes at the city of Kryvyi Rih were by far the heaviest. Kremlin literally wants to flood the city.

Unfortunately, the found mass burials in Izium prove yet again the cruelty, cynicism, and total criminality of russia’s war against Ukraine, which is supported by the vast majority of russians. Nevertheless, they have not been banned from entering even the EU member-states.

russians are not welcome

On September, 12, the Decision of the Council of the EU came into force on suspending the Simplified Visa Regime with the rf.

Citizens of the terrorist state will no longer be able to lodge their visas for travel to Schengen zone countries under the simplified procedure. The number of new visas for russian people is supposed to be drastically reduced. Unfortunately, it is not yet a total ban for tourist travel for russian people. However, contrary to the general EU position, since September, 19, the sanction will be implemented by Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, and Poland.

kremlin representatives have not been invited to the funeral and ceremony of the Queen of the United Kingdom. A spokeswoman of the russian foreign ministry, maria zakharova, said it was "deeply immoral" for the funeral ceremony organizers to reject the invitation of russia’s representatives because of the war in Ukraine.

zakharova said that “during the Second World War, the Queen was part of the British Territorial Defense Forces and fought the Nazis and their Ukrainian associates Stepan Bandera and Roman Shukhevych." As we can see, russians stick to the same lies.

On the other hand, the Ukrainian delegation was invited to the Queen’s funeral. On Sunday, the Prime Minister of Ukraine, Denys Shmyhal, and the First Lady, Olena Zelenska, paid their respect to Elisabeth II.

russia faced another diplomatic defeat in another area. IAEA passed a resolution calling russia to withdraw their troops from Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. Of the representatives of 35 member states, the resolution was supported by 26 powers. russia and China voted "against", and Egypt, RSA, Senegal, Burundi, Vietnam, India, and Pakistan abstained.

Security Guarantees for Ukraine

Early last week, the Kyiv Security Compact was presented in Kyiv. It was drawn by Yermak-Rasmussen working group.

The document says: “The strongest security guranatee for Ukraine is its capacity to defend from the aggressor under Article 51 of the UN Charter. For this, Ukraine needs resources to maintain the numerous fighting strength.” Ukraine also requires sustainable investment into military industrial complex and more weapons supplies from the allies.

The security guarantees for Ukraine must be built on the basis of bilateral agreements but combined in a joint document on strategic partnership. The guarantor states group may include the USA, the UK, Canada, Poland, Italy, Germany, France, Australia, Turkiye, and North European countries, Baltic states, and the states from East and Central Europe.

The document provoked a response from the deputy head of rf security council, dmitriy medvedev who called it a “prologue for the third world war.”

He is certain that “no one will offer any “guarantees” to the Ukrainian Nazis”. In fact, it is the same as applying to Ukraine Art. 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty (Washington Treaty). For NATO, it is the same shit, side view. That’s why it’s scary.”

As we can see from the reaction of kremlin’s representatives, the paper is consternating russia.

Negotiations and medvedev’s Ultimatum

President Volodymyr Zelensky, at the 17th YES meeting (Yalta European Strategy) said: “As of today, no negotiations with rf about ending the war can be possible, since the russian side are not able to formulate any sensible positions.” He also added: “in case with the russia side, there is no certainty they would keep their promises.”

President of Ukraine has already expressed a similar position a month ago, following the meeting with the President Erdogan of Turkiye and the UN Secretary General Guterres:

“I am surprised to learn that the rf are prepared for some kind of peace. People who kill, rape, and strike with cruise missiles our civilian cities and civilian infrastructure every day cannot want peace. Therefore, I think, they first need to liberate our territories, and then... We’ll see what happens then."

Although dmitriy peskov, a spokesman of russian president, softened his rhetoric last week about the possible negotiations, the mouthpiece of russian propaganda was picked up by dmitriy medvedev.

The deputy head of rf security council and “united russia” party leader said: “Today’s ultimatums coming from russia is the warm-up for kids, as compared with future requirements. Volodymyr Zelensky knows them – it’s total capitulation of Kyiv regime on russi’as terms.”

putin stayed “unsatisfied” with the negotiation process , either. At the meeting with the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, he said he would allegedly "do his best to bring the end to the war as soon as possible." But he accused Ukraine that their “leaders want combat gains, as they say, in the battlefield.”

russia continues Terror and Crimes

After the retreat of russian troops from Izium, mass burial sites of Ukrainian people were found in the city. One of them has over 440 bodie. According to the President of Ukraine, “the world must bring russia to real responsibility. Bucha, Mariupol, and now, unfortunately, Izium... russia leaves behind the death wherever they go. And they must be held accountable.”

In another place in Kharkiv region, in a township of Kozacha Lopan, a torture house arranged by the occupiers was found. It was located in a basement of the so-called “People’s Militia.” There, they applied inhumane torture to civilians.

Unfortunately, this week, Russians continued the terror methods of waging the war. They repeatedly hit with rocket strikes at Kharkiv, Mykolayiv, Zaporizhzhia, Chuhuyiv, Kramatorsk, and other cities.

In particular, occupiers used cruise missiles to strike the infrastructure of Kryvyi Rih — a water dam at Karachunivske reservoir. The strikes heavily damaged the hydrotechnical facilities and several city districts were left without water supply. In addition, the water level in Inhulets river went up.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said on this subject: “The terrorist state keeps fighting civilians. This time, they struck with rockets at the hydrotechnical facilities and attempted to flood Kryvyi Rih.”

When talking to journalists during the summit at Shanghai Cooperation Organization, putin was talking about the “warning” strikes, and he might have implied these: “russia is rather moderate in our response. However, it is only until the right moment. Recently, russia’s armed forces blew several noticeable strikes. Let’s consider them as warning strikes.”

russians are willingly descending into some more threats. This time, the threats were about residents of the occupied Ukrainian peninsula. The so-called "chief" of Crimea, Serhiy Aksionov, started threatening to local citizens with criminal prosecution for "nationalist slogans and songs."

The collaborationist said: “We are getting videos in the information space from public events in Crimea where participants chant pro-Ukrainian slogans and sing nationalist songs. I think the organizers and participants of suchlike entertainment shall be brought to account, they shall be dismissed from their positions, or other action must be taken under the law.”

No Reinforcement Coming

The British Intelligence report mentions that the 1st guards tank army withdrawn from Kharkiv region over the past two weeks was intended for the potential war with NATO.

Thus, the British Defense Ministry claims: "The formation was one of the most prestigious in the russian army, allocated for the defense of Moscow and designated to conduct counterattacks in the event of a war with NATO. It is likely that russia will need years to regain this potential ".

However, it is not yet entirely clear how this potential is going to be restored by the kremlin. After all, according to the Ukrainian General Staff, “a large number of russian volunteers flatly refused the prospect of service in combat conditions. Thus, the military command of the russian federation suspends the dispatch of newly-formed formed units to the territory of Ukraine. ”

Similar information regarding the failures of russian recruitment has been published by Forbes:

“The 3rd Army Corps based in Mulino demonstrates the kremlin's best effort to replenish losses after 200 days of fighting in Ukraine. There should have been up to 20,000 servicemen in the corps but recruitment seems to have stopped at around 10,000. In addition, it was staffed with unfit volunteer fighters, including alcohol and substance abusers. The corps was supposed to strengthen the defense of the russians around Kharkiv but they simply "vanished" and retreated along with other russian forces in the region. "

In russia, there have already been repeated calls for full mobilization. Thus, on September, 13, the leader of the Communist Party, gennady zuganov, said that russia needs to officially announce the mobilization, since the SMO (special military operation) is the war. However, the leader of the party "Just Russia — For Truth," sergey mironov, only called for "mobilization in the minds," which will help the average russians to "faster win in Ukraine".

However, in order to continue the war against Ukraine, the russians are trying to rotate their troops.

According to the spokeswoman of the press center of OPCOM "South," Natalia Humeniuk, "the most demoralized soldiers are sent by the russian military command to the rear to "brainwash"them and then return to the front".

Putin, ranking and SMO goals

The success of the Ukrainian counter-offensive in Kharkiv region made russians criticize their dictator, almost the first time ever.

putin's spokesman peskov responded to such accusations by stating: “Despite certain criticism, russians support putin, this is confirmed by people's sentiments, their actions, their participation in the elections, and the choice the voters made.” However, he also warned that “one must be careful” with the criticism because “the dividing line is fine in this matter.”

Apparently, the kremlin really believes that the russians will love putin till the last.

As to putin, he reassured that: “the war plan against Ukraine is not open for adjustment” – it is about the so-called "liberation of the entire Donbass territory." He also added that “russia was not fighting with their full army, but only with part of it.”

It is quite possible that the businessman yevgeniy prigozhin is enrolling another part for the putin army for the Wagner PMC in russian prisons.

Original article: Ukrainska Pravda