1/ Russian politicians are hoping that Vladimir Putin will announce his plans for the end of the war in Ukraine. They want him to achieve a quick victory this year, with no further mobilisation and no closing of Russia's borders to block those attempting to flee the country – both of which would be highly unpopular steps. ⬇️
2/ The independent Russian media outlet 'We can explain' (MO) has been interviewing deputies about their expectations for Putin's next annual national address on 21 February. It's widely expected to be about his plans for the war as it enters its second year. Translation follows:
3/ "The Duma deputies interviewed by MO agree on the need to complete the military operation this year and expect the president's message to outline the objectives of the war. "The main thing is to understand the development of the special military operation before the completion of the set tasks. There are currently no conditions for how the special military operation will end, but I hope to hear them," says Russian Communist Party deputy Alexander Yushchenko.
4/ "Steps will be voiced to resolve the situation through [an agreement with] NATO: obviously nothing depends on Kyiv – everything depends on Washington. For Washington, we have a mechanism that has worked for 60 years without interruption – nuclear deterrence," United Russia's Yevgeny Fedorov shares his expectations and prescriptions.
5/ He is confident that ending the war will not require announcing a new wave of mobilisation and closing the borders: "We should already be planning the end of the military operation, and for that we need to include the mechanism of deterrence with nuclear weapons. Any action on Ukrainian territory will not lead to the end of the military conflict."
6/ As a result of the Address, the deputy expects urgent consideration of draft laws to adjust Russia's course, including the cancellation of the Yeltsin-era decisions on mutual non-targeting of nuclear missiles [against the United States].
7/ "I am absolutely sure that there can be no talk of any unilateral termination of the special military operation by Russia. We are ready to negotiate on our terms. The key to peace in Ukraine is in the hands of the West. As soon as it stops pumping weapons to the Kyiv regime, peace in Ukraine will come very quickly. We are going for victory," Novichkov concludes.
8/ The delivery of the Address at Gostiny Dvor [a former department store in Moscow, now used as an events venue], where the United Russia Party congresses are held, not the Kremlin, is a sign, says Communist deputy Sergei Obukhov. [He says] it will be something like an All-Belarusian People's Assembly, with a direct appeal to the people.
9/ It's no coincidence that the communication with the people (or rather, as "MO" found out, with a paid crowd) will continue at the Luzhniki Stadium [on 22 February, the day after the speech].
10/ "I think the message will be in the same tone as the New Year greetings. We will certainly talk about mobilising the economy and all the measures that should support it," Senator Lyudmila Narusova told MO. It was she who in March last year spoke about significant losses among conscript soldiers with whom, she said, contracts had been signed before the Russian invasion of Ukraine and who were subsequently sent to the war zone. /end
@ChrisO_wiki these people are absolute lunatics. pushing for using nukes and expecting that this will force the West to stop supporting Ukraine is just that - lunacy. not to mention that Ukraine will not stop resisting even if they do use nukes.
#Ukraine #Russia
