Someone forgot to tell the Ukrainians that the war is limited to their borders.
Vladimir Putin has cried foul. His Defense Ministry threatened to attack Kyiv if Ukraine targeted troop supply lines in Russia, saying it will “retaliate with long-range smart weapons.” Putin was referring to the fire at the ammunition depot in Bryansk and explosions in the border provinces of Kursk and Voronezh. He even went as far as threatening visiting Western officials, stating, “The subjects of one of the Western countries, present at the Ukrainian decision-making centers in Kyiv in the capacity of advisers, will not necessarily constitute a problem for Russia in making a decision to retaliate.”
But that wasn’t the only threat. In response to the increase in acts of sabotage, Putin announced, “If anyone ventures to intervene from the outside and [pose] unacceptable threats of a strategic nature to Russia, they should know that our counter-retaliatory strikes will take place with lightning speed.” Again, Putin implied the use of nuclear weapons: “We have all the tools to do this. The kind that no one else can boast of right now. We will use them if necessary. I want everyone to know that. All the decisions have been made in this regard.”
Putin’s foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov, accused NATO of fighting a proxy war by supplying military aid to Ukraine, telling the Russian media, “NATO, in essence, is engaged in a war with Russia through a proxy and is arming that proxy. War means war.” He also warned that the risks of nuclear conflict were now “considerable.”
On the 63rd day of the invasion, Putin continues to show his frustration at his military’s ineptness in capturing Kyiv and the Azovstal steel plant, as well as the slow progress being made in the Donbas region. Still, Putin insists his “special military operation” will be a success.
Belarus, which permitted as many as 30,000 Russian soldiers to stage along its border with Ukraine prior to the invasion, has allowed ballistic missiles to be fired from its territory. It is getting tough on sabotage, concerned by activists who have targeted the railway network. These attacks are making it harder for Russia to deploy forces into Ukraine for its invasion.
Top line: Ukraine didn’t start this war, but its people are determined to win it. They will use every tool available to them, without regard to borders. The Russian military cannot be afforded sanctuary in Russia or Belarus. As U.K. Defense Minister James Heappey said, “Hitting Russian logistics was a legitimate part of war as Russian forces continue a second assault in eastern and southern Ukraine. It is entirely legitimate to go after targets in the depth of your opponents to disrupt their logistics and supply lines.”
Retired Army Col. Jon Sweet served 30 years as a military intelligence officer. His background includes tours of duty with the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), the Defense Intelligence Agency, the National Security Agency, and the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency.
