Russia must realize that it cannot win in Ukraine, - UK in OSCE
Russia needs to realize that it will never be able to win in Ukraine, and that continuing the war means new losses and defeats for it.
Ian Stubbs, Senior Military Adviser to the UK delegation to the OSCE, said this during a meeting of the Forum for Security Co-operation in Vienna, reports Censor.NЕТ with reference to Ukrinform.
"Last week, Russia once again launched massive missile and UAV strikes on populated areas across Ukraine... In particular, on Monday, the Ukrainian Red Cross reported that a missile strike completely destroyed 1,000 square meters of humanitarian aid for the Odesa region, which was stored in a large warehouse. Such attacks by Russia are aimed at punishing the Ukrainian people and spreading terror. They are brutal acts of revenge and a shameful manifestation of the failure of the Russian military leadership," he said.
The British diplomat pointed out that Russia's invasion of Ukraine, attacks on civilians and their homes, as well as large-scale atrocities "destroy the memory of past victims and Russia's once proud global reputation."
"Europe has terrible memories of the totalitarian regimes of the 1930s and 40s, with their disregard for human life, cultural heritage, territory and sovereignty of smaller states. Moscow's actions today distort the memory of all those who fought against tyranny and paid the ultimate price, believing that they would save future generations from the scourge of war," he added.
According to Stubbs, this year's celebration of Victory Day by Moscow "underscores the failures of its invasion of Ukraine."
"The cancellation of many military parades and "immortal regiment" marches across Russia points to the grim reality of its enormous losses: in addition to many innocent Ukrainian victims, thousands of young Russian men are dying in the name of Putin's war, leaving mothers without sons, wives without husbands, and children without fathers," the British diplomat said.
He noted that in an effort to replenish its ranks, the Russian Defense Ministry has intensified its campaign to recruit convicts to participate in hostilities against Ukraine. According to reports, in April 2023 alone, up to 10 thousand convicts were recruited. In addition, efforts are being made to recruit labor migrants from Central Asia who are in Russia to serve in the military and participate in hostilities in Ukraine.
The representative of the British mission to the OSCE emphasized that the Kremlin's poor decisions "are having a terrible impact on the Russian people - more senseless deaths, more grieving families, more defeats, more demoralized troops, more discontent and more isolation."
"Russia must realize that it can never win in Ukraine. If it continues to fight, it will continue to lose. We do not underestimate the threat posed by the Russian Federation, but over time, Ukraine will have a reason to celebrate. Ukraine will continue to demonstrate its courage, determination and unbreakable moral strength in the struggle for the liberation of other parts of its homeland. Ukraine's sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence will be fully restored. The UK and the international community will remain unwavering in our support - we will stand by Ukraine, however long it takes," said the Military Adviser to the UK delegation to the OSCE.
