Putin trying to intimidate countries that support Ukraine, - The Telegraph
The Russian missile strikes that damaged the British Council building in Kyiv once again clearly demonstrated the true nature of Vladimir Putin's despotic regime and his attempts to intimidate countries that support Ukraine.
This was reported by The Telegraph, as cited by Censor.NET.
As noted, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer accused the Kremlin autocrat of "sabotaging peace" with his actions, and it is difficult to imagine that any impartial observer could disagree with this.
The publication notes that the United States, Russia, and Ukraine are engaged in complex negotiations on a potential peace agreement. The United Kingdom, as one of Ukraine's leading allies, is playing its part in consultations with Kyiv and Washington, as well as in the development of a post-war security order.
Indeed, a deliberate attack on the cultural institutions of a negotiating partner can hardly be interpreted as anything other than a demonstration of blatant disregard for the ongoing negotiations. The Russian strike also damaged the EU mission building in Kyiv, causing one of the ambassadors to state: "The war touched the European Union. And no one will convince me that this was not Putin’s intention".
To conduct such a strike now could be an attempt to intimidate those nations offering support to Kyiv, or to impose costs prior to a settlement. It may also simply be that Putin intends to continue as he has conducted himself to date: the reported Russian plot to kill the head of the German arms company Rheinmetall, and a series of parcel bombs across Europe have highlighted that the Kremlin appears to think little of targeting Western civilians and institutions in its efforts to isolate Ukraine," the publication stresses.
The publication also notes that the British Council offers educational courses and programmes in English. It is not a legitimate target for such an attack, despite the Kremlin's unfounded allegations of espionage. Russia, in turn, must continue to feel pressure in the form of support for Kyiv and economic sanctions, and Starmer must make it entirely unambiguous that London will not succumb to such attacks.
"Indeed, the Prime Minister should take note that Putin’s domestic propagandists appear to reserve a special animosity for the United Kingdom and its efforts to assist Ukraine, attributing to London every setback that Putin’s efforts to seize control of that nation encounter. In this, at least, it would behove us to be the country Russia believes we are: taking every opportunity to present a thorn in Putin’s side from the battlefield to negotiations to the maintenance of the post-war peace," The Telegraph added.
As previously reported, Russian Ambassador to the UK Andrey Kelin was summoned to the Foreign Ministry due to significant damage to the British Council building in Kyiv as a result of Russian strikes.
