The Kremlin was attacked by a drone… Russia “Various Retaliation” vs Ukraine’s “Russian Play”
Russia “Attack to assassinate Putin in Ukraine”… Mentioning nuclear retaliation, “the US is behind it”
It was the first time Moscow had been attacked since World War II.
Zelensky on European tour “I didn’t attack”… 20 Russian drones attacked Kiiwu etc.
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After the Kremlin, the official residence of Russian President Vladimir Putin, was attacked by an unmanned aerial vehicle (drone), Russia, Ukraine, and the United States are fighting over the truth behind the attack. On the 4th, the Russian side claimed that “Ukraine, who was instigated by the United States, was behind the attack,” and declared massive retaliation. Some are talking about the removal of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. On the other hand, Ukraine and the United States confront each other as “Russian self-made play.” There are concerns that this incident could act as an opportunity to escalate the stalemate war in Ukraine. 》
Conflicts between the two sides are intensifying over Russia’s claim that Ukraine carried out a drone attack on the presidential residence (Kremlin) in Moscow on the 2nd to assassinate Russian President Vladimir Putin. Russian National Security Council deputy chairman Dmitry Medvedev, a close aide to President Putin, warned of extreme retaliation, saying, “Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky must be removed.”
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov claimed that the US was behind Ukraine.
Ukraine has repeatedly denied the attack. The US administration of Joe Biden and the US think tank War Institute (ISW) also raised the possibility that this attack was a Russian act. Concerns are mounting that the two sides will engage in an escalating battle over who is responsible for the incident, as Ukraine has predicted a counterattack in the spring.
The Russian side has declared massive retaliation. According to Reuters, etc., a Peskov spokesperson said on the 4th, “The United States is clearly behind the attack. Attempts by Ukraine and the United States to deny the incident are completely absurd.” He hinted at the possibility of additional attacks, saying, “We are considering various options to respond to the Ukrainian attack.”
On the 3rd, Vice Chairman Medvedev openly called for the assassination of President Zelensky on Telegram, saying, “There is no other way than to physically eliminate Zelensky and his faction.” House Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin also hinted at the possibility of using nuclear weapons, saying, “We will demand the use of weapons capable of stopping and destroying the Ukrainian terrorist regime.”
On the other hand, President Zelensky, who attended the summit of five Nordic countries held in Helsinki, Finland on the same day, denied that “we did not attack Putin or Moscow.” After Finland, he made a surprise visit to the Netherlands without notice, touring major European countries to appeal for his support.
White House Spokesperson Currin Janpier pointed out on the 3rd, “It is too early to evaluate, but Russia certainly has a history of ‘fake flag’ operations.” A fake flag operation is a strategy of manipulating an opponent’s attack to create an excuse for an attack. The ISW also agreed with the possibility of a self-made act, citing that the possibility of two drones recently infiltrating the Russian air defense network was slim, and that Russia responded as if it had been coordinated in advance immediately after the incident.
Some say that Ukraine is trying to show Russia that “even the Kremlin is not safe.” This is because it could deal a huge blow to Russia if it is revealed that the heart of Moscow has been pierced in a situation where criticism is considerable even within Russia due to the protracted war. According to the British Telegraph, the last time the Red Army attacked Moscow was in 1942, at the height of World War II.
There is also a possibility that Russia will carry out large-scale attacks in various parts of Ukraine ahead of the Victory Day on the 9th to commemorate the victory in World War II. According to Reuters, on the 4th, Russia mobilized about 20 drones to attack the Ukrainian capital of Kiev. Of these, 18 planes were shot down and no casualties were reported.
The U.S. Embassy in Ukraine also warned Americans in Ukraine that “the threat of a Russian missile attack continues to grow.” North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) deputy secretary-general for intelligence and security David Catler also diagnosed, “There is a great concern that Russia may target critical infrastructure, including submarine cables, targeting countries supporting Ukraine.”
On the same day, Ihor Smilyansky, head of Ukraine’s Postal Service, also criticized Russia for making unreasonable claims and said, “We will issue a commemorative stamp of the ‘Burning Kremlin Palace’.” The design of the stamp he posted on Telegram. Smelyansky TelegramUkraine, which refutes that the attack was a self-made act by Russia, hinted at the possibility of issuing a ‘memorial stamp’ to pinpoint the current situation. On the 3rd, Ihor Smilyansky, head of the Ukrainian Postal Service Headquarters, revealed the related design through social media, saying that he is thinking of issuing a stamp commemorating the ‘Burning Kremlin Palace’.
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Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.