Putin is making his plans brutally clear

Kiev, Ukraine — New Year is an important holiday in Ukraine.

At the end of December I asked my sister how she was going to celebrate the end of the year.

“In the bomb shelter,” he replied matter-of-factly.

I intended to make some sandwiches, which would be easier to carry down to the shelter from the tenth floor if the air raid siren sounded.

In 2023 there were more than 6000 air raid alerts in Ukraine.

Just last month, Russia toured the world 624 drones who were carrying explosives, according to official sources.

On December 29, more than 120 Russian missiles and drones attacked cities across the country, killing people 44 people.

It was the deadliest attack on civilians in Kiev since the war began.

In all of December, only one night was crisis-free.

Russia’s attacks have increased as efforts to authorize more funding for Ukraine have stalled in the U.S. Congress and Europe.

Since the fall, Ukraine’s Western allies have been quietly pushing for it start negotiations to end the war.

At the end of December, Vladimir Putin He also seemed to send signals of willingness to reach an agreement.

One Russian political observer I spoke to suggested that those signals from Putin were calibrated to take advantage of a sense of pessimism among Ukraine’s allies in Europe and the United States; further delaying military aid when Ukraine was already low on ammunition and vulnerable; and to allow Russia to continue to press for an advantage.

But Ukrainians already know that when it comes to Putin you shouldn’t trust what he says, but watch what he does.

It is clear to the Ukrainian government that Putin is not willing to offer anything that Ukrainians can accept, and he knows it. Their plans are occupation, devastation and destruction.

Peace would require a real guarantee that the Kremlin will not use the ceasefire simply to rearm and launch a new attack from occupied Ukrainian territories.

According to recent polls, a majority of Ukrainians remain opposed to any territorial concessions to Russia, and many argue that any peace deal must also return Crimea to Ukraine, so that the threat of invasion does not continue indefinitely.

What does Putin offer, second The New York Timesa ceasefire that “freezes fighting along current lines” – is not peace, but occupation, and occupation is just a different kind of war.

The Reckoning Project, which investigates and documents possible war crimes in Ukraine – of which I am a co-founder – has investigated the deaths of hundreds of civilians in attacks on cities far from the battlefield, attacks on residential areas, shopping centers and restaurants, and attacks with precision projectiles against civilians evacuating train stations.

Life in the parts of Ukraine now under Russian rule is even more terrible.

In territories controlled by Russian soldiers since 2022, we have recorded hundreds of testimonies describing forced disappearances and arbitrary detentions.

Several people detained have since died; Patterns of both physical and psychological torture, including beatings, sexual violence and electrocution, are widespread among survivors of detention.

I understand the emotional exhaustion of watching Russia’s war on Ukraine from afar.

I understand as a feeling of impotence It can generate disappointment and cynicism.

However, from here, thinking about giving up seems like a luxury.

If the Ukrainian army lays down its weapons, more people could be injured.

For us, this simple fact drives us forward in this war.

Therefore, Ukrainians feel the duty to convince the world, and especially the United States and Europe, that their support is not in vain.

That life jacket everyday.

On January 2, Russia launched 35 kamikaze drones, around 60 cruise missiles and 10 Kinzhal hypersonic missiles at Kiev, which Russia says are impossible to shoot down.

Ukrainian air defense systems managed to shoot down most missiles and drones, especially with the American Patriot surface-to-air missile defense systems.

In the attack, falling debris caused significant damage to a residential building near the central train station, killing three people and injuring 52 others.

Without these defense systems the entire neighborhood could have disappeared.

The day after the attack you are kinder to everyone you meet because you know that your neighbor, taxi driver, waiter or colleague spent the night without sleep, just like you.

On days like these, the rule is to start every conversation with “How are you?” and help: the apartment of a disabled person was destroyed on January 2.

I joined a league to donate to the fund that was trying to get him a new home and saw that they had already raised more than their goal.

I went to see what remained of a house almost destroyed that day, the most damaged residential building in the capital so far during the war.

It looked like a huge wound on the body of the city.

Its broken windows were already boarded up with plywood.

Hot tea and food were served in a volunteer tent, and there were notices everywhere about how to apply. compensation.

Last year, Russia increased its attacks in January and February when temperatures dropped.

He used drones to attack the electricity grid, he used the cold as a weapon against civilians.

People had to use generators and blackouts were frequent.

This year the electricity grid is less vulnerable and electric generators have not been as necessary.

Last week it all started with a bomb siren.

Putin is making his plans brutally clear.

But Ukrainians are still capable of turning their anger into action.

c.2024 The New York Times Company