It will hurt Europe to give up Russian energy, but it still needs to be done, because the war on the continent is not free either.
Even without all the details we can clearly say that The massacre in Bucha and similar events are war crimes of horrific proportions. However, they should not shock anyone. The Russian military has used this tactic before and will do so again if Europe, the United States and other allies stop this horror.
They must make the price of war not just high for Russia, whose economy has already begun to stabilize despite sanctions. The price must become unbearable. And yes, this means going beyond just closing the loopholes for banks and leaking technology. At least the export of Russian oil and gas should be banned, Bloomberg writes.
Those who refuse to do something in Brussels and other capitals are right to fear that it will affect consumers at home. There will be an inflationary shock in Europe and economic growth will decline. But there is simply no good solution with zero losses. And Western leaders must remember that this is not revenge for Bucha or any other separate city. It is about preventing even more atrocities by Russia's undisciplined army, which is cracking down on Ukrainians dehumanized by Kremlin propaganda. Inaction costs the lives of many and endangers all.
It is important to understand that what opened up after the withdrawal of the Russian army is more than just the consequences of the war. Because even in war there are basic rules. Ukraine accuses Russian soldiers of killing unarmed civilians. And the evidence seen by journalists and human rights activists confirms this accusation. Human Rights Watch says it has documented deliberate brutality and violence in the occupied territories, including rape, mass executions, looting, and more. There was at least one case in Bucha where soldiers forced men to kneel on the sidewalk, pulled T-shirts over their faces, and then shot them in the back of the head.
For those who have been following Russia for a long time, such cases seem terribly familiar. Because Moscow resorted to similar tactics in Chechnya, particularly during the second war, which was unleashed by Vladimir Putin in 1999. Then there were arbitrary arrests, torture, disappearances and mass executions, with which Russian soldiers tried to intimidate the local population. Unprotected towns and villages attacked without any military justification. What happened to Bucha in the last few weeks used to happen in the suburbs of Grozny in early 2000. At the time, Human Rights Watch and other organizations reported numerous cases of robbery, rape, and extortion, and reported that civilians were forced out of hiding and then massacred. Then, as now in Bucha, the Kremlin denied everything.
Ukraine is not Chechnya. It is an independent country with 44 million inhabitants, not a rebel province where Russia has allegedly declared war on “Islamic extremists.” But comparison is still important. Because it was in Chechnya that terror became a legitimate tactic that grew into a strategy. This was largely due to the fact that Russia's official rhetoric about Chechnya equated the local population with combatants and then between combatants and terrorists. So by this logic, everyone has become a legitimate military target.
Ukrainians, who are resisting much more than Russia expected, have faced a similar approach. Moscow propagandists have long said that “Nazism” is deeply rooted in Ukrainian society. And now it needs to be “cleaned up”.
All this should galvanize Western leaders and encourage them to act quickly. Russia has responded with its usual attempts to sow doubt. Zelensky has already made an angry speech condemning “concentrated evil.” He addressed the mothers of Russian soldiers and leaders in Moscow, listing all the atrocities committed: “This is how the Russian state will be perceived now. This is now your image. Your culture and humanity died together with Ukrainian men and women. “
But what will the West do? Obviously, Russia can do great damage even without chemical weapons. These tactics will not bring her victory, but they can sow unimaginable devastation. Every occupied part of Ukraine is in danger. It is also clear that the current set of sanctions, although powerful, will not stop the war quickly, as will other measures currently being considered to increase pressure. The Russian economy has been hit hard, but it is already adjusting. The Central Bank of Russia is still able to help the economy.
The strike on Russian oil and gas, which the West is still buying, will be much more painful, depriving Moscow of its finances and ability to tolerate other sanctions. Elina Ribakova, deputy chief economist at the Institute of International Finance, said over the weekend that the energy embargo would destroy Russia's current account surplus and hit its fiscal stance. It should be understood that such measures will be painful for the West as well, especially for Europe, where the rejection of Russian gas will require great social support for the poorest. But it can still be done. After all, the war in Europe is not free either.
What about China? The picture, as expected, is complex. It is unlikely that humanitarian concerns will force Beijing to act. Especially since Chinese citizens will not see shocking photos from abroad. But he may be driven by the impact of these horrors on inflation and global growth at a time when Beijing is struggling with the severe effects of COVID-19 at home.
While Bucha is being called the second “Srebrenica” and Ukrainians are demanding retribution, punitive war criminals, including Russian generals who give orders, soldiers who shoot civilians, propagandists and artists who sing and lie in support of the bloody regime, must be executed. two conditions. Which? This is told by Inna Vedernikova in the article “ Depopulation of Russia. Who and how documents the atrocities of the “Russian measure” in Bucha “.
See the special topic: China does not want to be indifferent to the situation in Ukraine, let alone add fuel to the fire – UN envoy The country will promote peace talks and help “resolve the crisis in Ukraine.” Strength is the only thing Putin understands. We will not stop until it collapses – the British Foreign Secretary The world must increase pressure on Russia until Ukraine's complete victory. Moon under fire: what Irpin looks like today (photo, video) Broken houses, shot cars, littered with debris and garbage on the streets of a once clean and seductive suburb OPPZ deputies corrected the fire of the Russian army in Mariupol – City Council Mariupol City Council named five traitors. The Bucha killings were planned by Moscow and deliberate – Blinken The West is demanding that Russia be held accountable for war crimes.
