The attack began with shelling of important military bases in Ukraine. While Volodymyr Zelensky, President of Ukraine, offered weapons to civilians who want to defend the country from him, the Russian government claims that they met little resistance, and that Ukrainian troops are fleeing en masse.
Caio Manhanelli, a Brazilian social scientist, anthropologist, and political consultant, stressed that Russia has significant influence in Eastern Europe, and this obviously means that the Russian government wants to preserve its territories of influence, even though they are no longer part of the federal union. .
The analyst explains that this conflict has a humanitarian background, since Russia goes with the justification that for eight years the insurgent provinces have been persecuted by the Ukrainian government.
“There is another page of this conflict that it is necessary to take a good look at, before speaking only of Putin’s imperialist wishes. We must remember that the Russian president cares more about his people than about international issues, ”he concluded.
MENDOZA
Hugo Mendoza, retired General of the Paraguayan Army and professor of History, said that Putin has a plan to impose what he wants and he does it through gradual measures.
“First he concentrated his troops on the borders with Ukraine. Then he reinforced them with ultra-modern weaponry. Later he annexed two separatist republics and now he begins the targeted bombing that may worsen as long as the Russian president’s demands are not met,” he noted.
In his words, the war can continue with a ground confrontation and massive bombardment. At the same time, he ruled out that Paraguay ends up sending troops.
“The bombing is done to terrorize the population and then to destroy strategic areas. This can increase escalation. In the first phase of the war the negotiations are open, later it is more difficult. It is part of the Soviet doctrine”, he concluded.
“Ukraine must resort to urban combat”
Guillermo Lafferriere, an Argentine strategic affairs analyst and veteran of the Malvinas war, stated that Russia launched a coordinated and explosive military action seeking to hit strategic government, military and communications targets. “We are facing a multidimensional offensive. If Russia can maintain this speed over time, it may lead Ukraine to collapse much sooner than we think,” he stated.
He stressed that Ukraine is defending itself and that the only way it has to slow down the Russian offensive is to engage in urban combat in large towns. “Urban combat is tremendously exhausting, it greatly benefits those who defend. And delay operations. If the Russians fall for this maneuver by the Ukrainians, the war will be delayed. But if the Russians can maintain this dynamic with a lot of power, creating a lot of problems, in the short term they will defeat the Ukrainians”, he advanced.
He finally said that NATO (Alliance of Europe and North America) cannot support with troops, only with supplies or money. Since Russia has nuclear weapons and on the other hand, France, the United Kingdom and the United States also have them. “If you commit NATO to the defense of Ukraine, you run the risk of a nuclear escalation. The Russian government has warned that a NATO military action in Ukraine will be met with a withering and unimaginable response,” he explained.
