[WSMDiscuss] Invasion of Ukraine: After More Than Two Months, The Goal Stands Officially Scaled Down

[Sukla Sen]

Just days back, a top Russian military man had provided the first hint
(ref.: <https://groups.google.com/g/greenyouth/c/jhOCW7-hhpY/m/K0IPIIUdAQAJ
>).

Now, it comes from the horse's mouth:
<<...I would like to emphasise again: all the goals of the special military
operation launched on February 24 will definitely be attained in order to
guarantee peace and security for the residents of the Donetsk and Lugansk
people's republics, of Russian Crimea, and our entire country in a
historical perspective.>>
It's from a speech delivered by the Supremo himself in the Russian Duma on
April 27.
(Ref.: <http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/transcripts/68297>.)

Just compare this with:
I/II. On Feb. 21 (ref.: <http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/67828>):
<<...I will start with the fact that modern Ukraine was entirely created by
Russia or, to be more precise, by Bolshevik, Communist Russia. This process
started practically right after the 1917 revolution, and Lenin and his
associates did it in a way that was extremely harsh on Russia – by
separating, severing what is historically Russian land...
...
...(I)t is a great pity that the fundamental and formally legal foundations
of our state were not promptly cleansed [by Stalin] of the odious and
utopian fantasies [of Lenin] inspired by the revolution, which are
absolutely destructive for any normal state...>>
And, still more salient:
<<...(T)oday the “grateful progeny” [i.e. independent Ukraine] has
overturned monuments to Lenin in Ukraine. They call it decommunization.
*You want decommunization? Very well, this suits us just fine. But why stop
halfway? We are ready to show what real decommunizations would mean for
Ukraine [i.e. complete erasure of Ukraine's separate identity that was the
criminal doing of the Communist Bolshevik regime at the behest of Lenin]*.
[Emphasis added.]>>
II. On Feb. 24 (ref.: <
http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/transcripts/67843>.)
<<The purpose of this [special military] operation is to protect people
who, for eight years now, have been facing humiliation and genocide
perpetrated by the Kiev regime. To this end, *we will seek to demilitarise
and denazify Ukraine, as well as bring to trial those who perpetrated
numerous bloody crimes against civilians, including against citizens of the
Russian Federation* [emphasis added].>>

Down the line, he sort of reiterates his justification for the massive and
brutal invasion, provided on Feb. 21st - but, again, in a decidedly much
scaled down format and the hubris is visibly missing:
<<I would like to recall that when Russia had a benevolent, I would say, a
friendly, comradely, fraternal attitude to the creation of an independent
Ukrainian state, we thought, of course, that it would be a friendly state,
that we could go further together, strengthening and developing each other
and creating the most competitive conditions for progress – yes, in new and
historical conditions. *No one could imagine the creation of an
“anti-Russia” on historical Russian territory. We simply cannot allow this
to happen, and so it all comes down to a conflict, a direct conflict*.
[Emphasis added.] Ukraine was pushed into direct confrontation with Russia,
our country. Let me remind you that this was, unfortunately, all laid out,
including an armed attack on Crimea and Donbass, in Ukraine’s doctrinal
documents of today, while at the same time, the Ukrainian people were
allotted the destiny of “expendable material.” I believe a large part of
the Ukrainian people are coming to realise this.>>
And this has, interestingly, been further reinforced with:
<<The entire course of recent events, including the Kiev regime’s claims to
possess nuclear weapons, the deployment of a network of Western biolabs on
Ukrainian territory, the seamless supplies of cutting-edge weapons to
Ukraine, has confirmed that our reaction to those cynical plans was correct
and timely.>>

Arguably, what, however, is most remarkable is his (desperate?) attempt at
nuclear blackmailing by repeating the threat issued on Feb. 24:
<<Let me emphasise once again: if anyone intends to intervene from the
outside and create a strategic threat to Russia that is unacceptable to us,
they should know that our retaliatory strikes will be lightning-fast. We
have the tools we need for this, the likes of which no one else can claim
at this point. We will not just brag; we will use them if necessary. And I
want everyone to know this; we have made all the decisions on this matter.>>
Here, of course, there's no dilution, whatever.
It has just tried to echo - with full vigour, and renew the threat - which
over the last two months or so appears to have lost much of its teeth,
issued on Feb. 24:
<<No matter who tries to stand in our way [of demilitarisation and
denazification of Ukraine] or all the more so create threats for our
country and our people, they must know that Russia will respond
immediately, and the consequences will be such as you have never seen in
your entire history. No matter how the events unfold, we are ready. All the
necessary decisions in this regard have been taken. I hope that my words
will be heard.>>

Sukla
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