Russian State Duma threatens Ukraine with new strikes during peak winter cold
Russian State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin has said that members of Russia's parliament are demanding the use of what he called "retaliatory weapons" against Ukraine from next week, a period when weather forecasters predict temperatures could fall to as low as minus 30°C.
Source: Volodin on Telegram
Quote: "Members of the State Duma are insisting on the use of more powerful weapons, so-called retaliatory weapons, and on achieving the objectives of the special military operation [the term used by Russia to describe its war against Ukraine]."
Details: Volodin openly suggested that, following President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's refusal to travel to Moscow, Ukrainians would face "new problems starting next week".
The threats from Russian officials coincide with weather forecasts pointing to the coldest period of winter in Ukraine. According to meteorologists, between 1 and 3 February temperatures in most regions are expected to fall to between minus 20 and minus 27 degrees Celsius and in some areas to as low as minus 30°C.
The Kremlin earlier claimed it had agreed to pause attacks on Kyiv until 1 February at the personal request of US President Donald Trump.
Statements of this kind from senior Russian officials indicate an intention to strike Ukraine's critical infrastructure at a time when the lack of heating and electricity could lead to mass civilian deaths. In effect, Volodin voiced a call that amounts to genocide by deliberate attacks on life-sustaining systems during extreme cold, when winter itself becomes a lethal weapon.
For reference: Under international law, the intentional creation of conditions designed to cause the physical destruction of a population constitutes an sign of genocide.
Background:
- Trump said he personally asked Russian leader Vladimir Putin to stop attacks on Ukraine for a week due to the freezing cold weather.
- On Thursday 29 January, Russian pro-war social media accounts began posting about an alleged order to stop attacking Ukrainian infrastructure, which was received on 28 January.
- Zelenskyy, in turn, confirmed that the Ukrainian negotiating team had discussed the issue of a halt in attacks on energy infrastructure in Abu Dhabi.
- On 30 January, Zelenskyy stressed that no direct agreement had been reached between Kyiv and Moscow on stopping attacks on energy infrastructure, adding: "If Russia does not strike our energy infrastructure – generation facilities or any other energy assets – we will not strike theirs."
Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!