International law sophism: Are military strikes on the Kremlin legitimate?
I didn’t watch German takshow Mybritt Illner in person yesterday, but I’ve only read the BILD summary. BILD sums up the quintessence of the discussion for the German people like this:
“Expert at Maybrit Illner Bombs on the Kremlin are completely legal! (…)
Prof. Masala assessed the massive advance of Russian voluntary organizations across the border near Belgorod: “The Ukrainians are preparing the battlefield. These include attacks on Russian supply lines, tank and ammunition depots. Russia now needs to better protect its border, and this is tying up forces.” Regarding the two drones over the Kremlin, the expert explains: „If they really were sent by Ukrainian special forces, that shows the weakness of the Russian air defense and the secret service. The Ukrainians create confusion so that the Russian forces do not know what will happen where.”(…) Prof. Masala immediately intervened: „Attacking military installations on the enemy’s territory is completely legal under international law,“ he corrected the politican from the Left Party. „But how do you ensure that no civilians are killed?“ moans Mohamed Ali. But the expert goes one step further: „There are even experts in international law who say attacking the Kremlin, because the Kremlin controls the war and is also legal under international law!“, he states. „There are no argumentsabout that at all!“
In my view, the discussion is now taking a dangerous direction. So far, the tacit consensus has been that NATO is waging a proxy war against Russia on Ukraine’s territory and that it should be limited to avoid escalation. This is now dissolving and is increasingly being delimited. It is interesting that the discussion is now not „only“ going in the direction that military strikes on Russian territory against military facilities and supply lines are legitimate, but now also against political decision-making centers and the leadership, namely the Kremlin, including Putin-so Masala. That was covered by international law. It would be interesting what Annalena Baerbock thinks about this, who „comes from international law.“ A drone is said to have already been spotted over the Kremlin. where does. this international legalism and international law sophism end and lead to? What will actually happen if Russia declares military strikes against supply chains beyond the territory of Ukraine to be legitimate, or even against political decision-making centers? At the time of the Cold War, Reagan and NATO threatened the then Soviet Union with limited nuclear wars and with Pershing 2 and Cruis missiles also „decapitation strikes“, including political leadership centers, which had an effect simply by means of threats. That was even the direct threat of USA/NATO versus Soviet Union/Warsaw Pact. Now it seems to be considered even more legitimate if „only“ Ukraine or Russian partisans do it. Apparently some strategists now think that after the offensive of the Russian partisans and Prigozhin’s declaration that a new October revolution like that of 1917 is imminent in Russia, a kind of regime change can now also be achieved through a targeted „beheading“.or “decapitation” A Polish general thiks that a similar development in Belarus is possible. Or one hopes to create so much uncertainty and also to show how little control the Kremlin still has to trigger mass protests or a coup.
“After Belgorod: Poland expects, uprisings in Belarus
The resistance of Russian partisans is growing. A Polish general assumes that similar attacks will spread to Belarus.(…) Poland expects resistance in Belarus: „Let’s prepare for an uprising“ The attack in Belograd shows that not all Russians support Vladimir Putin’s policies, Polish General Waldemar Skrzypczak told Polsat News‘ TV show Gość Wydarzeń on Tuesday (May 23). „It is time for the Russian people to give up their allegiance to Putin, at least in part,“ Skrzypczak said. He sees a signal in the attacks and hopes that it will spread faster According to the general, such actions could soon take place in Belarus. „If the Ukrainian counteroffensive is successful, Belarusian citizens, who are part of the Ukrainian military’s potential, will not lay down their arms,“ Skrzypczak assesses the situation. He hopes that they will trigger an uprising in Belarus, because Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko is said to be afraid of that.
„Let’s prepare for an uprising in Belarus, because it will come,“ stressed the Polish general. Possible uprising against Lukashenko? – „Must be ready“ Should it come to that, he sees Poland in a clear role. „We must be ready to support the units that will conduct an operation against Lukashenko,“ said Skrzypczak. „We have reasons to help them, just as we help Ukrainians,“ he added. Skrzypczak is of the opinion that Lukashenko has no military capacity for such an uprising and that in such a case Russia – due to the tense situation in the Ukraine war – cannot rush to help either.”
The fact that Lukashenko has now requested Russian nuclear weapons is again seen as an empty threat, according to the slogan. No risk, no fun!