Explaining complex things in simple words: Russian negotiations rhetoric, common sky protection, new school year

RUSSIAN NEGOTIATIONS RHETORIC

On September 2, Russian dictator Putin declared that the Russian Federation “has never refused peace talks, but it is necessary to deal with the bandits who have infiltrated the territory of the country” (referring to the Kursk operation of the Ukrainian Armed Forces).

• The  Kremlin  always  starts  talking  about  “negotiations”  when it experiences difficulties on the battlefield. Therefore, this is a sign of further problems with the enemy, primarily in the Kursk oblast.
• The Kursk operation was carried out not by “bandits” but by regular units of  the  Defence  Forces  of  Ukraine  within  the  framework of the implementation of the right to self-defence guaranteed by international law.
• Speaking of “infiltrating the territory of the country,” Putin recognises the actual different status of the territories of the Russian Federation and the temporary occupied territories of Ukraine, which Moscow has declared to be Russian.
• The Kursk operation of the Ukrainian Armed Forces undermined the main argument of Putin's rhetoric about the need to “recognise the realities on the ground,” because this means recognising Ukraine's control over the territory of the Russian Federation.
• Negotiations between Ukraine and the Russian Federation are possible only on the condition that Moscow recognises the realities of international law.

COMMON SKY PROTECTION

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Poland, Radosław Sikorski, expressed the opinion that Poland should shoot down Russian missiles over Ukraine near its airspace.

• This is not the official position of Warsaw but the private opinion of the minister, which was later pointed out by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Poland.
• Russian missiles and drones are a common threat to Ukraine and its neighbours. Russia has repeatedly violated the airspace of Ukraine's neighbours, and Russian missiles and drones regularly fall on their territories.
• Ukraine has long advocated cooperation and coordination of actions in the field of air defence with its western and southern neighbours. We hope that Minister Sikorski's opinion will have an impact on the government's position.
• Coordination of the air defence of several states during an air attack increases the effectiveness of defence. This was proven when repelling an Iranian air attack on Israel.
• There is no need to fear that air defence cooperation could involve NATO in the war between Russia and Ukraine. Russia still considers NATO an enemy, but it is not yet capable of harming the Alliance.

NEW SCHOOL YEAR

• The aggression of the Russian Federation caused enormous damage to the education of Ukraine. As a result of hostilities and Russian shelling, educational institutions are destroyed, schoolchildren and teachers are killed and injured, educational funds and connections are lost, and collectives are destroyed.
• Millions of Ukrainian children are forced to study under conditions of an increased threat of Russian shelling. Russia is targeting civilian infrastructure, including educational institutions.
• By destroying the Ukrainian energy industry, Russia encourages Ukrainians to focus on survival, not on the education of their children.
• A huge number of schoolchildren and teachers have already become internally displaced persons and refugees. Ukrainian children are forced to study in schools abroad.
• Thousands of Ukrainian schools are under Russian occupation, where they are trying to raise children as enemies of the Ukrainian people and the state, to prepare a new generation of “cannon fodder” for aggressive wars.

Center for Strategic Communication and Information Security