Vladimir Putin covers up Soviet era atrocities & “fears the emergence of Ukraine as a modern, democratic state” – UK military advisor

UK military advisor, Nicholas Aucott, in a statement to the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) in Vienna, said that Russian president Vladimir Putin’s regime has long sought to rewrite public memory and manipulate history.

“Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine is a constant reminder to this Forum of the difficult and dangerous times in which we live. It is all the more tragic that a member of this Forum, Russia, has wilfully threatened security in the region through the illegal invasion of another nation state,” he said.

“This week, we were again confronted with the horrendous consequences of this war in which Russian strikes on Kherson have killed further civilians, including a three-month old baby.

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“Vladimir Putin’s regime has long sought to rewrite public memory and manipulate history.

“And has been seeking to persecute and silence all those, including Russian individuals and organisations, that for over 30 years have sought to expose Soviet era atrocities,” – UK military advisor, Nicholas Aucott

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“As Russia prepares for its third wave of assaults around Avdiivka, it does so following heavy rain in the area, where the ground has become muddy and in which conditions are difficult to operate.

“Russia continues to demonstrate a lack of regard for the lives of its own soldiers. In the face of a resolved Ukrainian defence, we can expect further Russian losses on top of the quarter of million casualties Russia has already sustained in this misguided military venture.

“Conversely, the Ukrainian military has registered successes in Luhansk striking Russian SA-21 long-range Surface-to-Air Missile launchers, exposing Russia’s struggle to respond to modern precision strike weapons. Ukraine has damaged a newly-built Russian naval corvette in Kerch.

“It has also diminished Russia’s ability to replenish its forces through the destruction of Russian landing craft, containing armoured vehicles, off the western coast of Crimea.

“At the same time, Ukraine continues to exert pressure on Russian forces by conducting operations on the left bank of the Dnipro. Ukrainian’s strategic gains stand in stark contrast to Russia’s woeful performance on the battlefield.

“Symbolic of Russia’s isolation on the global stage, Russia has turned to other authoritarian regimes in North Korea and Iran for the provision of weapons, violating UN Security Council resolutions including resolutions Russia itself voted for,” he pointed out.

“We condemn Russia’s repeated violations of international law, including the UN Charter. Russia’s illegal invasion of another sovereign state is also in direct contravention of the Helsinki Final Act and the Budapest Memorandums on Security Assurances.

“Most recently, Vladimir Putin has issued a revisionist history published as a collection of documents entitled, On the historical unity of the Russians and Ukrainians. It is a backward-looking narrative because Putin fears the emergence of Ukraine as a modern, democratic state.

He concluded, “The United Kingdom and its allies will work to counter such efforts at disinformation. Our resolute conviction and intensity in our support to Ukraine will not falter. We will continue to enhance Ukraine’s long-term security and strengthen its defence while Ukraine fights to regain territory. In the face of Russia’s self-inflicted strategic calamity, we will stand with Ukraine until it prevails.“

Click here for more articles on Vladimir Putin at EU Today

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The 30th Ministerial Council of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) will take place 30th November – 1st December 2023 in Skopje, North Macedonia.

The Ministerial Council is the central decision-making and governing body of the OSCE. The annual meeting is an opportunity for the Foreign Ministers to review and assess the security situation in the Euro-Atlantic and Eurasian area, as well as the organization’s work in all its fields of activity.

The annual meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the 57 OSCE participating States will be held at the invitation of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Minister of Foreign Affairs of North Macedonia Bujar Osmani.