Ukraine carried out an attack on a school and a dormitory in the Luhansk region on the morning of May 22. According to President Vladimir Putin, at least 39 people were wounded, and six people lost their lives in the attack. Putin said the attack was not the result of an accidental targeting but was carried out deliberately.
The attack risks eliminating the prospects for any diplomatic solution between Russia and the Kyiv administration. Immediately after the attack, which crossed Moscow’s previously declared red lines, the Russian leadership responded by striking Kyiv, escalating tensions further.
UWI author and political scientist Dr. Onur Sinan Güzaltan assessed Kyiv’s attack in Luhansk and the latest developments in the war in Ukraine in an interview conducted by Ceyda Karan from Sputnik Türkiye.
“Russia’s red lines are being crossed every time”
Stating that Kyiv’s Luhansk attack once again crossed Russia’s red lines and carried the war into a new phase, Güzaltan argued that Zelenskyy could not have undertaken such attacks without the support of Trump and the West:
“Whenever the possibility of diplomacy between Russia and Ukraine comes onto the agenda, it is immediately followed by a move aimed at provoking Russia. The attack on the school and dormitory in Luhansk is one example of this. There is a huge reaction in Russian media and among the public. The killing of children has caused widespread outrage. The Russian leadership expressed this in a concrete way by striking Kyiv. More is likely to follow.
Every time, the red lines drawn by Russia are crossed. With this attack, the war has entered into a new phase. The possibility of a diplomatic solution between the two countries and the Kyiv regime has once again been shelved.
I don’t think the Zelenskyy administration could carry out such an attack without the permission of the US. Although Trump is seeking an agreement with Russia, he continues to support the Kyiv regime behind the scenes. The continuation of almost all current governments in Europe depends on the continuation of the war against Russia. They are trying to shape their reason for existence and their basic motivations through anti-Russian sentiment. There are also economic reasons behind this. The interests of the military industry and capital groups in Europe are at stake. Most financiers want the war to continue. Without their support the Kyiv administration would not dare to carry out such attacks.”
“The similarity between the attacks in Minab and Luhansk proves who is behind them”
Noting that Europeans insist on the continuation of the war between Russia and Ukraine, Güzaltan also reminded of the US-backed attack in Minab, Iran. According to Güzaltan, the similarity between the attacks in Minab and Luhansk concretely reveals who stands behind them:
“Putin’s visit to China was important. A declaration on multipolarity was issued there. With this, they underlined their will to reject US’ unipolarity. We may also witness similar attacks in Iran. The US and the West are responding this way to the tendency and will toward multipolarity. At this point, they may also use NATO.
We had seen similar attacks in Iran. In Minab, they struck a school and targeted children. There are many examples of this in the past as well. The West and Israel systematically resort to targeting children in order to break the will of the opposing force. This also shows who stands behind the Ukrainian regime. The similarity between the school attack in Minab and the attack in Luhansk is concrete proof of who is behind the attack. The aim is to terrorize the people. To break the will of the Russians or the Iranians.
The question is how far they could go on? The continuation of this conflict, of the war in Ukraine, has become an existential matter for European governments, for otherwise, they may lose their power. The Russians also know that there is a historical hostility toward Russia in Europe. Figures such as Napoleon and Hitler had the idea of breaking Russia apart. We see something similar today as well. Germany’s and France’s anti-Russian statements are not met with surprise by Russia. Germany’s recent investments in the military field naturally are seen as a threat in Russia, but can Western Europe confront Russia without the US’ support? This is the fundamental question, and it does not seem very possible. Trump’s power has also weakened. They failed in their attack on Iran. They also have problems domestically. Moreover, there is a sharp contradiction between Europe and the US. On the one hand, they are trying to keep anti-Russian propaganda alive; on the other hand, neither Europe’s people nor its economic power is ready to confront Russia.”
‘The 500-year-old Western hegemony is collapsing’
According to Güzaltan, the European hegemony that continues to incite war is in a process of collapse. Pointing to Russia and China’s emphasis on multipolarity, Güzaltan argued that the initiative by the two countries will take shape in the period ahead:
“Either the forces defending the Western-centered world, unipolarity and American hegemony will prevail, or the forces favoring the tendency toward multipolarity. I don’t think this can be resolved through an intermediate formula, neither in Iran nor in Russia nor on any other front. Even if there is peace, the likelihood of it being permanent is very low.
We are in a process in which 500 years of Western hegemony is collapsing. History books record the kinds of massacres this hegemony committed from Asia to Latin America. There is nothing new in this regard. The difference is, the mask of Western hegemony has fallen away. They used to hide behind discourses such as human rights and globalization, but this doesn’t hold anymore.
The declaration between Russia and China is very important at this point. Moreover, this declaration came immediately after Trump’s visit to China. In the declaration, they stated that they don’t accept hegemony and announced their will for a multipolar world. They signed comprehensive bilateral agreements. Putin and Xi Jinping showed that, beyond bilateral relations, they were also putting forward a joint global initiative before the world. As Russia and China are important powers economically, militarily and technologically, the importance of this visit can’t be overestimated. Europeans may belittle this, but in the coming period we will witness this initiative taking shape in different parts of the world.”
