Esther Bachmann

🇺🇦 BUDANOV: RUSSIA’S IDEA OF PEACE IS KILLING UKRAINIAN CIVILIANS Kyrylo Budanov has called for a far stronger military response to Russia’s attacks on Ukrainian cities, arguing that Moscow’s actions expose the reality behind its rhetoric about peace. “Today, Russia has once again shown what its ‘peace’ looks like: the mass killing of civilians across Ukrainian cities.” Budanov insists that diplomatic statements and concessions will not stop the attacks. He wants Ukraine and its international partners to focus on two priorities: protecting civilians and weakening Russia’s ability to sustain its invasion. That means supplying advanced air-defense systems capable of intercepting incoming missiles and drones, alongside long-range weapons that can strike Russia’s military-industrial infrastructure. His argument is that Ukraine cannot secure a lasting peace while Moscow retains the capacity to repeatedly bombard its cities. For Budanov, the objective is not simply to survive the next wave of attacks. It is to reduce Russia’s ability to launch them in the first place. “Peace will not come from empty words or concessions to Russian terror. It will come when Russia loses the ability to wage this war.” He is urging Ukraine’s allies to act together, arguing that military strength and effective civilian protection are essential to ending the war.