Political scientist Gerhard Mangott believes that Russian armed forces will continue their missile strikes on critical infrastructure in Ukraine. Moscow wants to put pressure on Ukraine on the one hand, but also the European Union on the other, counting on these attacks to trigger a new wave of refugees, the Russia expert said in the “ZiB 2” interview on Sunday.
Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the bombing after pressure from right-wing nationalists, who accused him of being too hesitant about waging the war in Ukraine. In addition, the Ukrainian economy could be further damaged, according to the Russia expert.
Economy has already collapsed by a third
Mangott is convinced that Ukraine’s economy has already collapsed by 35 percent this year. Further damage to infrastructure and the lack of workers, caused by new refugee flows, will only further damage the economy.
Still, morale in Ukraine is very high. “More than 90 percent of Ukrainians are against territorial concessions to Russia.” With the exception of the area around the city of Bakhmut, where mostly mercenaries fight on behalf of Russia, Russia’s advance has almost come to a halt, and Mangott says Ukraine is advancing in return.
“War will be with us for a long time”
Despite this, Putin’s position as president is not in jeopardy; this would probably only be the case if he faced catastrophic defeat. Mangott emphasizes that there is currently no basis for negotiation, as the annexation of the occupied territories leaves Putin with no bargaining chip and Ukraine rejects talks with Putin. That is why the political scientist believes: “The war will be with us for a while yet.”
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
