Overnight UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he believes Russian President Vladimir Putin might try to “Grozny-fy” Kyiv and reduce Ukraine’s capital city to rubble.
In 2003 the United Nations called Grozny the “most destroyed city on earth” after the Chechen city was heavily targeted by Russian forces during the first and second Chechen wars. The sieges and assaults in both wars left it devastated. It is estimated that between 5000 and 8000 people died in the bloodiest episode of the second Chechen war which lasted from late 1999 to early 2000, and two years later not a single building in the city was undamaged.
Johnson’s comments came in an ITV interview in Tallinn during a trip to Poland and Estonia for crisis talks over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. From Tallinn, Johnson warned that Putin’s actions and the swift and public international pushback has left the Russian president in a “cul-de-sac” and that it was going to be “very difficult for him to back out”.
“If you’re sitting where he is, his only instinct is going to be to double down and to try and ‘Grozny-fy’ Kyiv, if you know what I mean. And to reduce it to [rubble],” he said.
He also issued a plea of wisdom to Putin to “put those tanks into reverse or turn them round” lest he commit an “unalterable moral humanitarian catastrophe”.
I’m glad this has been brought up, albeit by a self serving liar and scoundrel. Fear of Grozny repeating has been much in my mind. That war was vicious, Putin rekindled it for political reasons, the Russian forces faltered in the face of strong resistance by Chechens, Putin ordered the obliteration of a city full of civilians. Days of pounding artillery and bombs until nothing was left.
Kadyrov, the truly murderous thug Putin put in power there, has reportedly sent his Chechen forces to Ukraine. Chechnya was totally brutalised, god knows what murder, rape and pillage these forces would be up for.
There are some differences. Chechnya was much more cut off from help and the demonisation of Chechens had a head start on the back of the previous war and existing Russian racial prejudices against them. Neither of these apply to Ukraine. For now at least Russians mostly have great fellow feeling for Ukrainians, something which may hold Putin back. But not by much, he doesn’t care much for human life and so far he has the Russian population controlled and corralled.
All correct, AP, as long as we remember that Putin’s justification for his atrocities in Chechnya (anti-terrrorism) is the same as Bush’s, Blair’s and Howard’s justification for their (our) atrocities in Afghanistan, Iraq, etc.
Maybe he means Fallujah-fy (after the US flattened 70% of that city to bring them freedom and democracy).
He also issued a plea of wisdom to Putin to “put those tanks into reverse or turn them round” lest he commit an “unalterable moral humanitarian catastrophe”.
Well put Peter. We have a debate as to as to who can create the greatest human catastrophe in the name of freedom and democracy. The commentry coming from the inhabitants of a country (AUS) whose Army is accused of committing War Crimes in Afghanistan.
Have people any idea of the hypocrisy of what they are saying.
Put one’s own house into order before telling others how to behave.
Her Majesty’s First Minister – also not much cop when Foreign Minister – is a publicly acknowledged, known liar currently being investigated by Plod for lying for trivial domestic reasons about his many lies is not worth quoting.
About anything, much less life & death.
What would it mean to Fallujha-fy Kiev? Something nicer and kinder?