Ukraine battles ‘elaborate’ Russian defences as Putin condemns Israel’s war

Russian President Vladimir Putin reacted to criticism of his war in Ukraine from the world’s wealthiest nations, now in its 91st week, by holding up Israel’s war in Gaza for comparison.

Russian President Vladimir Putin reacted to criticism of his war in Ukraine from the world’s wealthiest nations, now in its 91st week, by holding up Israel’s war in Gaza for comparison.

“I understand that this war, and the death of people, cannot but shock,” Putin told the virtual G20 meeting called by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday [November 21].

“And the extermination of the civilian population in Palestine in the Gaza Strip today, is not shocking?” Putin asked.

Russia has leveraged the deaths of more than 14,500 civilians in Gaza to cast its own aggression in Ukraine in a more favourable light.

Putin’s remarks came after a series of speeches from other leaders expressing shock at Russian aggression.

“Yes, of course, military actions are always a tragedy,” Putin said. “And of course, we should think about how to stop this tragedy.”

Some observers took this remark to be conciliatory, and Putin reminded his colleagues that “Russia has never refused peace talks with Ukraine,” whereas Ukraine refuses peace talks with Russia under the current government.

But only the previous day his ambassador at large, Rodion Miroshnik, told reporters in Moscow that “the current regime [in Kyiv] is absolutely toxic, we do not see any options for co-existence with it at the moment.”