Russian retribution for Ukrainian terror attack; in a first, Putin calls NATO "the enemy"

Moscow pounded "control and command centers" responsible for Kiev's Dec 30 attack that targeted a family event in Belgorod killing 24 people.

Kharkov hotel was home to foreign mercs and terrorists

Russia’s Defense Ministry said that during the night of Dec 30 and 31 several precision missile strikes destroyed decision-making centers and other military targets in the city of Kharkov responsible for Saturday’s terrorist attack in Belgorod that killed 24 civilians, including four children, and injured over 100.

One Russian missile strike hit the Kharkov Palace Hotel eliminating “representatives of the Main Intelligence Directorate and the Armed Forces of Ukraine who were directly involved in the planning and execution of the terrorist attack in Belgorod.” Moscow also said the hotel housed up to 200 foreign mercenaries trained by NATO for terror attacks inside Russia.

Other strikes hit the Kharkov HQ of Ukraine’s brutal secret police, the SBU, and facilities used by “Kraken”, an SBU regiment known for war crimes. “Representatives of the SBU leadership and fighters of the Kraken unit, who were directly preparing sabotage on Russian territory, have been taken out.” In addition, a Russian missile strike pounded a branch of the national space control center in western Ukraine used to gather battlefield intel.

Russian strikes against Ukrainian military installations continued on New Year’s eve, also targeting a museum in Lvov that celebrated Ukrainian Nazis who collaborated with the Germans during World War II.

While Russia’s retribution was swift and furious, the fact remains that the ring leaders for these crimes enjoy impunity, hiding in western capitals. Ukrainian terrorist attacks are only possible thanks to NATO supplies of weapons and satellite intel.

In a dramatic break with his usual cautious approach, earlier today President Vladimir Putin told media that NATO is Russia’s “enemy”. Previously, he referred to “Ukraine’s curators”, and avoided labeling NATO as “the enemy”. (Note: NATO has described Russia as its “enemy” for at least the past two years.)

“The point is not that [NATO] is helping our enemy, but that they [NATO] are our enemy. Ukraine is not our enemy; those who want to achieve our ‘strategic defeat’ are our enemies,” said Putin, as reported by Russian media. He emphasized that Russia will defeat NATO and will continue to increase its military might.

Kharkov Palace Hotel, before the war began

During the first Cold War (1948-1988), the countries of NATO trembled in fear before the Soviet Union, worried that even the slightest affront or incident would precipitate a powerful military response, if not ignite nuclear war.

Today, however, the West no longer fears Moscow. NATO feels emboldened to expand eastward and frequently launches attacks against Russia through Ukrainian proxies. Over and over, NATO crosses ‘red lines’ set by Moscow because the element of fear that maintained the balance of power in the first Cold War is no longer present.

Moscow has a credibility problem. Deterrence no longer works. Peace can only be secured through strength and possessing a credible defense response so that the enemy never even thinks of conducting attacks as we saw this weekend. Sadly, these terrorist attacks and other provocations will continue in 2024. But this reflects NATO/ Kiev’s desperation as Russia continues to be victorious on the battlefield.

Two years ago, NATO told Moscow that it would expand eastward and take Ukraine in violation of Moscow’s interests. And to show it was serious, NATO’s Ukrainian proxies unleashed a massive bombardment of Donetsk city on Feb 16, 2022.

NATO expected a quick victory, that it would conquer all of Donbass and crush the local pro-Russian militia fighting to protect their people from extermination. Moscow, however, responded on Feb 24 (2022) with its Special Military Operation to put an end to NATO expansion and Kiev’s efforts at ethnic cleansing.

Instead of a quick victory, NATO today faces a resurgent Russia on the offensive, slowly and methodically obliterating Ukrainian proxies. The Bear is enraged and unchained. And NATO’s ruling class is to blame, leading the West to ruin.