Nobody asked for my opinion, but I would like to state it for the record today (Nov. 18, 2022), and for posterity, and also to pose the following geo-political dilemma of the century:
If this daily barrage of hundreds of Russian missiles and drones over Ukraine continues for another week or two, all of us here will be left without any electricity and water (no water pumps due to absence of electricity, no generators work that long without burning out, no gas stations sell gas because credit cards and pumps don’t work because of electricity, etc).
What human being in any high-rise in Kyiv can live this way for more than a week (without elevators, water, electricity, etc.)? How do you live like this through the entire winter? All of these people will have to go somewhere with heat, water and food. Where will they all go, if Russia continues to destroy our energy infrastructure, including gas lines (yesterday evening was the first successful attempt, not the last).
At the same time, Ukraine is not permitted to destroy the launching platforms of the Russian rockets and drones that are well-known to be in Belarus and Russia. Why not?
The reason why we cannot destroy the source of evil (missiles and drones) is simple: it’s because the Western countries are afraid. They fear that offending Putin will result in a direct confrontation between the West (NATO and U.S.) and Russia (a nuclear power).
To me, it’s unbelievable that the almighty America and NATO are afraid (!!) of provoking a dictator, that this provocation would result in World War III, with all the consequences that will follow. What cowards, I say.
From where I sit here in Kyiv, we will continue to be bombed into oblivion by Russia in the next few weeks, although we could easily wipe out the launching sites with HIMARS, thereby saving ourselves. But we cannot do so, because otherwise Ukraine will not get anymore Western weapons for our self-defense. And so, we must suffer this destruction, day by day, like a boxer with hands tied behind his back.
In conclusion, like everyone else in Ukraine, I eagerly await the wise decisions of our great leaders of the civilized world. In the meanwhile, I would like to invite a few of my well-respected friends to comment on my opinion of today’s events
My dear friends and colleagues, gentlemen who specialize in Ukrainian affairs for decades, do you have any opinions about what steps Ukraine should take in the next pivotal few weeks in its history, given today’s constraints, before we’re all bombed into oblivion while the “civilized world” watches and waits?
At this point, any suggestion will do…
SOS from Kyiv, with respect.
Alex Frishberg, Esq. is an attorney with the Kyiv law firm of Frishberg & Partners.
The views expressed are the author’s and not necessarily of Kyiv Post.
