“For the past two weeks, Russia has changed tactics on the ground, faced with the setbacks it is encountering, it is now hitting civilian targets, with civilians themselves who are targeted, but also strategic energy infrastructures.“, said Wednesday, October 19 on franceinfo Anne-Claire Legendre, spokesperson for the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs. Kamiza drones have been crashing for several days against public buildings or power stations, causing cuts electricity and heating for hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians.
A third of the country’s power plants are currently down, and for Anne-Claire Legendre, these strikes constitute “war crimes since they are civilian objectives: this is absolutely in violation of the principles of international law“.
According to the spokeswoman for the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, “the idea is to exhaust by terror, by the cold, to break the morale of the Ukrainian population which is in support of the strategy of resistance of the aggression carried out against President Zelensky.“
The question that arises is that of the provenance of these drones. Some countries accuse Iran of supplying them to Russia, which both sides deny. However, according to Anne-Claire Legendre, “this could potentially violate UN Security Council resolutions“. Iran is indeed subject to an arms embargo after a UN decision in 2015, and Anne-Claire Legendre recalls that this embargo “is binding not only on Iranians but also on other states“. The spokesperson for the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs indicates that “this issue will be raised at the UN Security Council on Thursday“.
Regarding French military aid intended for Ukraine, Anne-Claire Legendre recalls that “the President of the Republic insisted on the fact that we were going to strengthen our aid in this regard: radar system, missile, anti-aircraft system.“Anne-Claire Legendre ensures that France will”continue this strategy” and “give Ukraine all the means to defend itself.“
Finally, regarding Vladimir Putin’s threats to use a tactical nuclear bomb, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs warns that “our answer would obviously be very strong“, while recalling the French doctrine of the use of atomic weapons: “we are a responsible endowed power“, tempers Anne-Claire Legendre.