The bombardment of Chaplyne station, which killed at least 22 people and injured 50 on Wednesday August 24 in central Ukraine, according to the latest report, “shows Moscow’s determination to continue the war, national holiday or not”estimated, on franceinfo, General Jérôme Pellistrandi, editor-in-chief of the journal National Defense, while Ukraine celebrates the 31st anniversary of its independence.
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franceinfo: A strike like the one on Chaplyne station was feared this Wednesday, Ukraine’s independence day. Do you see it as a coincidence?
Jerome Pellistrandi: It may just be a coincidence. Because since the start of the war, the Russians have had no qualms about civilian infrastructure. Chaplyne is a railway junction. Presumably, they will say that they hit a railway junction on which there were military trains. They have already done it several times. And for the Russians, civilian casualties have no value.
Once again, it appears that civilians were hit. What does this show of the will of the Russian army?
On the one hand, this shows Moscow’s determination to continue the war, national holiday or not. This also shows its willingness to hit infrastructure used by Ukrainians, including railway facilities. The railroad is essential in this war, on both sides. On the side of kyiv, it makes it possible to evacuate the Ukrainians from the East to the West, but also to bring military equipment, supplies… On the other side, the Russians use the Ukrainian network which they occupy for the same. So the stations are sought-after objectives, in particular by the Russians.
The conflict has been going on for six months. Should we be wary of a new change in strategy by Vladimir Putin?
In any case, Vladimir Putin cannot admit that he is not winning, and that is what is extremely worrying. It is imperative, for him, that he obtains military successes. There are about two months left before winter comes, and if he doesn’t get there by then, we’re going to have a front line that’s going to freeze literally and figuratively, until the spring.
What do we know about the state of Russian forces today?
The latest estimates, particularly American, report 80,000 Russian soldiers killed, wounded, prisoners or deserters. It is enormous. The Russian army had absolutely no idea what was going to happen. So the paradox is that the Ukrainians have the human resource thanks to the general mobilization. Conversely, the Russians still have material domination but they face a problem of human resources, because they do not have enough soldiers to complete the ranks and units which are for some decimated.