2 years after the invasion

Kremlin admits for the first time: “war” in Ukraine

Effects of the massive Russian attack on Ukraine's energy infrastructure on Friday night(Bild: AP)

More than two years after the invasion of Ukraine, the Kremlin has officially admitted for the first time that Russia is at war. "We are at war. Yes, it started as a special military operation, but as soon as this group was formed and the collective West became a participant on the side of Ukraine, this became a war for us," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in an interview on Friday.

Peskov's comments came after the aggressor state carried out what was probably the largest concerted attack on the neighboring country's energy infrastructure during the night.

Effects of the massive Russian attack on Ukraine's energy infrastructure on Friday night(Bild: AP)

"Liberation" as the aim of the war
The war aim was the complete "liberation" of the four regions of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson, which the country had annexed a year and a half ago in violation of international law. Due to Ukraine's acute lack of weapons, Russia has been able to make progress on the front in recent weeks. Nevertheless, it is still a long way from completely dominating these four Ukrainian regions.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov(Bild: AP)

Doubts Ukraine's right to exist 
Peskov also once again questioned the existence of Ukraine. Russia could not allow the existence of a country on its borders that was prepared to use all means at its disposal to take the Crimean peninsula. The Ukrainian peninsula was seized and annexed by Russia in a coup exactly ten years ago.

Russia's actions, which violated international law, have not been recognized by the international community. The Western states support Ukraine, which is now also an EU candidate country, in its legitimate right to self-defense.