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The context is that Ukraine assassinated Russian lieutenant general Kirillov, who is a high ranking commander in the a section of the Russian military in charge
by throw_dec_18 2y ago
The context is that Ukraine assassinated Russian lieutenant general Kirillov, who is a high ranking commander in the a section of the Russian military in charge of mitigating losses from chemical, biological and nuclear attacks.
The even larger context is that Russia and Ukraine have been in a back and forth trying to obtain information victories over another by winning decisions from the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW). Ukraine recently scored a victory in which OPCW agreed that Russia has likely used riot control agents in Ukraine. Russia's Kirillov led a number of initiatives accusing Ukraine of use of chemical weapons.
Anyway, Russia doesn't consider the assassination of this person to be a legitimate military target, as they are not a combatant or directing combatant troops. Ukraine accuses Kirillov of participating in use of riot control agents and has justified the assassination on these grounds.
The Times called the attack a legitimate military target. Medvedev is engaging in a form of Slavic rhetorical satire, essentially saying, "well The Times if you want to throw out the typical conventions for what a legitimate target is, let's take it all the way down that slippery slope."
- deleted 2y ago[deleted]
- Terr_ 2y ago> Anyway, Russia doesn't consider the assassination of this person to be a legitimate military target Which really should be the end of the entire "debate" right there, since it they're blatantly lying about their own beliefs. The Russian state under Putin very well-documented history of assassination attempts (and successes) against civilians, even within neutral countries. Two quick examples being the killing of Putin-critic Litvenko (radioactive mess in Britain) and a recently a foiled attempt to kill the CEO of a German firm that was selling arms to Ukraine.
- aguaviva 2y agoMedvedev is engaging in a form of Slavic rhetorical satire It could perhaps be construed as (a very juvenile form of) satire -- were it not for the fact that his regime has already conducted assassinations of non-military targets on European soil, of exactly the type he is "satirically" threatening.
- Terr_ 2y agoIt's kind of a Schrodinger's Asshole effect on the international stage: "It was just a prank, bratan, why do you have to take everything so deathly serious?"