Russia’s parliamentary leader Vyacheslav Volodin has issued a warning about a potential third world war on the 80th anniversary of the end of the siege of Leningrad.
“Leadership in NATO countries has adopted fascist ideologies,” Volodin stated on his Telegram channel.
He accused Western governments, particularly Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s administration in Germany, of endorsing policies resulting in genocide in Ukraine. “This perilous course could precipitate a new world war,” Volodin warned.
Russia’s primary justification for its ongoing war in Ukraine is the assertion that the neighboring nation requires “de-Nazification.”
Read more: Putin sparks fear of war with NATO after trip to Kaliningrad
Russian President Vladimir Putin frequently draws historical parallels with World War II to rationalize his assault on Ukraine.
He equates the invasion of Ukraine with the Soviet Union’s defense against Nazi Germany’s criminal aggression.
On historical anniversaries, Moscow often employs the argument of “protecting the memory of war victims” to justify its military campaign.
Exactly 80 years ago, on January 27, 1944, Soviet forces breached the German Wehrmacht’s siege around Leningrad, now St. Petersburg.
Before this breakthrough, an estimated 1.2 million people died due to bombings, hunger, and cold deliberately caused by German troops.
Germany’s ambassador to Moscow, Alexander Graf Lambsdorff, described the blockade as “an especially shocking and brutal war crime amid the criminal invasion of the Soviet Union.”
Meanwhile, the Russian military has intensified its efforts to capture Ukrainian territories in recent days, according to Ukrainian military sources.
Brigadier General Oleksandr Tarnavskyi reported a significant increase in attacks and assaults by occupying forces, particularly in the southern Donetsk region.
Tarnavskyi cited intensified airstrikes, specifically mentioning strikes on the towns of Myrnohrad and Novohrodiivka.
Stalemate in Russian advances amid Ukrainian defense and international support
Despite initial gains, Russian forces have struggled to advance, even after capturing the small town of Maryinka at the end of December.
Ukraine continues to defend itself against the full-scale Russian invasion with substantial Western support, focusing efforts mainly in the east and south.
President Volodymyr Zelensky highlighted continued international support despite challenges in arms supplies, emphasizing Ukraine’s commitment to independence.
In diplomatic talks with Lithuania, Ukraine explored joint drone production and discussed NATO membership, increased military aid, and sanctions against Russia.
Drones have become critical assets in countering the Kremlin’s aggression, especially amid heightened concerns of Russian threats in the Baltic states, where Vilnius stands as a staunch supporter of Kiev.