American intelligence will gather evidence in the field for Putin’s indictment by collaborating with the secret services of other countries
FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT
WASHINGTON — The White House engaged on three fronts.
Let’s start with the less visible one, but perhaps the most important in the short term for the fate of the war. Joe Bidenyesterday, Monday 4 April, he mentioned it as if in passing: We will send more weapons to Ukraine.
The scenario envisaged by the Pentagon, and not only that, it seems now defined (read here the updates in real time). The Putinian army will intensify its efforts in Southeast of the country, although the disturbances in Kiev and other cities will continue. The Ukrainian army deployed in force in a pocket bordered to the west by the city of Dnipro, to the east by Kharkiv and to the south by the Donbass. In recent days, US intelligence has let the American media know to expect a pincer maneuver by the Russians, with forces arriving from the North and exiting from the South. Target: surround and destroy Ukrainian formations. The impact force of the Russians will be powerful: according to the Pentagon they will be in the field at least 600 tanks and over 3,000 armored vehicles.
Do Zelensky’s military have the means to resist and thwart the maneuver, as happened north of the capital?
Here the Administration is silent, but for some analysts, the answer is no.
Anti-tank Javelin missiles or anti-aircraft Stingers may not be enough. Here’s why Zelensky insists: we need planes, tanks, heavy artillery, other drones. So far Biden has only given the green light for the delivery of Soviet-made tanks. But not enough. The American president will now have to decide whether exceed the limit which he had complied with so far: no supply of offensive weapons to avoid the risk of direct US and NATO involvement. In the evening, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby made his voice: We must redouble our efforts to help the Ukrainians militarily and we must be very flexible.
The second front is that of sanctions. The National Security Advisor, Jake Sullivan, announced that the United States is working closely with Europeans. She also stated that there will be an announcement within the week. In this case, however, the Americans are waiting for the outcome of the discussion between the EU partners on the key issue of the energy export embargo Russian, be it coal, oil or, more unlikely, gas.
Finally, the investigation into the war crimes in Bucha. Sullivan himself explained how the United States will proceed to indict Vladimir Putin for war crimes. Sullivan pointed out that for now there are no grounds for talking about genocide. But the US government, he explained, will follow a four-step path.
First: American intelligence will gather evidence on the ground, collaborating with the secret services of other countries. Sullivan did not mention names, but the main reference to Great Britain.
Second: the information will be compared with that put together by the Ukrainians.
Third: all material will be shared with non-governmental organizations that are already at work and with the UN.
Fourth: draw on videos, films broadcast by the media or posted on social media. Sullivan concluded: the US government will agree with the allies to which institution to transmit the complaint.
April 5, 2022 (change April 5, 2022 | 10:16)
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