‘We have witnessed another genocidal war crime’ – Ukrainian MP on fresh Russian attacks

Maria Mezentseva: Today we have witnessed yet another genocidal war crimes. We can’t identify it in any other way because all the claims that are conducted by President Putin or whoever from the top political and military leadership are saying what they’re doing. So they’re targeting civilians and critical infrastructure. They are targeting civilians. Today, the government and local administrations managed to get back electricity in many towns and regions across Ukraine. So it proves our efficiency. But this is not the most pleasant thing to witness I will say.
Matt Frei: Is the danger here that the kind of longer range missiles that you’re now allowed to use by the Americans on Russian targets are not really fundamentally changing the war in your favour, but are provoking a much  stronger response from the Russians. And that ultimately means that you’re losing out in this.
Maria Mezentseva: No, no, we are definitely winning with this decision. We’re very much long awaited decision. I definitely know supported by British people, not only the French and others. Given the green light finally by American partners proves that our identified spots of evil we call them, are very correct because they are military targets according to international laws of war. We are eligible to target them unlike Russians are doing so. They are committing complete opposite – war crimes against civilians. So this is not an escalation.
Matt Frei: Is this the end game? Is that what we’re witnessing here? That both sides are notching it up? Because when President Trump becomes president, he’s promised that he would try to broker some kind of peace very quickly. So are both sides trying to get as much territory, inflict as much damage as possible before the end of January?
Maria Mezentseva: Matthew, I must say, the question itself sounds a little bit absurd because we are in sovereign territory of our homeland, trying to actually regain back our territories in Russia. What Russia is doing is trying to get our territories under their control.
Matt Frei: But Maria, there’s no one I’ve met in the United States or indeed outside the US, even those who support you in your cause, who thinks that realistically you’re going to get any of the territory back that’s been occupied by Russia?
Maria Mezentseva: Well, we have proven with various operations like one of most successful operations called by American Institute of War, Kharkiv liberation operation, Kherson liberation operation, that we are able to do that when we have enough means of weapons. And not only, so I think when all sanctions would be working, when just peace can be implemented by various decisions of punishing the war crimes, we can reach that as well.
Matt Frei: But finally, briefly, if there is no formal path towards Nato membership, if there is not even an invitation to join Nato, but there are other things in discussion, is that enough? Could that be something that President Zelenskyy could sell to his own people?
Maria Mezentseva: Well, it’s not a trade, you know. It’s a very brutal aggression which will boost support for Euro Atlantic integration. Both EU and Nato membership are enshrined in our constitution, but most importantly, supported in many regions over 90% of the population. So I think we should rely on this opinion.