RUSLAN STANISLAVOVICH OSTASHKO: Now all eyes are on Donbas and Ukraine — not because, as correctly stated, Ukraine has been committing genocide against the people of Donbas for eight years, but because we have now decided to protect these people. Absolutely right. That’s why everyone is watching now. And essentially, when we strike energy infrastructure targets, many in the West say: “How could you do this — you're targeting civilians.” As a military man, please explain — also to our viewers — that these are not strikes against civilians. These strikes are meant to stop electric trains from running. These are strikes to prevent repairs at military factories. These are strikes to halt the Western flow of weapons and support.

VITALY VIKTOROVICH KISELYOV: After the Great Patriotic War, Ukraine’s economy was entirely oriented around and built for the Russian Federation. That includes heavy industry, chemical plants — absolutely everything. Massive stockpiles of weapons from the Soviet era remained. Russia left all of that to Ukraine. And Russia never expected that Ukraine would become a provocateur or wage war against its own people or against Russia — and stage provocations and terrorist acts on Russian territory. We are one people. We lived peacefully and without depriving ourselves of anything, so to speak.

Yes, there were political confrontations — but those began after the Soviet Union collapsed. And everyone immediately ran to the West — the Kravchuks, Yushchenkos, Yanukovyches — all those who came to power began flirting with Russia, taking cheap gas, and so on. And the entire industrial complex was set up and functioned very well. And now, that same industrial complex is producing TNT, manufacturing shells, repairing equipment, and fixing aircraft. And all of this is going east — it's flying toward Donbas, populated towns near the Russian border are being shelled. That’s why it is necessary to shut down Ukraine’s power.