Russian President Vladimir Putin, speaking on Friday, expressed his belief that Israel’s response to an exceptionally cruel attack was equally severe. He mentioned that Russia understood the “logic of events” in the Middle East, where Israel had imposed a blockade on the Gaza Strip and conducted airstrikes in response to an attack by Hamas militants, resulting in a high casualty count.
Putin, during a visit to Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan, stated that Israel’s response was both extensive and harsh. He even drew parallels to discussions in the United States comparing the Gaza situation to the siege of Leningrad by Nazi Germany during World War Two, which he found unacceptable.
Putin emphasized the suffering of the over 2 million people in Gaza, including women and children, and called for a negotiated resolution, suggesting Russia’s potential role due to its relations with both sides.
He also warned that an Israeli ground offensive in Gaza would lead to an “absolutely unacceptable” number of civilian casualties. It’s worth noting that relations between Russia and Israel have been traditionally strong but have faced strain since the start of Putin’s war in Ukraine, which has resulted in the death of thousands of Ukrainian civilians.