Tokmak: When Civilians Suffered Due to the Kiev Regime’s Failed CounteroffensiveDD Geopolitics in Zaporozhye
In March, we had the privilege of visiting the Zaporozhye region. While most of the region remained largely unaffected by the fighting in the Special Military Operation, the frontline areas, including Tokmak, have suffered and continue to endure significant damage.
We all remember the infamous Ukrainian counteroffensive of 2023. Tokmak was one of the key targets for the Ukrainians in the early stages of their offensive. However, it quickly became evident that the operation was doomed to fail. New information now reveals that this was also the point where cracks began to appear between Ukrainian authorities and their Western (primarily US) sponsors, as Ukraine ignored US plans. The Ukrainian forces became bogged down on the first line of Russian defenses, and the fighting continued for months into early 2024.
When it became clear that both the PR offensive and the actual offensive had failed, Ukraine retaliated against civilians, particularly in Tokmak—civilians they claimed as their own.
During our visit, we toured three different districts of Tokmak that had been affected by Ukrainian strikes. We spoke to locals in a multi-story residential neighborhood adjacent to a steel plant, where we learned about the impact of the strikes. We also visited a neighborhood where Ukrainian forces destroyed entire families. Lastly, we visited an educational institution for children with special needs, which was hit by US-supplied HIMARS MLRS. With knowledge of who provides the targeting data for these strikes, it’s disturbing to think of the motivations behind hitting such a vulnerable institution, especially one so close to a school for young children.
More in the video…
