A decorated, retired Russian general is warning Russian President Vladimir Putin not to attack Ukraine, accusing the leader of creating an "artificial" conflict to distract from domestic troubles, according to the Daily Mail.
In an open letter titled "The Eve of War," Col. Gen. Leonid Ivashov, 78, accuses Putin of "provoking a war" despite Russia not facing any "critical threats" and argues that the international backlash to the annexation of Crimea "convincingly shows the failure of Russian foreign policy."
"Attempts to 'love' the Russian Federation and its leadership through an ultimatum and threats of the use of force are senseless and extremely dangerous," he added.
"The use of military force against Ukraine, firstly, will call into question the existence of Russia itself as a state; secondly, it will forever make Russians and Ukrainians mortal enemies. Thirdly, there will be tens of thousands of dead young, healthy men on one side and on the other, which will certainly affect the future demographic situation in our dying countries.
"On the battlefield, if this happens, Russian troops will face not only Ukrainian military personnel, among whom there will be many Russian guys, but also military personnel and equipment from many NATO countries, and the member states of the alliance will be obliged to declare war on Russia."
The letter was published as French President Emmanuel Macron travels to the Kremlin for crisis talks a day after White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said an invasion could happen "any day" at an "enormous human cost."
Ivashov previously served as Putin’s chief of military cooperation in the Ministry of Defense. He is retired from the military and serves as the chairman of the All-Russian Officers’ Assembly, a political group.
In his letter, posted to the assembly’s website, Ivashov said he fears Russia will become a "pariah of the world community" if the country launches an attack on Ukraine.
Questioning why Putin would risk the hostility and conflict, Ivashov concluded that it is a distraction from the country's domestic problems.
One of the most respected generals in the Russian defense ministry, Ivashov is known as a hardline nationalist. Since he was fired by Putin in 2001, he has become deeply critical of the Russian president and has frequently called for his resignation.
The letter shows that there is at least some internal opposition to a war with Ukraine and follows a petition that was signed by 5,000 Russian citizens demanding Putin deescalate the conflict.
"This is a big deal," Stanford Russia expert Michael McFaul told the Daily Mail. "At one time, Gen. Ivashov was one of the most respected (and hawkish) leaders in the Russian [Defense Ministry]."
McFaul served as U.S. ambassador to Russia during the Obama administration.
"Russian generals don't usually get involved in public policy debates, especially ones like Ivashov," he said.
The All-Russian Officers' Assembly is an independent group founded in 2003 that discusses the role of the Russian military in the state. It is considered a retirement home for former officers with nationalist views.
Russia has denied any plans to attack Ukraine but is urging the United States and its allies to bar Ukraine and other ex-Soviet nations from joining NATO, halt weapons deployments ther, and roll back NATO forces from Eastern Europe.
Washington and NATO have rejected the demands.
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