On July 8, Russia celebrated its annual Love Day, also known as Peter and Fevronia Day, a holiday dedicated to marital love and family unity. However, the occasion was overshadowed by a call from a Russian military expert for President Vladimir Putin to intensify the war in Ukraine, urging a strategy to 'bleed the enemy dry.'
Military Expert Calls for Escalation
Speaking to the Kremlin-aligned newspaper Moskovskij Komsomolets, air defence historian and military expert Yuriy Knutov responded to recent NATO summit announcements, particularly a German plan to supply Ukraine with 600 Patriot PAC-3 missiles by 2027 under a deal with the United States. Knutov argued that Russia must adopt a harsh approach to counter this influx of Western weaponry.
'We have one option, it's harsh, but the only possible one. We always isolate the combat zone before launching an offensive, wearing down and bleeding the enemy dry,' Knutov stated. He emphasized the need to disrupt all supply lines into Ukraine, including ports, border crossings, and railway stations, as well as bridges connecting eastern and western Ukraine. 'Whether these supplies are military or civilian is a secondary issue. All these logistics must cease operations,' he added.
Patriot PAC-3 Missile System
The Patriot PAC-3, manufactured by Lockheed Martin, is described as the 'world's most powerful air defence missile.' According to the company, the PAC-3 family of missiles uses direct body-to-body contact to deliver kinetic energy, surpassing blast-fragmentation mechanisms. The upgraded PAC-3 Missile Segment Enhancement (MSE) features a two-pulse solid rocket motor, increasing altitude and range performance.
Love Day Background
Love Day, officially the Day of Family, Love and Fidelity, commemorates the 13th-century story of Prince Peter of Murom and a peasant woman named Fevronia. According to legend, Fevronia cured Peter of an incurable disease, and they fell in love, marrying despite noble opposition. Peter chose to give up his throne rather than separate from her. The holiday, celebrated annually on July 8, is marked by weddings, ceremonies, and public displays of affection, often against a backdrop of Putin imagery.
The juxtaposition of a celebration of love with aggressive war rhetoric underscores the ongoing tensions surrounding the conflict in Ukraine.
