Editorial rights purchased from iStock. Photo by DIMUSE.
Ukraine is filled with heartbreakingly courageous people. Footage on CNN shows a man trying to stop a Russian tank by putting his hands on the front of the tank. The tank stops momentarily, the man takes a few steps back then kneels directly in its path — as if to say, “If you keep coming, you will need to kill me.” Within seconds, other Ukrainians run toward him, coaxing him away to avoid watching him murdered before their eyes.
While Russian TV covers none of this, the internet has allowed the Russian people some insight into the current horrors in Ukraine. As a result, Russians across the country have become vocal critics of President Putin.
Comedians, political analysts, and data scientists are among the many who are now publicly condemning the invasion of Ukraine. Over 6,000 Russian citizens have been arrested for protesting the war, despite the threat of imprisonment, or worse.
Several world-renowned athletes from Russia have also used their positions as public figures to speak out against the war, including tennis stars Daniil Medvedev and Andrey Rublev.
Even Putin’s nemesis, imprisoned Alexei Navalny, managed to send a message against Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. Navalny, who is due to be released next year, was brought back to court just as the invasion began. Navalny used his time in court to publicly denounce Putin’s latest move:
“The war between Russia and Ukraine is being waged to cover up the robbery of Russian citizens and to distract their attention from the problems that exist within the country from the degradation of the economy.”
None of this is affecting Putin and his decision to conquer Ukraine.
Mikhail Khodorkovsky, a former Russian oil tycoon, made the following statement from his London home where he has been in exile for the past ten years:
“We need to be clear that it is Putin and his entourage who started the war in order to hold onto their power — not the Russian people. Unleashing a war of aggression and using the armed forces for personal gain signifies that a junta led by Putin has seized power in Russia.” (emphasis, mine)
Putin, some say, is not what he used to be. His reputation as a brilliant strategist is no longer reflected in reality. He appears to have been negatively affected by the isolation resulting from COVID and has become more and more agitated over the past few years.
But this does not make him any less dangerous — if anything it makes him more lethal.
When his plans fail, he doubles down — and he has been reported to have now sent illegal weapons like cluster bombs and vacuum bombs to Ukraine. Whatever we think of Putin’s present state of mind, we need to remember that he has not lost his power to destroy whatever he perceives is in his way.
Like Trump, Putin has no empathy — his goal is to win at all costs. The more sanctions the rest of the world imposes, the more vengeful he becomes. While he pretends to engage in peace talks, he refuses requests for a cease-fire to encourage progress, supporting the view that he is using the talks to buy time, not work toward a solution to the ever-worsening crisis.
Though some have reported that low morale and dwindling supplies are affecting Russian soldiers in Ukraine, bombings have increased in recent days and there are no indications that Putin will back down regardless of public opinion in and outside Russia.
NATO is useless in this situation — equally so the European Union. No one is willing to accept Ukraine’s request to join either organization, citing various rules and regulations Ukraine has not yet met, though all are quick to point out that Ukraine is “invited” to apply.
“We have proven our strengths,” Zelenskyy said in a message to the E.U. “We have proven that as at a minimum, we are exactly the same as you are. So do prove that you are with us, do prove that you will not let us go. Do prove that you indeed are Europeans.”
One might think the situation in Ukraine would justify an exception to the usual rules for acceptance to the EU, but no.
The European Parliament did give Zelenksyy a standing ovation, though. And every politician, news anchor, and pundit has touted the bravery and patriotism of the amazing Ukrainian people — all of which is meaningless to the people trapped in a country being systematically destroyed by a megalomaniac with military resources far in excess of what Ukraine can muster.
There is only one way for President Zelenskyy and his country to survive: Russian soldiers must defy Putin’s orders for any additional attacks against Ukraine, and the Russian military must depose Putin in a coup.
Support from Ukraine’s Western allies can do nothing but prolong the inevitable. Unless Russian soldiers — who see what is happening in Ukraine — are willing to do something to stop these atrocities, there is no hope for President Zelenskyy and his people.