Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, Feb 2014 – ?

On By reenchantmentoftheworldIn politics

Russian aggression started in February 2014 on Crimea and the conflict never ceased, only its intensity varied. Now, there is a full scale invasion of the Russians against Ukraine, and we decided to post another of our rare political posts. Somehow, it’s always about something bad happening…

Ukraine is a country in Europe, a democracy, a country poor and corrupted – but one that made tremendous progress in the last decades. It’s people are brave and independent, and for Putin it’s a threat – he’s afraid Russians might follow their example. They won’t, they had theirs spines broken by Lenin and Stalin and never regained them. There are some brave people in Russia protesting against the war, today, but they are mostly already arrested. And there’s not enough of them to save the honour of this wretched nation.

Ukrainians have honour, but will they get enough support to survive?

We need sanctions as strong as never before, we need to cut Russia off all the institutions of the civilized world. From banking systems, and sport events. Confiscate property of Putin’s oligarchs, and expel their kids from expensive Western universities. And send all the arms Ukrainians need. If Russia occupies the country, never recognize whatever puppet regime they might install, and support the refugees, and the resistance.

This is a war in Europe like we did not have since the Second World War. It might define the future of this continent. We need to support decent people fighting for their lives and freedoms.

Please follow the news, do not listen to Russian trolls and their state media, support a legitimate charity that will help those in need, and there will be many. We know already about multiple civilian victims.

I’m Polish and my country had been invaded by Russia multiple times. Last time in 1945, when the liberation from Germany looked nothing like what you see in movies about American G.I. liberating France. Red Army raped and robbed their way through Poland then, like their ancestors did several times in the XIX century, and like they did multiple times since then, in many corners of the world.

Russia must be stopped.

25 thoughts on “Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, Feb 2014 – ?”

  2. However far some Europeans may be from the invasion that’s just on your doorstep,.Piotrek, be assured we all feel sick to the stomach at Putin’s barefaced aggression, and will do our best at an individual level to counter any and all mis- and disinformation. I do really do hope the EU, NATO and the UN will go further than stern words to bring down Putin’s megalomane ambitions. Do dictators never learn the big and really important lessons from history?

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    1. Almost four years ago, when I was still in Poland, one of my biggest fears was war. I felt it in the air, like a canary in the mine – the lack of reaction to the annexation of Crimea was just what Putin wanted. And now it goes just like in 1938 and 1939; I do hope that at least we have learned something from history. Russian people certainly did – they’re protesting against the war.

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      1. Precisely what you say, Ola: when bullies see no real uproar to an action (annexation of Crimea in Putin’s case) they’re emboldened to up their game — after all, nobody really did anything last time so I can do something more outrageous and feel even more invulnerable. If the Russian people can see the lie then who knows what may follow? (Though I don’t hold my breath that they’ll be able to divert him from his murderous policies.)

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        1. piotrek

          They are some brave people in Russia, but nowhere near enough to make a difference. Like Lot’s family in Sodom, they deserve help, but they don’t change how I see their country.

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    2. piotrek

      Thank you, Chris. I hope the outcome will be far from what Putin wants. Even the Germans seem angry now… It’s just so sad that many people will have to due for this sick man’s ambitions. I’ve been to some of the attacked cities, my friends have families in some other… I was watching a YouTube stream for a few hours today, Polish YouTuber of Ukrainian origin was translating Ukrainian news sources on the fly, and at one point he learned his native town has been bombed… with casualties. For a few terrifying minutes he could not contact his father…father turned out to be ok, but people still died. Horror

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  3. The West has had an unprecedented run of peace in the last 70’ish years. I suspect Putin is going to change all of that. And if he is successful, China will be next (if they’re not already).

    This is me being pessimistic, but I don’t see the youngsters of today having the guts, the spines or even the ideals to fight against someone like Putin or JInping.

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    1. piotrek

      The youngsters of Ukraine are quite willing, they just need the tools. I could quote Roosevelt’s famous words about giving one’s neighbor a hose during a fire… I hope that Russia will pay dearly for what they are doing, in money and in blood.

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      1. I was thinking more of a worldwide conflict (which is where I think this is heading) and the youth of countries not directly involved (ie, Americans).

        I have a feeling our President is going to do as little as he can 😦

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        1. piotrek

          He did quite well, I think. He did unify NATO, which was not sure to happen, and disarmed Putin’s attempts at getting what he wanted just by using pressure. Now, it’s time for more action, we’ll see what will happen.
          Certain ex-president called Putin a genius, that wasn’t helpful…

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          1. Russia should lose its place on the UN Security Council, its veto rights, and her membership in all international organizations should be immediately suspended. All money in banks outside of Russia should be immediately frozen, the personal accounts of Putin, his family and cohorts taken over and the money given to Ukraine. Putin should be brought to Hague and prosecuted as a war criminal.

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    1. piotrek

      I’m having trouble concentrating on sth else… people I know and like are being slaughtered by the eternal nemesis of this part of the world. Have you seen the defenders of the Snake Island? Fuck you, Russian warship, fuck you, Russian army.They are Leonidases of our times.

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  7. There’s so much frustration in whoever wrote this post and I can feel it between the lines. It’s such a terrifying time when such things can still exist despite the innumerable lessons we learned in the past about war… Sanctions are starting to be felt, at least on the populace and hopefully, it will allow for an implosion that can help redirect everything towards Putin’s decision-making and his rule…

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    1. There are decades of feelings of abandonment and frustration in the Central-Eastern Europe. These countries were given up as spoils of war after WWII, and the West for over 70 years continued to care more about Russia and their hurt feelings than the independent countries and the fates of their people in Central-Eastern Europe (who btw had to fight for their full independence predominantly on their own). Only now it becomes clear for many West European and American countries that Russia’s – actually, I should say Russia’s establishment’s – way of seeing things is totally unrealistic, megalomaniac and paranoid, full of ungrounded resentment, simmering hate and feelings of being slighted just because independent post-Soviet republics even exist and are recognized. I sincerely hope that this war will help reshuffle the world order into something more fair, and that people like Putin or Xi will finally be put in their place. I just feel helpless, and angry, that lives of innocent people were sacrificed for this.

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    2. piotrek

      Sanctions are stronger than I hoped for, they might actually cripple the Russian economy… I need to read more about how they work, it’s pretty complicated.

      I want to add one thing to what Ola wrote about our part of the world – and it concerns Ukraine and Belarus especially. These are countries that suffered enormously during the WWII, lost far larger % of the populations, and national wealth, than ethnic Russians. And it’s so unfair, that for many people in the West Soviet=Russian. Yes, Soviet Union was a continuation of the Russian Empire, but when Germany argued initially they cannot help Ukraine against Russia because they hurt Russia so much during the war… criminal ignorance.

      But I know Canada has unique perspective on Ukraine, with a big community of Canadians of Ukrainian descent, I suppose it makes the current war more visible in Canadian media? Certainly Canada is among strong supporters of Ukraine.

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      1. The way every government approached sanctions was quite fascinating to see unfold! It seemed very passive at first, as if they were simply trying to walk on eggshells and not implicate themselves in an ongoing feud. But to see the effects on the long term has me wondering if Putin even realizes what he’s gotten himself into and what he’d dare do going forward since there’s no coming back to how things were after this. I was also quite impressed by the support around the world, including out here and I hope we can all make a difference in someway!

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