Zelenskyy and Putin are both Young Global Leaders.
I live in Russian Crimea. And for all of us, as well as for you, the latest news was a shock.
Society is strongly divided in half and this causes disputes and conflicts, which I try not to get involved in the Internet space.
-My point of view is complex in general, because Of course, as an adequate modern person, I oppose war. On the other hand, I understand the reasons for what is happening and they are not so unambiguous.
Putin immediately stated that the goal of the military operation was to demilitarize and remove ultra-right personalities from power.
In Europe and the United States, little is said about this and little is known, but yes, there are a lot of neo-Nazis in Ukraine who, under private control, after 2014 successfully strive for power. I was amazed all this time that the European Union does nothing about it. But this initially did not suit Russia. We, as a country that defeated fascism, are completely unacceptable for such a turn. Ultra-right children's camps, which are increasingly reminiscent of the "Hitler Youth", ultra-right battalions "Azov" and "Aidar", where people with tattooed swastikas are rushing into battle, and when peacetime is simply rushing into politics and business, and the ordinary population has long been afraid of them that -something to oppose, because facing repression.
Now we try not to watch the news, we are terribly worried about everything that happens. That ordinary people can suffer, on the other hand, we see that there are clashes that reach bitterness precisely with the ultra-right battalions.
And most importantly, I don't understand.. How can politicians and ordinary people be identified? Did someone ask us?
Did Biden ask the US population when he methodically brought this situation to an absurd escalation? I doubt very much, just as I doubt that ordinary citizens generally understood that the authorities were doing this. First of all, it is terrible that the mediocre authorities of Ukraine have made us enemies, and secondly, this persecution by the authorities of the EU and the USA of everything Russian has only exacerbated this gap. We have suffered all this time that we can no longer visit each other. That if you have a Russian passport, you may be subject to gunfire while driving through Ukraine. And now the situation is unlikely to improve.. The Ukrainian government will eventually run away, but we will have a fundamental rift that we will overcome for a very long time. Even when Putin and the government that now rules Russia are gone.
Once I wrote a comment these days, I asked a Ukrainian patriot who lives in Sevastopol why people in Ukraine are silent when attacks on Jews have become more frequent? When people suffer on a national basis, because it reminds me of 1933 in Germany... She gave me the answer, which I give below, he plunged me into a final depression. Are we really in the 21st century?
"[Forwarded from Inna Inna]
You know, I'm not as eloquent as you, but I'll try to answer this is my opinion. Jews and I do not like because they are not people, they are the main ones who profited from the war, read documentary literature, although the Jews successfully delete everything! And people did nothing for one reason, Ukrainians, they are working people, unlike Russians, and they have no time to drag obscenities through the trenches. Yes, not without freaks in Ukraine, there are also lazy people who went to war for money and an alcoholic, and they went against their mother! But from the Russian side, the same song. So no need to whitewash what is black!!"
I appreciate your perspective, because it's so different from (and much more directly experienced) than my own as someone in the US. If you don't mind, can I make some points and ask some questions from my perspective? I want to try and understand your perspective better:
Thank you if you take the time to answer my questions. Us ordinary people all want the same thing, to feel safe and have shelter and food and water.
Thanks for the questions, I'll be happy to answer them.
1) It is clear that as the main goal, "the fight against Nazism" is not viable. This is secondary, the main goal was the demilitarization of the country and the overthrow of the regime ... More on this in the second question.
When there were elections and Zelensky won, everyone was waiting for changes, including for the reasons you voiced - he is a Jew. But his further actions were even worse than those of the previous president. There is a lot of confusion, because the main sponsor of the Azov battalion was Kolomoisky. Also a Jew from the Dnieper and the head of Zelensky.
It's hard to say what drives them initially, but it still doesn't fit in my head.
2) About Biden .. If there was some kind of dialogue under Trump, then under Biden it ended. Ukraine began to call more aggressively to the West to issue weapons, the alt-right battalions were again armed and sent to the borders of contact. Shelling of Donbass has become more frequent. The last loud statement was when Ukraine asked to be allowed a nuclear arsenal. That's when Putin gave the order and this is the main reason, Ukraine has denied any dialogue for all 8 years, accusing Russia of aggression. Although only 4 people died in Crimea, which was annexed, while for 8 years the Ukrainian operation in the Donbas killed thousands of civilians. Now, during this operation by Russia, it becomes obvious that Ukraine was preparing for a forceful solution to the conflict with Donetsk, and Putin simply got ahead of them, tired of waiting for the West to also take action.
Over the years, there have been a huge number of requests to pay attention to the radicalization of society in Ukraine, and Europe has remained silent.
A year or two ago, the European Commission was concerned and made a request to liquidate right-wing radical groups in the country. To which the Ukrainian politicians simply replied, "We don't have them." And that's it... Is that all??
If the West had demanded observance of democratic norms and called for observance of the Minsk talks, if the West had not sponsored the Ukrainian army, this situation would not have happened at all.
I'm not talking about everyday moments, such as stained-glass windows in the churches of Lvov, which depict Nazi criminals. Or an honorary funeral for veterans of the SS Galicia division. Under total silence.
I see, thank you for the information. To be honest, the more I think about it, it seems to come down to the leaders of our countries making enemies of each other without bothering to ask "why", and it just keeps getting passed down to the next person who takes control. Such a waste of life. Stay safe my friend.