The Mask Is Off

 

By now any residual support for Putin’s Russia in its invasion of Ukraine should be gone. 

Most conflicts are between good and evil. In most conflicts, there is a right and wrong. When we refuse to take sides, it is generally immoral. It is always easier and safer not to take a side. It’s not use being invaded, is it? 

None so guilty as the innocent bystander.

One argument made early on was that Russia was showing admirable restraint. They had not sent in their best troops. They had not taken out infrastructure. They were only applying measured pressure to get the Ukrainians to the negotiating table.

They are now bombing and shelling civilian targets. This seems to prove that, instead, they were simply overconfident and weak. Unable to achieve their objectives militarily, they are shifting to terror tactics, like Germany’s Luftwaffe in the Battle of Britain. 

Another argument was that Ukraine was oppressing its Russian-speaking citizens. Putin even used the term “genocide.” The Russians were coming in to protect the weak.

There is now an obvious problem with this claim. The Russians have faced hard fighting, and have been unable to advance, in those areas of Eastern Ukraine that are Russian-speaking. It seems that the local populations are attached to Ukraine. Kharkiv, predominantly Russian-speaking, has been holding out. Mariaupol, which I believe is also predominantly Russian-speaking, has been holding out against a historic siege. As of the 12th, the Russians were not even able to take all of the two supposed breakaway regions, Doenetsk and Luhansk.

And they have been indiscriminately shelling both Kharkiv and Mariupol.

Another argument was that NATO was trying to “encircle” Russia, by considering Ukrainian membership. This was in violation of promises made in 1991; the Russians had a right to fear for their national security.

Apparently there was no promise by NATO not to advance further eastward. NATO did not view itself, and was not viewed in 1991, as an anti-Russian alliance. With the dissolution of the Warsaw Pact, it was there as a way to ensure peace in Europe, similarly to the EU. Russia itself is officially a “Partner for Peace.” If Russia is now hostile to NATO, this is apparently Russia’s choice. It is no threat to Russia unless Russia wants to invade.

Another argument was that the Ukrainian government was controlled by Nazi or neo-Nazi elements.

Putin’s government is itself close to the Fascist model, of tight government control with collusion between government and corporations. It is the typical game of Fascists calling themselves Antifascists, and calling the non-fascists Fascists. It was first played by Hitler himself, in claiming to be defending Germany from Bolshevism.

The Kremlin apologists point to the Azov Battalion of the Ukrainian forces. The Azov Battalion is tiny, 900 to 2,000 members. It denies being neo-Nazi. It includes Jews among its members; and the president of Ukraine is a Jew. The actual Nazis considered Slavs, including Ukrainians, an inferior race, fit only for servitude.

So, okay, at least the Azov Battalion is “ultra-nationalist,” right? 

But it also includes fifty Russian members, and its language of command is Russian, not Ukrainian. So if this is nationalism, it is apparently not a nationalism based on either race or ethnicity. It seems to be based solely on Ukrainian national unity and independence. Is this such a toxic concept? 

Symbols that reminiscent of Nazism may be for shock value, to look tough and scary to opponents. Rather like the Gadsden flag, doing a hakka dance, or painting shark jaws on your airplane’s fuselage. Nazi symbols would be particularly frightening in Russia-Ukraine. But it seems juvenile to get upset over this or that symbol.

At the same time, there seems to be an equal and opposite immorality emerging too: scapegoating Russia and Russians. Ordinary Russians have little say over their government. Ordinary Russians were not consulted, and are not responsible for what is happening in the Ukraine. It is cowardly and evil to attack or harm innocent Russians. Which is apparently happening in Western countries.