1/ The ways Ukrainians and Russians define the words "victory," "crime," and "hospital" explain the VAST difference between the two nations—
—and it shows that Ukraine and Russia are polar extremes of how to live on this planet.
Thread 🧵⤵️
2/ WORD ONE—VICTORY.
In Russian, victory is "pobeda," literally meaning "after the misery."
In Ukrainian, victory is "peremoha" = "over or beyond limits/ability."
Spot the difference?
3/ Think about that.
Russians toast to the time after suffering: Just put up with the Putin and hope it ends.
Ukrainians toast to ACHIEVING the impossible: Stop the bad guys & win.
Ukrainians dream of something better, whatever the odds.
It's coded in the language ⤵️
4/ WORD TWO—CRIME.
Russian: "prestuplyeniye" = "stepping over the line"
Crime means disobeying the lines drawn by the State.
Ukrainian: "zlochyn" = "evil doing"
Crime means violating morality. Ukrainians will easily ignore the State, but they obey God and nature. ⤵️
5/ So when Russian soldiers level cities, they sleep fine—they followed orders and for them that's all that matters.
Ukrainians don't care what the State ordains. If it's wrong, they'll resist the government and do the right thing.
📸 Kyiv St Sophia—older than Moscow⤵️
6/ WORD THREE—HOSPITAL.
Russian: "bolnitsa" = "place of pain"
Ukrainian: "likarnya" = "place of healing"
No wonder Russia targets hospitals. No wonder Ukraine rebuilds them.
A culture of screaming devils versus a culture of free people. ⤵️
7/ Italian filmmaker Federico Fellini said: "A different language is a different vision of life." 👓
Language shapes thought. Thought shapes action. Action shapes language. 🔄
Russia's words trap them in misery. Ukraine's language spurs them to transcend. ⤵️
8/ What other words show the vast difference between Ukraine and Russia?
I'm JP Lindsley, the only American reporting from Ukraine live every day of Russia's full-scale invasion.
Follow for daily insights and stories—and as always share your criticism and questions below! 🧵
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