Thread by @mhmck

I live in downtown Ottawa. I experience and understand that what's going on here is a titushki rent-a-mob attack.

I know about the 2014 "Russian tourist" attack on Luhansk in detail. I was communicating with a Luhansk resident daily from the moment the SBU building was occupied.

In Luhansk, Russia-backed active measures – an invasion by outsiders – started with an attack on a peaceful pro-Ukraine rally. Then the SBU building was occupied – organized and led by agents provocateurs. Then the border station was attacked. Then Luhansk airport was destroyed.

It doesn't matter what the members of the titushki rent-a-mob say they want. All that matters is what they do, which is a manifestation of what the organizers and funders really want.

The purpose of these attacks is the overthrow of the government by non-democratic means.

Titushki rent-a-mob attacks are a weak form of hybrid warfare. They can easily be defeated by directly confronting them.

Seize their base of operations. Cut off their supply. Close lines of communication. Arrest the leaders. Seize the money. Shut down disinformation channels.

Where public officials are weak and stupid – as in Ottawa, Donetsk and Luhansk – titushki rent-a-mobs succeed with their attacks.

Where free citizens rally for self-defence and public officials are strong – as in Odesa, Dnipro, Zaporizhia and Kharkiv – titushki rent-a-mobs fail.

The consequences of doing nothing and "waiting out" titushki rent-a-mobs are dire. Where the state fails to maintain a monopoly on organized violence, evil takes over.

Crimea and part of Donbas were invaded and occupied by Russia. 1 1/2 million people were internally displaced.

Traitors in power and Useful Idiots, paid and unpaid, are critical to the success of hybrid warfare against democracy. This insidiousness is prevalent in Ottawa, Donetsk and Luhansk. Being hit from all sides stuns ordinary people, who can't comprehend what's happening to them.

Since #RussiaInvadedUkraine 8 years ago it has increased its support of prejudicial and conspiratorial groups. Useful Idiots like anti-vax, MAGA, Brexiteers, Yellow Vests and vatniks have no direct connection to Russia. Russia backs them with money and propaganda to cause chaos.

“Useful Idiot” is a term of art for Chekist active measures – what we call hybrid warfare now.

Useful Idiots are not Russian agents. Russian imperialists support them indirectly because the chaos they cause increases disunity and weakness in democracies.

#RussiaInvadedUkraine