Thread by @fascinatorfun

Why Vladimir Putin has already lost this war

“Ukraine is a nation with more than a thousand years of history, and Kyiv was already a major metropolis when Moscow was not even a village. “

Putin knows full well Ukraine is real and independent of Russia theguardian.com/commentisfree/…

He said as much in 2002

“Ukraine is an independent, sovereign nation state and it will choose its own path to peace and security.”

Yet now he chooses to lie to try and justify his war crimes

“Putin’s dream of rebuilding the Russian empire has always rested on the lie that Ukraine isn’t a real nation, that Ukrainians aren’t a real people, and that the inhabitants of Kyiv, Kharkiv and Lviv yearn for Moscow’s rule. That’s a complete lie”

And he miscalculated.

But now read this @Tom_deWaal thread that underlines, chillingly, the extent of the miscalculation and efforts at a “rationale”.

Published on the Russian News Agency site RIA Novosty on Sat morning as if Russia had already “achieved” a “victory”.

Not the war crime that it is

https://twitter.com/tom_dewaal/status/1498310065773809665

It described it as “civil war in which brothers still shoot at each other even though they were divided only by their membership of the Russian and the Ukrainian armies. But there will now no longer be a Ukraine which is anti-Russia.”

The only mention of Ukrainians as people

Oops. I broke the 🧵

But do read this embedded one not just for the over confident story of victory but for a full display of its fakery ethno-nationalistic bollox.

https://twitter.com/fascinatorfun/status/1498358323640516627

It described it as “civil war in which brothers still shoot at each other even though they were divided only by their membership of the Russian and the Ukrainian armies. But there will now no longer be a Ukraine which is anti-Russia.”

The only mention of Ukrainians as people

“The main issue was “the complex of a divided nation and a complex of national humiliation, when the Russian House began to lose part of its foundation (the Kievan one) and then was forced to reconcile itself to the existence of two states of not one but two peoples.”

“The answer? Kill Ukraine's sovereignty.“Now this problem no longer exists: Ukraine has returned to Russia. This doesn’t mean that its statehood will be liquidated but it will be re-structured, re-established and returned to its natural condition as part of the Russian world”

Living proof that Putin’s calculation was that the Russian invasion would result in such a wipe out that it would be over by 8am last Saturday.

Well Selensky and the fiercely independent Ukrainian armed forces and people put paid to that plan.

The arrogance! The hubris!

This new Russia “In which borders & in what form.. (through the CSTO & the Eurasian Union or as part of the Union State between Russia & Belorussia)?—questions like this will be decided when we have placed a firm full stop to the history of a Ukraine as an anti-Russian entity.”

Then it moves to the miscalculation of “the West”

“Europe in particular, lacked the strength to keep Ukraine within its sphere of influence, let alone to take Ukraine for itself”

Why would Europe wish “to take Ukraine for itself”?

It is an independent country.

https://twitter.com/tom_dewaal/status/1498310078788775937

The EU project is built on respect for individual nation sovereignty and cooperation through democratic consent and the rule of law.

Not “taking” by force.

Then there’s this peach.

“Putin, we are told, had to act now or to lose Ukraine forever.
“We can say without a drop of exaggeration, that Putin took upon himself a historic responsibility, by deciding not to leave the resolution of the Ukrainian question to future generations.”

Something tells me that neither the current generations nor subsequent ones will be grateful for Putin’s inheritance he is leaving behind.

That of a nation committing war crimes.

And willing to kill citizens, even children, to that end.

#CowardsInTheKremlin

Returning to the excellent article by @harari_yuval

“The stories of Ukrainian bravery give resolve not only to the Ukrainians, but to the whole world. They give courage to the governments of European nations, to the US administration, & even to the oppressed citizens of Russia

“If Ukrainians dare to stop a tank with their bare hands, the German government can dare to supply them with some anti-tank missiles, the US government can dare to cut Russia off Swift, and Russian citizens can dare to demonstrate their opposition to this senseless war.”

“We can all be inspired to dare to do something, whether it is make a donation, welcome refugees, or help with the struggle online. The war in Ukraine will shape the future of the entire world. If tyranny and aggression are allowed to win, we will all suffer the consequences.”

“There is no point to remain just observers. It’s time to stand up and be counted.”

Millions of small positive acts combined can counteract wickedness and drip feed much needed goodness and light into the world.

People are already doing it. Driving hundreds of miles to pick up refugees.

Making collections of necessary goods and driving across countries to deliver them.

Offering refugees homes.

Making donations. Links ⬇️

Light a candle in the darkness

ukrainianinstitute.org.uk/russias-war-ag…