How do I define morally bankrupt people? People who say the following:
1/n
2/ “Both sides are...” Would you use “both sides” for a robber/rapist/murderer and the victim? There is only one side – this war is 100% russia’s fault. They attacked Ukraine and are killing Ukrainian people.
3/ “Somebody provoked russia.” Morally bankrupt people say that “Ukraine started first”, “8 years of bombing Donbass”, “NATO provoked russia.” These false narratives are detached from reality.
4/ Putin himself in the interview with the propagandist Tucker Carlson pointed out the reason why he attacked Ukraine: because in his imperialistic view Ukraine must belong to russia and Ukrainians as a nation should not exist.
5/ “Negotiate with russia.” This morally bankrupt pacifism is a call for continual genocide. Russia always lies, so you can never trust what they say. Any “peace” with russia will only give them time to rebuild army and prepare to attack Ukraine or some other country in 10 years.
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Why so many Ukrainians speak russian? Let me explain.
But first, let me ask you a question: Why do Irish and Scotts speak English, Catalans and Basques speak Spanish, Bretons speak French, etc. You probably know the answer. You probably know the short answer.
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2/ But let me put a longer one. Ukrainian language was banned by russia 134 times! Here are most notable events:
1720: A decree by Tsar Peter I banned the printing of books in Ukraine.
1753: A decree by Catherine II prohibited teaching in the Ukrainian language.
...
3/ 1768: A decree from the Synod of the russian Orthodox Church called for the confiscation of Ukrainian primers from the population.
1775: Closure of Ukrainian schools after russian troops destroyed the Zaporizhian Sich.
...
My grandfather was right, and I was wrong to doubt him.
Growing up as a child I could never fully understand my grandfather. He told me that russia did a great evil to Ukraine and other nations. But I couldn’t fully accept his message.
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2/ I was studying in the school during the Soviet times. I was taught how the Soviet army liberated Nazi Germany, how russia allowed for the Soviet Union to fall apart peacefully, how Ukraine got its freedom in 1991 without a fight.
3/ My grandfather told me that it was all an illusion. That russians have not changed. That they are guided by the imperialistic mindset and the “great russian culture.” Intuitively, I wanted to trust my grandfather, but I needed evidence.
The brainwashed idiots such as Nigel Farage and Jeffrey Sachs continue to repeat russian propaganda that somehow NATO provoked russia to attack Ukraine.
1/n
2/ First, the stupidity of this argument begins with plain ignorance. NATO never promised russia not to expand.
3/ The only formal agreement signed between NATO countries and the USSR, before its breakup in 1991, was the Treaty of Final Settlement with Respect to Germany, according to which there would be no NATO troops and no nuclear weapons in Eastern Germany.
Today, russian terrorists destroyed my alma mater in my home town of Ivano-Frankivsk. I studied at the Technical University for four years. Many times I had classes in this exact building. Now, russians destroyed it.
1/n
2/ My parents live two miles away. This was not a military target, but a. university. In addition, russians damaged 14 buildings, a school, and a kindergarten. To say that I am angry is to say nothing.
3/ I am angry at myself that I was not able to do more to stop russian terrorism and atrocities. I am angry that the West didn’t close the sky over Ukraine, that we didn’t provide Ukraine with sufficient air defense capabilities.
Wow, what a sobering video of a Ukrainian paramedic responding to an idiotic journalist from Switzerland who asked "Aren’t you tired of war in Ukraine? Because we’re tired here."
With sarcasm, the paramedic points out the sheer hypocrisy of the question.
1/n
2/ "Everything is fine. Totally fine. Except the fact that my phone list numbers look like a necrolog. Because half of the people there are dead. And I am not brave enough to delete their names from my phone and my heart. But except this everything is fine."
3/ "Your gas prices rises. Our gas storages simply blowed up, so we don't need to worry about winter! Because there is no gas!"
Recently I taught a Negotiation course at American University Kyiv. For the final exam, I have asked Ukrainian student to answer the following question about the potential "negotiations" between Ukraine and russia. 1/n
2/ “There have been many talks about potential negotiations between Ukraine and Russia, especially once Ukraine receives significant offensive success. If you were advising the Ukrainian President, what would be your plan for approaching such negotiations with Putin?”
3/ Here are some common themes, so you would understand how typical Ukrainian students think:
- Ukraine should not negotiate with Putin at all, because there is no way to credibly believe in anything he says.