Thread by @Mylovanov

Stalin expected to crush Finland in 10 days. It took 105 days and 400,000 Soviet casualties. He got 10% of Finnish territory.

Putin invaded Ukraine expecting a quick victory parade. 4 years later, Russia controls just 20% of pre-war Ukrainian territory — WP. 1/

Stalin's USSR had 170 million people vs Finland's 3.5 million. A Soviet general told Stalin it would take 10 days max.

Molotov said Stalin wanted to celebrate his birthday "on the steps of Finland's Parliament in precisely 20 days." 2/

The war ended March 13, 1940 — over three months later with massive Soviet losses the Kremlin concealed.

Stalin had to settle for a fraction of what he wanted. Sound familiar? 3/

Putin's "special military operation" (calling it a war means prison) has now lasted longer than Russia's entire involvement in WWII.

Russia controls just 20% of Ukrainian territory it held four years ago. Putin has "surely defined success down." 4/

Before Stalin attacked Finland, Molotov admitted negotiations were "never anything but a long fuse."

If Finland accepted Soviet demands? "We'll only ask for more until we've taken the whole country." Today's Stalinist in the Kremlin is no different. 5/

Any Ukraine deal without real security guarantees — permanent troop deployments, access to frozen Russian assets, real enforcement — is just "a sizzling fuse."

Putin, like Stalin, won't stop unless forced. 6/

Russia's most stolen book in 2023 was Orwell's "1984." In 2025? The Russian constitution guaranteeing free speech.

Russians "read Orwell for reality, the constitution as a beautiful utopia." History repeating as tragedy and farce. 7X

Source:

washingtonpost.com/opinions/2026/…

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