1/🧵My earlier thread tweet on Russian violence and atrocity in UKR generated some interest, so am following up.

https://twitter.com/MilHist_Lee/status/1510853947338199045?s=20&t=wmvZPb0KyzdJePf72mU_zQ

That thread focused on structural and cultural issues (logistics failure; Russian govt structure, etc.). 2/ It only hinted at issues of violence/atrocity as policy. Let’s unpack further, in part because of too-free use of words like genocide.

I have spent a career as a historian studying violence and atrocity in wartime. Those are not the same thing, although both are nearly inevitable. But many armies have found ways to diminish and restrict the latter. There's little evidence that the Russians are trying. What's worse is that the Russian state has set all the preconditions to unleash atrocity, both as official policy and as unofficial consequence: 1. A long campaign of delegitimizing Ukraine--including among Russian population from which conscripts drawn.

John Bolton speaking at Duke tonight. Should I live tweet? Protestors outside and some clearly getting ready inside. As is usually the case, they have a legitimate beef, but are operating in extreme mode.