March 9th, 2022
My Dear Friends in Russia
I don't know if it is possible that this Blog Post on "Letters To A Lost Nation" and Podcast Episode on "Podcast For A Lost Nation" will be read or listened to by anyone in Russia but I am going to proceed with the hope that it might be available to some Russian Citizens.
First of all I want to tell all of you that the leader of your country, Vladimir Putin, is a Liar and a Dangerous Killer, as well as being a total embarrassment to your Great Country. Those of us living in the world outside of Russia have known this Sad Truth for many years. We feel that the time is right for all of you living in Russia to know the Sad Truth, as well.
Putin has been successful in your country at times by masquerading as a Human Being but the Sad Truth once again is that he is a Heartless Monster and seems to be more than willing to prove that fact again and again. He has proved it in Russia, Chechnya and in Syria and he has chosen to show his heartless disregard for real human beings once again in your neighboring country of Ukraine.
Several years ago the Citizens of Ukraine fought back against a Putin controlled government in Ukraine and kicked out Putin's Puppet and replaced him by electing a mild mannered Ukrainian Comedian and actor named Zelensky. Certainly Putin recognized that in kicking out Putin's Puppet that the Ukrainians were in essence telling Putin something he didn't want to hear. Namely, that the Ukrainian people wanted nothing to do with Vladimir Putin and no longer wanted to be controlled by Russian Dictators.
Certainly those of us outside of Russia recognize that Russia and the Soviet Union before it, has, since World War II, been a tightly controlled Dictatorship in which Vladimir Putin has been in charge of for decades.
I know that most of you who live under the control of the Putin Regime don't have a lot of power over your own lives, let alone the lives of Ukrainians, but I think that you all deserve to know what is happening in Ukraine and how it is affecting your lives and your country at the present time.
You may have noticed that thousands of your fellow citizens have been arrested for demonstrating against what Putin has only admitted is a "Special Military Operation" in Ukraine. Certainly no one in your country is allowed to call what is going on in Ukraine "War." It is not allowed by Putin's government to call it war. The Putin regime has warned that any news organization or person calling what is going on in Ukraine "War" is subject to prosecution and lengthy imprisonment.
Well, to tell the truth what is going on in Ukraine was not really a war, at first, although certainly many Ukrainians have died and are continuing to die in their country.
What has happened in Ukraine is that after months of Putin lying and claiming that Russian Troops were only gathered on the border of Ukraine for "Military Exercises" the Russian Military two weeks ago Invaded the Independent Country of Ukraine with the express purpose of quickly seizing the country, eliminating Zelensky and establishing another Putin controlled puppet government.
But something weird happened in Ukraine after your Russian troops invaded.
The Ukrainian Government did not immediately Collapse. Instead Ukrainian President Zelensky remained in the Ukrainian Capitol of Kyiv and began communicating by Social Media not only with his Country Men and Women but also with the powers that be all over the world, especially with President Joe Biden.
Zelensky's extreme bravery and that of nearly all Ukrainian men ages 18 to 60 who have taken up arms to defend their country from Russian troops have all been inspirational to the world and although Putin's point of this Russian takeover of Ukraine was to weaken NATO (The North Atlantic Treaty Organization) it has had the opposite effect. It has strengthened NATO and has put Russia on Notice that the Ukrainian Invasion is opposed by nearly every country in the world.
Clearly Vladimir Putin never expected that Russian troops would be met with the Tremendous Resistance that the Ukrainian National Defenders have provided.
Even now, two weeks after the Invasion Russian Troops are failing to take over Kyiv and other major Cities in Ukraine. The feeling of Brotherly Love that Russians and Ukrainians have felt for each other throughout their history is gone along with any positive feelings for Vladimir Putin by any NATO countries.
In desperation, Russian troops have devolved into reckless firefights and damage around Nuclear facilities and indiscriminate bombing and killing of innocent civilians including women and children.
At the same time that this reckless and wanton destruction has been going on in Ukraine, Russia is beginning to feel the pinch of Sanctions on Putin and the Russian people, as well.
The Russian Monetary System is on the verge of collapse and the Ruble is valued at less than an American penny. Banks and Russia's stock exchange are closed in fear of what might happen if they open again.
What is certainly clear to anyone who is not Vladimir Putin is that his attack on Ukraine was a stupid move that has only put his country in more isolation than they were already in. Clearly, his attempt to takeover Ukraine was ill fated and what Ukrainian Freedom Fighters have shown is that they will never willingly surrender their country to the Russians or to anyone else ever again.
Something that has been shown by the many countries surrounding Ukraine is a tremendous respect for Ukraine and a willingness to accept and help over two million Ukrainian Refugees. The kindness shown by these countries stands in contrast to the savagery shown by Vladimir Putin and his Russian soldiers.
As Vladimir Putin pushes on in desperation with his Ukrainian Bloodbath it is difficult to see how this terrible situation ends without a bloody end to the Putin Regime. Perhaps someone in Putin's orbit can get him to see the fact that he is only digging himself in deeper with every day that he continues to try to force Ukraine to rejoin what Putin obviously hopes will be a newly reconstituted Soviet Union.
What is clear to nearly everyone in the world except Vladimir Putin is:
How are You Gonna Keep Them Down on the Dictatorship after they've tasted Freedom and Democracy.
As McDonalds, Starbucks, Amazon, Facebook and so many other Western Companies close the door on Russia it is time for Sanity and Humanity to prevail in Russia and in Ukraine.
Sincerely Yours
Jerry Gallagher
No comments:
Post a Comment