Thanks so much for this analysis. It sounds much like what I have read and heard from Timothy Snyder. I saw a terrific interview of Prof. Snyder with Mikhail Zygar on Youtube the other day. The title of the interview is: "Russia is a Fascist State". I think you and others would likely appreciate the interview and the analysis Prof Snyde…
Thanks so much for this analysis. It sounds much like what I have read and heard from Timothy Snyder. I saw a terrific interview of Prof. Snyder with Mikhail Zygar on Youtube the other day. The title of the interview is: "Russia is a Fascist State". I think you and others would likely appreciate the interview and the analysis Prof Snyder brings. He too believes Putin is at the end and that Russia is losing this war. A really excellent discussion. Much can happen of course. The murders of Ukrainian POW's and the stating that the Azov regiment (which according to WW2 history of the region did ally with Germany for a time against Stalin) is a "terrorist organization and not due any special treatment" or words essentially to that effect, probably means the killing was deliberate. How strange that no Russians who were supposed to be guarding these prisoners were injured in any way. Murder pure and simple. Plus the International Red Cross and the UN had not been given any access to these soldiers since early June according to reports in The Guardian. Patience and commitment for as long as it takes is what is needed from the world's democracies. Let's hope we will not flag in our resolve.
On the limited topic of the alleged POW barracks strike, I’m convinced that the guards tossed in an incendiary device, locked the doors, and left the POWs to cook. What convinces me is the video the Russians released. Pictures of bunk beds in a neat row, all lined up, and burnt. Windows with black soot streaming only from the top of the window. If a missile struck that place the beds would have been knocked over in a tangled mess, and the blown out windows would show damage or soot around their entire perimeter.
The Russians murdered those POWs. A victorious army doesn’t need to do that. A loosing army can be pissed off enough to do that. It’s all a piece with the castration video.
I pray the West can be resolute enough to not flag and stick it out to victory. We need to contain Russia, and give the PRC reason to reassess its territorial ambitions. If we don’t, we will live in an especially brutal world.
Thanks so much for this analysis. It sounds much like what I have read and heard from Timothy Snyder. I saw a terrific interview of Prof. Snyder with Mikhail Zygar on Youtube the other day. The title of the interview is: "Russia is a Fascist State". I think you and others would likely appreciate the interview and the analysis Prof Snyder brings. He too believes Putin is at the end and that Russia is losing this war. A really excellent discussion. Much can happen of course. The murders of Ukrainian POW's and the stating that the Azov regiment (which according to WW2 history of the region did ally with Germany for a time against Stalin) is a "terrorist organization and not due any special treatment" or words essentially to that effect, probably means the killing was deliberate. How strange that no Russians who were supposed to be guarding these prisoners were injured in any way. Murder pure and simple. Plus the International Red Cross and the UN had not been given any access to these soldiers since early June according to reports in The Guardian. Patience and commitment for as long as it takes is what is needed from the world's democracies. Let's hope we will not flag in our resolve.
Yes, Prof Snyder makes a lot of sense and likely his thinking influenced mine, since I agreed.
On the limited topic of the alleged POW barracks strike, I’m convinced that the guards tossed in an incendiary device, locked the doors, and left the POWs to cook. What convinces me is the video the Russians released. Pictures of bunk beds in a neat row, all lined up, and burnt. Windows with black soot streaming only from the top of the window. If a missile struck that place the beds would have been knocked over in a tangled mess, and the blown out windows would show damage or soot around their entire perimeter.
The Russians murdered those POWs. A victorious army doesn’t need to do that. A loosing army can be pissed off enough to do that. It’s all a piece with the castration video.
I pray the West can be resolute enough to not flag and stick it out to victory. We need to contain Russia, and give the PRC reason to reassess its territorial ambitions. If we don’t, we will live in an especially brutal world.
Thank you, Linda, for mentioning interview of Snyder with Zygar. I will look for it.