Morning Politocadoes,
What we have been expecting seems to have come to fruition. Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a special military operation within Ukraine. Ukraine has since cut off all diplomatic ties with Russia and declared martial law; requesting citizens to stay in their homes. There are reports of Ukraine’s border guards being under attack by joint Russian and Belarusian forces on northern border. Russia has maintained that it will attack only Ukranian air bases and other military assets. They have given us no reason to believe that this is or will be the case in the future.
This all comes following impassioned pleas from Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelensky in a state address for Putin to end this, a request for one final call between the leaders left unanswered. There were other voices of disapproval. NATO secretary Jens Stoltenberg condemned Russia’s actions as a “violation of international law and a threat to the security of Europe”. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres voiced similar displeasure at an emergency UN meeting on Russia’s actions saying “In the name of humanity, bring your troops back to Russia.”
Other potentially interesting events happening at the UN: Ukraine is now preparing to make the case that the Russian Federation is not the legitimate successor to the USSR so therefore not entitled that former state’s permanent seat on the Security Council and its veto power. Apparently, it was a matter of UN Legal’s decision-making and not officially processed.
All pleas seem to have fallen on deaf ears. Russia’s Channel One’s correspondents in Donetsk “say it is the best news over the past years of war.” Russian state media outlets has also been similarly jubilant with anchor Olga Skabeyeva saying “You paid with your blood for these eight years of torment and anticipation,” “Russia will now be defending Donbast.
Meanwhile, the US’ Russian State Media outlets have been working overtime defending Russia. With Tucker Carlson playing the “I have no reason to hate the guy” card with Putin, or other noted fascist propagandist Laura Ingraham speaking on Zelensky’s plea for peace
“We had kind of a really pathetic display from the Ukrainian President Zelenskyy, earlier today … where he in Russian ― he didn’t like to speak Russian ― but in Russian, he was essentially imploring Vladimir Putin not to invade his country,”
She was, of course, speaking with her guest Ex-President Trump who had his own take on the situation which was “that this all happened because of a rigged election”. Two big lies there, one: the rigged election and two: that somehow this wouldn’t have happened if he won. Which, I suppose may have the ring of truth, but only in the very limited sense that he would have done jack shit to stop the invasion or punish Russia in any way.
Zelensky said in his speech that “…. if we come under attack, if we face an attempt to take away our country, our freedom, our lives and lives of our children, we will defend ourselves. When you attack us, you will see our faces, not our backs.” I have no doubt that Ukraine will stand fast against this attack on their sovereignty. It’s been a long time coming and the past decade must be wearying for many of them, but I believe they will fight to the last. Hopefully, Putin can be driven back by their force and the harsh sanctions imposed by the rest of the world. We shall see.
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