Putin allegedly is outraged that President Biden just called him a “war criminal” now that the International Criminal Court is investigating Putin for war crimes. No need to labor over what exactly it could have been that would justify such a terminology. We can all plainly see what is going on.
This entire “special operation” is a war crime, and has been so since 2014. Without provocation, Putin stole parts of Ukraine (Crimea and parts of the Donbas), terrorized and ethnically cleansed the affected populations, and now unleashed a war of aggression, against unprovoked, utilizing a systemic approach to destroy entire cities, turn peaceful citizens into refugees, humanitarian corridors into deathtraps, laying waste to hospitals and schools and theaters and homes.
Even the attacks on military installations in Ukraine are unjustified, because at no point did Ukraine attack Russia. Neither are attacks against incoming weapons and fighters heading for Ukraine justified, because they are coming in only for defensive purposes.
No blame at all lies with Ukraine here. It did not start the war. No blame lies with NATO. NATO is a defensive alliance, it never ever threatened Russia. NATO membership for Ukraine would only have been a threat to Russia should Russia have chosen to attack Ukraine. Bingo.
Russia demands Ukrainian neutrality? Ukraine was neutral! Russia had guaranteed its territorial sovereignty in the Budapest Memorandum. How about we demand that Russia be neutral, that Russia be demilitarized, that Russia be “Denazified.” Sound ridiculous? Apart from the last part right now, certainly. Every country has a right to exist and to defend itself.
Do not blame the victim. Do not blame the defenders of freedom. Blame Putin. Blame his enablers in Russia who still defend the war. The truth is apparent. I grew up on Soviet-style propaganda too, and everyone knew it was fake. Stop the lies, stop lying to yourself. This entire affair is a war crime in itself, and if you don’t see it, you probably don’t want to see it.
Wake up, Russia. You are serving a monster, and as you know from your fairy tales – and your history – this monster is eventually going to come after you as well. Resist now. It is never futile.
Ceterum censeo Ucrainam esse defendam. Слава Україні!
Erratic Attempts 