diff --git a/UKRAINE.md b/UKRAINE.md index d86d3e1..41ddd29 100644 --- a/UKRAINE.md +++ b/UKRAINE.md @@ -4,74 +4,74 @@ ### Written March 4, 2022. -It is with a very heavy heart that I write this. I am normally opposed to the use of open source -projects to communicate political positions or advocate for things outside the immediate relevancy -to that project. +It is with a very heavy heart that I write this. I am normally opposed to the use of open source projects to communicate +political positions or advocate for things outside the immediate relevancy to that project. -However, the events occurring in Ukraine, and specifically the unprecedented invasion of Ukraine by -Russian forces operating under orders from Russian President Vladimir Putin compel me to speak out. +However, the events occurring in Ukraine, and specifically the unprecedented invasion of Ukraine by Russian forces +operating under orders from Russian President Vladimir Putin compel me to speak out. + +Those who know me, know that I have family, friends, and colleagues in Russia, and Ukraine both. My closest friends have +historically been Russian friends my wife's hometown of Chelyabinsk. I myself have in the past frequently traveled to +Russia, and indeed operated a software development firm with offices in St. Petersburg. -Those who know me, know that I have family, friends, and colleagues in Russia, and Ukraine both. My closest friends -have historically been Russian friends my wife's hometown of Chelyabinsk. I myself have in the past -frequently traveled to Russia, and indeed operated a software development firm with offices in St. Petersburg. I had a special kinship with Russia and its people. -I say "had", because I fear that the actions of Putin, and the massive disinformation campaign that his regime -has waged inside Russia, mean that it's likely that I won't see those friends again. At present, I'm not sure -my wife will see her own mother again. We no longer feel it's safe for either of us to return Russia given -actions taken by the regime to crack down on those who express disagreement. +I say "had", because I fear that the actions of Putin, and the massive disinformation campaign that his regime has waged +inside Russia, mean that it's likely that I won't see those friends again. At present, I'm not sure my wife will see her +own mother again. We no longer feel it's safe for either of us to return Russia given actions taken by the regime to +crack down on those who express disagreement. -Russian citizens are being led to believe it is acting purely defensively, and that only legitimate military -targets are being targeted, and that all the information we have received in the West are fakes. +Russian citizens are being led to believe it is acting purely defensively, and that only legitimate military targets are +being targeted, and that all the information we have received in the West are fakes. I am confident that nothing could be further from the truth. -This has caused many in Russia, including people whom I respect and believe to be smarter than this, to -stand by Putin, and endorse his actions. The claim is that the entirety of NATO is operating at the behest -of the USA, and that the entirety of Europe was poised to attack Russia. While this is clearly absurd to those -of us with any understanding of western politics, Russian citizens are being fed this lie, and believing it. - -If you're reading this from inside Russia -- YOU are the person that I hope this message reaches. Your -government is LYING to you. Of course, all governments lie all the time. But consider this. Almost the -entire world has condemned the invasion of Ukraine as criminal, and has applied sanctions. Even countries -which have poor relations with the US sanctioning Russia, as well as nations which historically have remained -neutral. (Famously neutral -- even during World War II, Switzerland has acted to apply sanctions in -concert with the rest of the world.) - -Ask yourself, why does Putin fear a free press so much, if what he says is true? Why the crack-downs on -children expressing only a desire for peace with Ukraine? Why would the entire world unified against him, -if Putin was in the right? Why would the only countries that stood with Russia against -the UN resolution to condemn these acts as crimes be Belarus, North Korea, and Syria? Even countries normally -allied to Russia could not bring themselves to do more than abstain from the vote to condemn it. - -To be clear, I do not claim that the actions taken by the West or by the Ukrainian government were completely -blameless. On the contrary, I understand that Western media is biased, and the truth is rarely exactly -as reported. I believe that there is a kernel of truth in the claims of fascists and ultra-nationalist -militias operating in Ukraine and specifically Donbas. However, I am also equally certain that Putin's -response is out of proportion, and that concerns about such militias are principally just a pretext to justify -an invasion. - -Europe is at war, unlike we've seen in my lifetime. The world is more divided, and closer to nuclear holocaust -than it has been since the Cold War. And that is 100% the fault of Putin. - -While Putin remains in power, there cannot really be any way for Russian international relations to return -to normal. Putin has set your country on a path to return to the Cold War, likely because he fancies himself -to be a new Stalin. However, unlike the Soviet Union, the Russian economy does not have the wherewithal to -stand on its own, and the invasion of Ukraine has fully ensured that Russia will not find any friends anywhere -else in Europe, and probably few places in Asia. - -The *only* paths forward for Russia are either a Russia without Putin (and those who would support his agenda), -or a complete breakdown of Russian prosperity, likely followed by the increasing international conflict that will -be the natural escalation from a country that is isolated and impoverished. Those of us observing from the West are -gravely concerned, because we cannot see any end to this madness that does not result in nuclear conflict, -unless from within. - -In the meantime, the worst prices will be paid for by innocents in Ukraine, and by young Russian mean -forced to carry out the orders of Putin's corrupt regime. - -And *that* is why I write this -- to appeal to those within Russia to open your eyes, and think with -your minds. It is right and proper to be proud of your country and its rich heritage. But it is also -right and proper to look for ways to save it from the ruinous path that its current leadership has set it upon, -and to recognize when that leadership is no longer acting in interest of the country or its people. - - - Garrett D'Amore, March 4, 2022 \ No newline at end of file +This has caused many in Russia, including people whom I respect and believe to be smarter than this, to stand by Putin, +and endorse his actions. The claim is that the entirety of NATO is operating at the behest of the USA, and that the +entirety of Europe was poised to attack Russia. While this is clearly absurd to those of us with any understanding of +western politics, Russian citizens are being fed this lie, and believing it. + +If you're reading this from inside Russia -- YOU are the person that I hope this message reaches. Your government is +LYING to you. Of course, all governments lie all the time. But consider this. Almost the entire world has condemned the +invasion of Ukraine as criminal, and has applied sanctions. Even countries which have poor relations with the US +sanctioning Russia, as well as nations which historically have remained neutral. (Famously neutral -- even during World +War II -- Switzerland has acted to apply sanctions in concert with the rest of the world.) + +Ask yourself, why does Putin fear a free press so much, if what he says is true? Why the crack-downs on children +expressing only a desire for peace with Ukraine? Why would the entire world be unified against him, if Putin was in the +right? Why would the only countries that stood with Russia against the UN resolution to condemn these acts as crimes be +Belarus, North Korea, Eritrea and Syria? Even countries normally allied to Russia could not bring themselves to do more +than abstain from the vote to condemn it. + +To be clear, I do not claim that the actions taken by the West or by the Ukrainian government were completely blameless. +On the contrary, I understand that Western media is biased, and the truth is rarely exactly as reported. I believe that +there is a kernel of truth in the claims of fascists and ultra-nationalist militias operating in Ukraine and +specifically Donbas. However, I am also equally certain that Putin's response is out of proportion, and that concerns +about such militias are principally just a pretext to justify an invasion. + +Europe is at war, unlike we've seen in my lifetime. The world is more divided, and closer to nuclear holocaust than it +has been since the Cold War. And that is 100% the fault of Putin. + +While Putin remains in power, there cannot really be any way for Russian international relations to return to normal. +Putin has set your country on a path to return to the Cold War, likely because he fancies himself to be a new Stalin. +However, unlike the Soviet Union, the Russian economy does not have the wherewithal to stand on its own, and the +invasion of Ukraine has fully ensured that Russia will not find any friends anywhere else in Europe, and probably few +places in Asia. + +The *only* paths forward for Russia are either a Russia without Putin (and those who would support his agenda), or a +complete breakdown of Russian prosperity, likely followed by the increasing international conflict that will be the +natural escalation from a country that is isolated and impoverished. Those of us observing from the West are gravely +concerned, because we cannot see any end to this madness that does not result in nuclear conflict, unless from within. + +In the meantime, the worst prices will be paid for by innocents in Ukraine, and by young Russian men forced to carry out +the orders of Putin's corrupt regime. + +And *that* is why I write this -- to appeal to those within Russia to open your eyes, and think with your minds. It is +right and proper to be proud of your country and its rich heritage. But it is also right and proper to look for ways to +save it from the ruinous path that its current leadership has set it upon, and to recognize when that leadership is no +longer acting in interest of the country or its people. + +- Garrett D'Amore, March 4, 2022 + +__Updated March 28, 2022 with minor grammar and spelling corrections. Added Eritrea which was accidentally omitted from +the UN vote results.__ \ No newline at end of file