The Rise of Stalinism Witnessed in the Tragedy of Ukraine...UPDATE AND REVIEW 7/2023

  Ukraine's President Zelensky official photo

                  

Initially published on April 4/2022.

UPDATE: FINLAND HAS JOINED NATO (April 2023). Sweden is in process of joining and Hungary and Turkey are undergoing the ratification process. This is a triumph of the Biden administration.  

Trump's administration was in a conspiracy with Putin to split up NATO. Considering that Trump is not a foreign policy maven and makes incredible gafts about history (Frederick Douglass is still alive and the airports were flying planes as George Washington prosecuted the Revolutionary War...how much less does he know about European history?) he was steered by Putin, most probably in Helinski or he would have made public the two hour transcript of their conversation. The conversation notes are important documents he refuses to release to the public. Those document the State Department should petition for (I know they already have, but it has become a matter of global security).

President Zelensky and his soldiers and the courage of the Ukrainian people stand against Vladimir Putin's protracted war crimes assault. They are pushing his troops back and with the help from the West and NATO, the country is standing in the face of Putin's war crimes, his soldiers lack of supplies and the Wagner Group's divisiveness which is collapsing as I write this. Putin cannot fight against Ukrainians, disaffected Russians, imprisoned protesting Russians, abused soldiers who are not paid enough to be slaughtered and a growing unrest from Russian citizens who have been bludgeoned by Putin's forces at home who haul anyone off to prison if they so much as carry a sign questioning the wisdom of Putin's war crimes in a war that is destroying him, Russia's PR around the world and Russia's future.

Putin, following Trump/Republican's covert encouragement is losing roundly. Trump's ability to destroy himself and everything he touches and supports bodes well for the US and Biden administration. The more QAnon Republicans encourage no support for Ukraine, the more Putin's hopes light up, the more he pushes the war effort, the more mistakes he makes, the more he becomes the anathema of the world, a monster who has been charged with war crimes. Will he be caught? He has increased his security detail and Moscow's security. To what end? The people may be cowed to the point of desperation. No one is speaking truth to power except Navalny and others who have been jailed. But that doesn't mean that Putin can control thoughts and the hearts of those millions who know he is a tyrant, a despot, only out for himself, a thief of Russian resources for himself and the oligarchs left who are forced to bow to him. 

He is like Macbeth who can't hear bad news and when warned by a servant of his doom, had the servant taken out and shot. Thus, those toadies who surround him, only tell him what he wants to hear. He controls their tongues, but not their minds. Such minds are clever and create plots. One of them will succeed. He will either be deposed or killed. A choice may or may not be given to him. With the latest fiasco with the head of the Wagner Group, the fake message written by Putin's sycophants. The head has been silenced from speaking his mind. What comes out over the airwaves and videowaves is not what he truly thinks. It is what Putin wants out there to save face.

Putin has already lost. Not listening to the truth, he has destroyed himself. We are looking at a dead man walking around like a zombie. If he thinks that Trump will save him? Not on the watch of the American people. Now that Finland is a part of NATO and Sweden is next, Putin has accomplished much for the West. Perhaps, he is for the West after all? In any case, Ukraine is joining the EU. It is only a matter of time before Ukraine joins NATO and the despot of Belarus goes the way of mortal flesh. He is not a young man. Zelensky and the Ukrainians are on the side of decency and humanity. Their Christianity is apparent. QAnon Republicans, Trump, Putin's evil is also apparent. 

The faux Christians in this nation if they have any heart toward Christ need to wake up and see why they can't prosper as long as they support the crude, craven likes of MTG, and the other QAnons who support Trump/Putin. God is not mocked.

Since Vladimir Putin began his invasion of Ukraine for no reason except he wanted the rich resources and revenue the Republic produced from wheat and grain to rare minerals for computer chips, to lithium, metals and more, the U.S. has been stymied by Putin's extortion and blackmail. He threatens to use nuclear weapons if anyone interferes with his genocide of Ukrainians, as many as possible, so the country will heel to his atrocities and campaign of terror. As the US did with the Shah of Iran, we offered to get President Zelensky out of Ukraine to safety. Shockingly, Zelensky showed incredible courage that very few in the Western democracies or Putin himself dare to imagine for themselves. He responded with great will and fervor:

President Zelensky on Zoom (courtesy of the site)

"I don't need a ride. I need ammunition."

These words shamed everyone who came under their power. Zelensky, who is now a hero with a price on his head, is one of the foremost leaders of the free world which is being held hostage by Putin's nuclear weapons threat. Ukraine is undaunted and incorrigible against Putin's soldiers and is regaining towns around Kyv while not presently free of the Russian invaders who are there to prevent democracy, free elections, the right to bare arms, free speech, free media and a free press. They are there to oppress Ukrainians to the death. It is, a policy Stalin used when Ukraine made a bid to be a Republic in 1932-33. What did Communist Stalin do? He confiscated all of Ukraine's wheat and foodstuffs and forced Ukrainians to starve closing them off from food supplies. The event is known as Holodomor.

The free world didn't come to Ukrainians aid then. So they starved. They dropped dead where they walked. And Ukrainian friends tell me if babies were born at that time, some Ukrainians were forced into cannibalism to try to stay alive. This is well known in Russian History, a warning to all who would brook Stalin and subsequent leaders. The baby cannibal story was used against Hillary Clinton. This is where it came from-the horrors of Holodomor projected on Hillary so that Putin wouldn't have to deal with "that nasty woman" as president and instead could manipulate his puppet Trump, making the US. and Republican party his satellites as he lured them with treats of money and whatever (stores of vodka?).

Stalin's terrorism at Holodomor in Ukraine killed 7-10 million. Those who died immediately had mercy. Others died of malnutrition slowly and the diseases that come with a weakened immune system. After this starvation genocide, Stalin invited in the Russians to live in the area and clean it up. Willingly they did and stayed. This is why Ukrainians speak Ukrainian and Russian, thanks to Stalin's revenge and prevention of a "free" Ukraine, then. The same type of genocide is happening now, but it is more horrific if that is imaginable. And it is intended to be imaginable to the world which watches.

Putin's desire to be a Stalinistic communistic leader which has been cleverly subverted until 2014, has come into full bloom with the Ukrainian spring. His plan to return Ukraine as one of the Republics of the the former USSR has thus far gone badly. But the West must not continue to be lulled: that 1) he is ill and isolated and on his way out  2)the "conflict" can end through negotiation. The West must understand the communistic Stalinist lurking behind the old image of Putin with his oligarchs and semblance of deal making with the West at World Forums, UN meetings and the Helinski meeting in 2018 a sham of the first order.

 

    former President Trump and Vladimir Putin in 2018 the secret meeting was never translated.

Putin knows war and fighting off "terrorists" consolidates power. He did it before in the 21st century in Chechnya and Syria, the Moscow Theater hostage crisis, the Beslan School Hostage Crisis and his war in Georgia and annexation of the Donbas region and Crimea. He's trying to expan his war to take over all of Ukraine. Though he would be the last to say it's communism (the word and policy has been banned in Russia, dontcha know) but that's what it is.

    Map of the region courtesy of PBS

War crimes have been committed in Bucha a soldier documenting destruction (courtesy of the site)

Under communism, "everyone" shares the little given with the cream rising to the top engineered autocratically by a dictator in one man rule. During Stalin's paranoid time, he eliminated any and all adversaries. He surrounded himself with lackeys, then trusted no one. He murdered upwards of 50 million Russians counting Holodomor and his Gulag. Putin is channeling Stalin in his approach to his inner circle and his ruling Russia alone. Lying about the Russian people's support, Putin propagandizes his popularity creating Nazi justifications for his war with Ukraine. But it is unclear the extent Russians believe him. 

 The beautiful Mariupol at night before Putin ordered it destroyed (courtesy of the site)

Beautiful Mariupol before Putin's war (courtesy of the site)

In the past, he gave his oligarchs the "right" to their power and companies supporting them, but he controlled the wealth. He killed oligarchs who didn't let him control them. Thus, confusion about Putin's economic policies reigned and the West fed at the money he through his oligarchs offered. Belonging to the United Russia Party which really has stood for nothing has probably changed. Putin's plan to continue consolidating power using handpicked lackeys as his Prime Ministers if he has to continues. Having changed the constitution numerous times, he will step down in 2036 at 83-years old. 

Mariupol, a city like Paris by the Southern coast of Ukraine (courtesy of the site)

Gorgeous historic buildings in Mariupol before Putin's destruction (courtesy of the site)

 Because of Putin's war in Ukraine, I don't think he will last. On the global stage, there are only a few countries that support him. For the rest, his war crimes are anathema. His puppets like former President Yanukovych don't work anymore in Ukraine or elsewhere. Activists want free elections. Since the Orange Revolution which empowered the Ukrainian people to their stance today, they will be free of Russian oppression if not tomorrow, the next day or the next.

But the cost of Putin's war is already great though the Ukrainians believe the price of freedom is incalculable. Ukrainians want their own land for themselves, their resources, their treasures. They want Putin and his propagandized, frightened terrorists out of their country. If they are there to rape women in front of their own children? The world condemns Putin and Russia's name is blackened. If soldiers rape pregnant women and burn them alive, it is to effect Stalinistic terror to show how brutal Putin can be. 

Before and after in Mariupol (courtesy of the site)

The West must understand Russia's history with Ukraine, with Holodomor, with placing dangerous power plants in Ukraine, the disposable people, and covering up the Chernobyl disaster killing hundreds. The West must understand Putin is not worthy to be a leader who destroys his own people for the sake of world domination, an ultimate goal. Putin is there to destroy everything in a scorched earth policy, taking down historic buildings, beautiful tourist plazas, companies. In short, Putin is there to annihilate everything in a genocide that says if I don't rule you, I will leave you with nothing to rule for yourselves. I'll wipe out your history, your beauty, your being.

As a monster, Putin has rampaged while the US and allies quail in fear not providing air cover as Zelensky has requested which would stop the destruction of the elderly, women and children. The war crimes uncovered in Bucha, a suburb of Kyiv, execution style murders, rapes, burnings, mass graves Putin will continue in the Donbas, beautiful Odessa, Crimea. We must help Ukrainians stop the slaughter or we are accountable. 

What remains of Mariupol (courtesy of the site)

 Imagine Mariupol as a desolate vast underground concentration camp. Citizens can't leave their basements or they'll be shot or bombed. Underground they die of dehydration, disease, weakened immune systems, without medications for chronic illnesses. They starve to death, just like during Holodomor. If children are with the elderly and mothers in these basements, what horrors are they going through watching each other die: no heat, electricity, mobile, unable to get medicine, food, water?

 

Mariupol before and after (courtesy of the site)

We know this is monstrous brutality. But is it not greater brutality not to give Ukrainians the help they need to stop it? Are we not fighting for our own freedom from being Putin's hostage? Indeed, Ukrainians are doing a better job than the cowardice exhibited by Republicans and Democrats alike.