Vladimir Putin: Lonely and Desperate Times

From T.S. Khanna, Alamo, CA

God makes His presence felt to those who start considering themselves almighty.

Putin’s “Superpower” status is reduced to powerlessness, loneliness, and desperation by his war on Ukraine.  It seems like a repeat of David v/s Goliath.

With the 1991 dismantling of the USSR, Russian leaders felt insecure losing the surrounding non-Slav countries as a buffer zone.  In fear of Russian leadership, some of those countries joined NATO.  This, in turn, renewed false fear in the Russian leadership regarding their power and stability.

Putin used this fear as a political tool to strengthen the Russian army to recapture the countries lost in 1991.  With his arrogance of superpower belief, Putin invaded Ukraine on February 24,’22, with the confidence to capture it within a week.  After six months of fighting, Russia is losing the war.

Now, Putin in his frustration is trying to legitimize Russian ownership of 15% of eastern Ukrainian territory by a forced referendum in the areas known as Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia.  This is an illegitimate procedure, against international law.

Putin warns of the use of nukes if Ukraine recaptured these areas.  Also, he has announced plans to re-strengthen his defeated army with additional 300,000 reservists to attack Ukraine again.

Putin has a perception lag of reality.  He ignores the large-scale Russian protest during this war and exodus from Russia to escape the call to join the army.  He ignores the fact that new armed forces cannot be trained quickly, and no armed forces can be forced to fight against their will.

In response to Putin’s claim of ownership of foreign territory, the referendum should also be carried out in the states of the Russian Federation to demarcate the political fault lines to transfer the ownership of Russian territory to other “referenda legitimate claimants”.

Putin’s threat of Nukes will wipe out Russia.  He is willing to destroy Russia for his own ego.  President Biden has warned him that there can be no winners in a nuclear war.

Under the circumstances, Ukraine must keep up the momentum of its military operations and recapture all the 20 percent of its territory, as well as Crimea, illegally occupied by Russia.  NATO must give unqualified, unified, and active support to Ukraine.

Russians may elect another leader who may be devoted to their welfare instead of his own ego.

(This submission has not been edited)