SAVING UKRAINE, the Effective Way

Ukraine recently pulled off a spectacular simultaneous drones attack on Russia. They destroyed millions of dollars of dangerous war materiel and planes. Thusly, we witness one the two main approaches that Ukraine and its Western allies must take to stop Putin’s aggression. The other is otherwise bringing the war to the Russian people via every communications method we can bring to bear on Russian eyes and ears.

The West, including our own U.S. government, has failed Ukraine in many ways. The first was providing the needed munitions too late to be as operationally effective as possible. The second was refusing to allow the Ukrainians to take the war to the Russian people.

Officials such as President Biden claimed this to be wary of starting a nuclear exchange. It ought to be clear by now to all concerned that Putin, despite saber rattling especially from the ravings of Dmitri Medvedev, who has fallen from the top of the government to a deputy in a minor bureaucratic organization, has no intention of risking oligarch lives and lifestyles.

Russia is not protected by a Golden Dome. Any nuclear war will destroy it, and Putin’s wealth, in minutes. Will Putin really risk that?

The Russian army in Ukraine is largely made up of volunteers being paid huge bonuses, and other payments including those to the families of dead soldiers. A survey has found fewer than half of Russians claim to be paying any attention to the war. Anyone against the war is either in jail, has emigrated, or remaining in terrified silence.

The Trump government has made the awful mistake of cutting away our propaganda organs such as the Voice of America. Rather they should be growing our means of reaching the Russian people with the truth, even if they don’t want to hear it. We should be flooding the airways and the Internet with clear, language appropriate, informational segments.

Importantly, the West, lead by fearful U.S. officials, has refused to provide weapons to Ukraine that reach far into Russia. (This is why they have turned to long-range drones.) The Russians are violating every international rule of engagement, targeting churches and kindergartens, shopping malls and hospitals. Ukraine should continue to avoid such targets.

But, the war must be brought to the Russians in the cities, especially the key cities of Moscow and St. Petersburg. This can be done by targeting government buildings and munitions factories. A big bomb dropped into empty Red Square in the small hours of the night would get attention very fast. Even destroying foodstuff associated land, transport and storage would greatly affect the population at the grocery stores.

The West must disturb the stability that Putin has so diligently cultivated. We must turn the Russian people against the war. If they refuse to enlist, or even publicly start questioning the seemingly endless war, Putin would have to pay attention. Piled on top of increases in already ongoing efforts, he might even decide he cannot win. The war ends when he understands this.