Syrin on 11/7/2024 at 15:06
I didn't think my first post on the forum would be like this, but I've had a lot of thoughts and feelings over the past two years and saw this thread on active. And here I am.
First I apologize, my English is at A level and I don't vouch for the translator app, but I'll try to write this coherently.
I am not a geopolitical expert, lawyer or military. I am just an ordinary citizen of my country who looks at everything that is going on and cannot influence it.
And this. Totally. Shit.
When this started, I thought it would be over in two months. I hoped. There was a dispute over Crimea, Donetsk and Luhansk, but a military operation sounded like savagery. And most importantly, no one could say exactly what it was for. What is the purpose? Official sources and propaganda talked about "Liberation of Ukraine from pro-fascist regime", paranoids talked about strengthening of NATO influence and "Threat of the West", I personally thought about coal deposits.
And then the war dragged on and many people died, military, civilians. Mutual grief, resentment and hatred appeared, Russia and Ukraine had an account with each other.
Quote:
The Russians get upset when anything in Russia is affected. It's really pathetic.
Yes, because people are dying. Civilians. And it's just horrible. And it's happening on both sides, I don't deny it.
And we still don't understand why it's really necessary. Official reasons are never true, but we'll know who shook hands with who and what was agreed upon in 20 years at best.
We're not likely to be able to change that. Russia had elections in March. Putin had over 80% of the vote. Is anyone surprised? I'm not. But did you see the other three candidates? An old man who wants to remake the economy right now to resemble the USSR. Another leader of a party that supports war. A businessman from a party that people didn't know existed until election day. No debates. No long preparation. A lot of people weren't allowed to participate.
Putin is an established leader. I've heard the opinion that no one else could handle the situation. Another president would either solve everything in the worst way for Russia or would be influenced by Putin's entourage anyway. I don't know. Nothing changed in March. I'm still not surprised.
Because despite the war, despite the discontent of other countries, everyday life hasn't changed much. Prices have gone up a little. Visas are difficult. Some websites have been blocked. But globally? People lived and are alive. They are born, get married, bury their loved ones, go to university and work, take their children to the movies and amusement rides. If you turn off the TV and don't flip through news channels, it's as if nothing happens. Life is normal. Good.
And then I get an alert on my phone about a drone or missile attack and I'm like, "Oh yeah. I forgot." I see pictures of the aftermath of bombings, drones downed. My friend gets drafted. ( Luckily not on the front lines) And it's such a dissonance.
And that's one of the reasons why people 35-40+ support Putin so much. It was BAD in Russia in the 90's. VERY BAD. It was a collapse of everything. Inflation, crime, newborn laws and an economy that couldn't cope with it all.
People were surviving, not living. They look back at the 90s and think, "Oh, it's so much better now." And it's true. It's much better now, but..... You know. Ukraine.
People under 30 just don't understand what's going on and what to do about it. They just have to live and wait for it to be over. We don't have anything to put pressure on the authorities. We don't know the real reasons for their actions. We don't know if we need to do it.
It's a circus. When the Prigozhin mutiny happened, I was nervous. My city near the border, he was passing through. An oil depot was burning. And then it was over. Less than 24 hours! The president of Belarus talked to him and he changed his mind, that's what they told us. WTF!?
And then Prigogine died. Or allegedly died.
Then there was a terrorist attack. It's horrible. I have no words, there is video footage of people being shot and it is NOT staged.
The terrorists were caught. Good. Who's to blame? ISIS? Ukraine, as ALL official sources say they were caught on its border ? Our ostensible intelligence services, because it was right before the election? We're not likely to get all the details.
The Duma is discussing idiotic laws, some of the statements are like the ravings of a madman. (One sentence "How to make women give birth" can be published as a collection of anecdotes. ) And some of them look like a war with windmills, even though there is a field burning around you and you should start putting it out. And I'm sure there are many laws that are really important but that we, as citizens, have heard less about.
I love my country. I love its history, its culture, its people. I would like to continue living here. But sometimes I want to drown our government in a vat of shit. More and more lately. And then replace them with someone new. But would that help? I'm afraid not. The same ones will come in. "Honest and kind people don't stay in politics."
After some of the news, I want to go to the remote foothills of the Altai Mountains and start breeding horses there, away from people.
We have a word that fully characterizes the situation - pizdets.
And now I am ready to catch your rotten tomatoes. Welcome.
P.S
(While I was writing, I saw the news that in November there will be talks on cessation of hostilities. I hope so.)
