Thanks. That was what I was thinking.
So much of the Western press seems stuck on the idea that recent Russian moves are an indication of Russian frustration with Zelenskiy, who has also been targeting Kremlin allies in Ukraine or the Kremlin is whipping up a frenzy over the Donbas more for domestic reasons. They say the military buildup may be part of an electoral strategy ahead of parliamentary elections in September. Putin’s approval ratings are falling, &his United Russia political party seems destined for setbacks in the polls & Putin is looking to distract Russians from ongoing agitation for the release Navalny.
These things may have some truth to them, but I feel like we have a generation of Western journalists who didn't witness Cold War & haven't studied the history of Great Power politics so they have no frame of reference for what China & Russia are doing or what the USA should do that isn't based in electoral politics.
I'm probably just being old & grumpy but I feel like most in the West have forgotten how maps get redrawn.
In US most of foreign decisions are driven by internal polictics. It is true to some extent in Russia, but country has a long memory WW2 and German invasion still shape theit politicsEvery single family in Russia lost someone in WW2. Often more than 1 person. Every one. Unlike US, there were no surviving brother policies in the Red Army. It was a war of attrition where soldiers paid for inept captains promoted to generals overnight.
. They will not be caught offguard, and they do not care about PC or what other countries think when it comes to protecting themselves.
There is a widely told joke in Russia.
Brezhnev and Reagan agreed on nuclear disarmament. They are signing final docs certifying the destructuon of their arsenals. Suddenly a door bursts open and adjutant runs in. "Dear comrade Brezhnev, leutenant Ivanov failed to destroy 3 nuclear missles!".
Brezhnev says "First of all, it is Colonel Ivanov, and second, good job!"
Kapish?
