- Putin has succeeded in putting on display for all the world the incompetence as well as the brutality of Russia's military.
- In focussing his military might on Ukraine, he has successfully made his vast country vulnerable on other fronts, especially in the far east along the border with China, at the moment an ally of convenience.
- Putin has brought unity to the Ukrainian people across the historic linguistic and religious divisions that once separated them.
- Putin has succeeded in ensuring the enmity of virtually all Ukrainians, including native Russian speakers, for decades to come.
- Putin has succeeded in convincing Russia's neighbours that they cannot trust him and are in need of protection from his aggressive policies.
- Putin has successfully strengthened the unity and resolve of NATO members and has made membership more attractive even to long-time neutral states.
- Putin has succeeded in reorienting NATO from a broad-based collective security zone to an alliance against his aggressive policies.
- Putin has succeeded in sinking the Russian economy in his efforts to restore his country's great power status.
- Putin has successfully earned the epithet of war criminal and has made his country a pariah state throughout much of the world.
- With the aid of Patriarch Kirill of Moscow, Putin has successfully demonstrated the negative consequences of following a nationalist faith.
Few rulers have achieved such notable successes in so short a time. They have certainly secured his reputation and legacy in the history books, where he will take his place in the company of a small collection of similarly notorious rulers.
7 comments:
Impressive success summary.
David:
I am not sure this is completely true. Especially with regards to your number 3, specifically the claimed unity across religious divisions in Ukraine. There seems to be some dispute in the Orthodox Church in Ukraine, as reported in a relatively long article in todays New York Times (April 19, 2022). It relates how, before this current war (in 2019)
Patriarch Bartholomew granted independence to an unsanctioned church in Ukraine. As a result about half of the Ukraine parishes rejected this move and stayed with the Moscow Church. According to the article the 45 dioceses in Ukraine with about 20,000 parishes; 22 of those parishes have stopped including Patriarch Kirill in their prayers.
The article also reports disatisfaction among parishioners and priests with the Bishops in Ukraine who apparently, for the most part have remained relatively silent with regards to Patriarch Kirill's support of Putin. It quotes an archpriest, Andriy Pinchuk as stating the hesitancy of the Bishops dismays many. Pinchuk is quoted as saying "We are ashamed to look into the eyes of regular Ukrainians, we are ashamed of the horrible aggressive words that Patriarch Kirill is saying constantly. We are ashamed of the Ukrainian Bishops who put their heads in the sand and fear a rupture with the Moscow Patriarch."
The article also reports on divisions in the orthodox churches all over Europe. People leaving one parish for another going both ways.
It appears, at least in the Orthodox Church, and notably the Orthodox Church in Ukraine has been somewhat divided by this. Not really united.
John McNamara
With Russia's release of a video of the launch of an ICBM - "food for thought for those who try to threaten Russia" Mr Putin is reported to have said - the we seem to be invited by him to turn an historical corner in order to give fresh stimulus to the "might is right" aspirational tactics of the bully, not only in international relations, but also within polities and will it not trickle down out there on the street in places where bullies might find themselves threatened?
https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-61170853
John, could you give me a link to the NYT article? Thanks.
Bruce, bullies are alike in their tactics, whether on the domestic or international front.
David:
I am sorry it has taken this long to respond. I got very busy with some other issues.
I am not sure how the link to the Times article will work for you. I read it in the print edition, I don't read Times on the internet, because a lot of the articles on the web site are now pay to read/or subscribe after a certain number o free reads.
Anyways, the link to the Times article is: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/18/world/europe/ukraine-war-russian-orthodox-church.html
There is also an article in the Washington Post from April 24th about the split between the Russian, Ukrainian, and other Orthodox churches. It does not seem to address any split within the Ukrainian Church. This is found here: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/04/24/russia-ukraine-orthodox-church/
A Rueters article from March 14 addresses the turmoil among the Orthodox Churches, but does not talk about any split within the Ukrainian Church here: https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/ukraine-invasion-splits-orthodox-church-isolates-russian-patriarch-2022-03-14/
The New York Times article is the only news article I am aware of that talks about a possible split in the Ukrainian Church itself.
John McNamara
Thanks, John.
Post a Comment