Ecoblogi – A Blog by Daniel Elkama

The war in Ukraine is about Putin's Russia's desire for expansion, aggression and imperialism. In its propaganda, Russia falsely blames the united democratic "West" and "globalists" for the conflict. Putin believes that he represents a pluralistic conservative world and that he is fighting against the "degenerate American West", whose hallmarks are e.g. liberalism, which is a sign of e.g. homosexuality and the environmental movement. Putin uses exactly the same lies in his rhetoric as Hitler did in his time. Putin's Russia even uses deeply religious and eschatological rhetoric to push its lies. The Russian Orthodox Church and Patriarch Kiril act as Putin's propaganda office. Putin is courting the extreme right in Europe and the United States, fascists, Trumpists, Q-anonists, etc. and spreading conspiracy theories about the West's motives in order to break up the unity of the West and damage relations and solidarity between EU countries and transatlantic relations. Trump's rise to power again in the US would be a big threat because he doesn't care about Europe. America should prepare for all information influence before the election. Trump only cares about his America first policy, or probably only himself. Now again, Europe and the United States must stand strong against a major external threat, as they did during World War II and the Cold War. Together we are strong. NATO forces are vastly better, more equipped, more trained and more powerful compared to Russia.

As I wrote before, Putin is a brutal despot with delusions of grandeur who wants to create an empire. He imagines himself to be the "tsar" of Russia and wants to restore the old borders in Europe. This means the borders of 1914, when Ukraine, Finland, the Baltics and Poland were part of Russia. In addition, Putin aims for Russian hegemony in the whole of Eastern Europe and East Central Europe. One of Putin's ideologues is the madman Dugin, who has spoken bigoted ideas about the "Russian world". Russia/Soviet Union was the world's second most powerful superpower for a long time, now Putin feels that its position is threatened. The reason for this is the collapse of the Soviet Union and the democratization of Eastern Europe, where it all started.

Another reason is that, as climate change threatens the entire global world order and the basic conditions for the existence of humanity and nature as it is today, we are globally giving up oil and natural gas rather quickly. When the natural gas taps close, Putin's and the oligarchs' money taps also close. The oligarchs own trillions and they know that Russia's economy is mainly based on the export of oil and natural gas. They want to cling to the old world order tooth and nail. Nordstream terror and scaring Europe with blackouts are part of this. Europe is not actually running out of electricity. The greatest security here is large amounts of renewable self-sufficient energy, wind, solar, biopower, etc., as well as liquid natural gas supplied by America. Putin's approach to the environmental movement has always been aggressive. Environmental organizations have been banned and activists persecuted. Greenpeace's Sini Saarela was arbitrarily detained for several months after demonstrating on an oil rig. The charge was ridiculously piracy. Nuclear power is also used in Europe at the moment, but it needs to get rid of it along with fossils due to unsustainable mining and dangerousness. Globally, 40% of uranium comes from Russia or Kazakhstan, which is a vassal state of Russia. Putin has strong economic interests in his war. If Ukraine breaks, Russia will continue its war deeper into the core countries of Europe.

Russia has a long history of oppression and colonialism. In Putin's last speech, Russia's accusing finger was pointed towards the West, accusing Western countries of colonialism in Africa and Asia. However, Russia's history as an oppressor in terms of colonialism is no better. The West, on the other hand, has largely given up colonialism more than 50 years ago. Russia, on the other hand, continues its oppression. Russia is the biggest colonialist in the north. Likewise in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. Russia oppresses more than 100 indigenous peoples in its territory. Their population is more than 30 million people. Russia is the biggest colonialist of the Arctic, with the biggest ones reaching as far as Alaska in the 19th century. The target of Russia's repression, including Central Asia and other regions, is far more than 100 million non-Russian peoples. In addition, Putin oppresses his own people of Russian background. The murder of the brave journalist Anna Politkovskaya, who investigated the abuses of Putin's regime and the oligarchs, in Moscow in 2006 showed Putin's complete rottenness. Several European leaders, including Finnish President Tarja Halonen, were totally blue-eyed and naive in front of this hardened psychopath. In Russia, the opposition, civil society and democracy are completely suppressed. Protesters and activists are arbitrarily beaten and imprisoned. Many are killed by the FSB. Russia is not exactly better than North Korea. Many of the people are against Putin, but do not dare to bring this out. Alexei Navalnyi would certainly be a good leader for Russia, although he is serving a sentence of years in a prison camp. Russia is ruled by violence and fear.

Today, the Times reported that Russia is moving nuclear weapons by train towards the Ukrainian border. This is the most dangerous nuclear-related situation since the Cuban Missile Crisis. Similarly, NATO warned that Russia is testing a new doomsday nuclear missile. The use of nuclear weapons is a limit that Russia cannot cross. If Russia acts recklessly, it is up to the West and NATO to take the necessary military and non-military measures to stop Russia and oust mad Putin. Putin can't slaughter and massacre the Ukrainian people as he wants, and he can't bombard anyone with nuclear weapons. He must be stopped. The Russian army is large, but weak. Unfortunately, it has nuclear weapons as its trump card. That's why Russia sometimes threatens Ukraine and Denmark with its nuclear weapons. Like a chubby school bully. Nuclear weapons have only been used twice in history, in 1945, and this must not happen again under any circumstances. If someone were to use nuclear weapons, the threshold for their use would be lowered and soon the new normal would be wars with nuclear weapons. The risk of escalation leading to a final earth-destroying nuclear war is also very high. It is absolute that no one will ever be allowed to use a nuclear weapon.

Putin is possibly starting World War III, maybe it has already started in Ukraine. Nordsteam's attacks, cyber attacks, the possibility of new attacks against Europe's infrastructure and electricity production, etc. are alarming signs of the escalation of the conflict. Putin will not be satisfied with Ukraine alone, he must be stopped. If there is peace in Ukraine, which results in ceding territory, it is likely that Russia, better equipped, will try war again in a couple of years. The only alternative is to strengthen Europe's security by fortifying, developing defenses, equipping ourselves, organizing joint military exercises, creating joint troops, developing intelligence and military technology. We have to show Putin that Europe can endure and that it is not worth attacking here or it will be very expensive.

The only option is that the Putin regime does not continue. As long as Putin is in power, we must be on our guard. It would be a great hope if a revolution would start in Russia and it would finally join the ranks of democratic countries. Sooner or later dictators die and the power they stole from the people returns to the people. Human development cannot be stopped nor its flame extinguished once it has been lit. Good will win - always.