The Zelenskyy Method

Last week, I wrote about the impending Russian invasion of Ukraine.

This week, I am writing about the actual Russian invasion of Ukraine. 

Last week's post about Putin's motivations for invading Ukraine was a bit tongue in cheek: 

1. Ukraine is right there next to Russia.
2. Vladimir Putin wants to invade it.
3. There is no point three.

It is astonishing how many things I've read from people who are presumably knowledgeable about such things and are paid to write about them have reach the same conclusion: it's there and Putin wants to.

This is a serious as shit full on military invasion of a sovereign nation by an aggressor with tanks, soldiers and aerial bombings from planes and rockets. Hundreds have been killed, thousands have been injured, there are burning buildings with holes in the side of them. 

Vladimir Putin is not fucking around.

The main objective seems to be to close in on the capital city of Kyiv, depose the Ukrainian president so Putin can install a puppet leader to do his bidding.

Which means out of this massive invasion, one person in particular had a target on his back: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

When given an opportunity by the United States to be safely extricated from Ukraine, Zelenskyy turned the offer down, saying “The fight is here; I need ammunition, not a ride."

Damn, that's ballsy. 

Zelenskyy is facing a very real threat to his personal safety even as he remains defiant of Russian aggression.

“I am here. We are not putting down arms. We will be defending our country, because our weapon is truth, and our truth is that this is our land, our country, our children, and we will defend all of this."  

The political journey of Volodymyr Zelenskyy is a bit unusual.

 Like most politicians, he studied law in college. 

Unlike most politicians, he went from law school to a career as an actor and a comedian.  

Zelenskyy became one of Ukraine’s top entertainers with the TV series “Servant of the People" about a lovable high school teacher fed up with corruption and accidentally becomes president.

Fast forward just a few years, and Zelenskyy is the president of Ukraine for real.

And now he's engaged in guerrilla warfare against the Russian invasion, exhibiting courage, good humor and grace under fire that has rallied his people and impressed his Western counterparts.  

Most of the world is outraged over Putin's actions and see his act of war against a democratic nation as an affront to civilized society. 

Well, except Donald Trump who still stands by his assertion that Putin is a genius and his snivelling sycophants on Fox News like Tucker Carlson and Sean Hannity who twist their messaging to Trump's whims. 

To anyone else with a shred of decency and a conscience, Putin is the bad guy here and Zelenskyy is the good guy, representing his nation as resilient and unbowed in the face of Russian aggression. 

Under the heading of "It's the least we can do",  some stores in the United States and Canada will not be selling Russian-made liquor in response to Putin's invasion of Ukraine.  

And the Simpson are showing their support by displaying Ukraine's flag.