What’s the Issue With Russians?

Almost all Finns nowadays know that recognizing facts is the beginning of wisdom. In Russia, however, there seems to be some confusion about this.

A Finnish afternoon newspaper Iltalehti reported on this in an article where a film director warned that Russia could lose the war it started in Ukraine. According to the director, "we should always start from the premise that we can lose... we can lose if such blunders continue."

This was not about inciting defeatism, which he made clear by stating, "this is not about discouragement. It is not about spreading fear... It is simply a clear understanding of the price that we and our country will have to pay."

The director also wondered, "on TV, we always show Ukrainians who do not want to fight... But now we see that they are fighting well. And they are very motivated. Why are we deceiving ourselves?"

It is well known that in Russia, the "truth" is always what the country’s dictator—whether it be a tsar, the chairman of the politburo, or Putin—sees fit. And this time, the price has been paid by the soldiers sent to the war in Ukraine, especially the approximately half a million people who have lost their lives or health as a result of their country's leader's madness.

From what I have written above, the inevitable question arises as to why this is the case. That is, what flaw in the Russian people or their culture prevents our eastern neighbors from building a society where people could live well. After all, we are talking about the world's richest country in terms of natural resources, with a population that is also reasonably well-educated.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Ukraine Gives Kursk Residents a Clear Choice: Russia or Refuge
Russian games
Russian Tax Overhaul: Citizens to Bear the Burden of War Losses