Putin's Growing Crisis in Ukraine and an Uncertain Endgame for Russia

The European Union has finally awakened to the fact that many Ukrainian men are using its refugee policy as a means of avoiding military service. For this reason, the Commission has proposed—according to the Finnish media—that Ukrainian men of military age should no longer be granted temporary protection in the EU.

One can only hope that the proposal will be processed by the EU's bureaucratic apparatus more quickly than, for example, the proposal to abolish changing the clocks. As a result, Ukraine's manpower shortage could be alleviated at a time when the military situation is otherwise turning so favorable for the Ukrainians that even Russian soldiers reportedly admit they are exhausted and wish to warn Putin of a possible "major catastrophe" ahead.

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The emergence of Russian soldiers speaking out, along with the reactions of Crimeans to Ukrainian successes, suggests that the Moscow government has kept its citizens in an information blackout regarding the problems facing the "special military operation." This brings to mind the year 1940, when Finnish censorship ensured that the public had an overly optimistic view of the situation in the Winter War, and as a result, people experienced the outcome of the war as even more unjust than it actually was.

The same problem now confronts Vladimir Putin and his administration. It is genuinely difficult for them to explain to their subjects why the Ukrainians are capable of destroying Russian infrastructure to such an extent that ordinary people no longer even have fuel for their cars.

If and when a rebellious spirit continues to spread among Russian soldiers, the government will face an acute crisis that will further undermine the operational capabilities of the country's military, and consequently weaken its military performance even beyond its current state.

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All of this could have a truly dramatic impact on the ability of Putin's administration to function. At the moment, it seems to be protected by little more than the absence of a credible opposition—a factor that also makes Russia's future difficult to predict.

Consequently, the final outcome of Putin's special military operation could be anything from a palace coup to complete anarchy and even the disintegration of the Russian state. Of course, the first of these scenarios is the most likely, but then again, hardly anyone at the beginning of 1917 predicted that the Bolsheviks would overthrow and murder the Russian Tsar and his family.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Peace in Ukraine Would Be a Risk to Putin
Russia's Predicament Awakened the Trolls and Increased the Risk of Nuclear War
Russia’s Spring Offensive: Gains Unclear, Losses Undeniable

The Price of a Dictator’s Stupidity and Megalomania

What happens when you combine the stupidity and megalomania of a short-statured dictator? Everyone can ponder the answer based on the fact that Russia has recently modernized its military bases, including nuclear missile silos.

To achieve this, it has built several kilometers of underground tunnels, hundreds of barracks, command centers, and storage facilities. In addition, Russian companies linked to the armed forces have stored related documents in public databases.

As a result, Der Spiegel and Danwatch managed to obtain around two million documents, including blueprints of the new bases. In this way, the most closely guarded secrets of Putin's armed forces were exposed to Western defense forces.

This was a major victory for the West and an unfortunate blow to Vladimir Putin. However, from his point of view, the damage can be limited by preventing any related information from reaching the Russian public. That, however, does not undo the damage already done to Putin's armed forces.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
It’s Time to Teach Putin: The Age of Empire Is Over
Fear Lurks in Vladimir Putin's Mind as He Celebrates on the Wrong Date
When the War Comes Home to Moscow

Javier Milei of Argentina Called England a Dystopian Socialist Nightmare

The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Keir Starmer, faced a crisis after several white girls were stabbed, followed by demonstrations against British immigration policies that included some violent individuals. Then, he—or his cabinet—made a major mistake by adopting a two-tiered approach, favoring Muslims and targeting British rioters.

As a solution, the courts started to impose strict punishments on people for their social media posts. According to the Argentinian President, Javier Milei, this indicated that England was transforming into a dystopian socialist nightmare.

Milei: "we are undertaking a change of paradigm, not only economic, but also social, political and cultural. And with this change we are going against the direction that in recent times many countries in the world are undertaking. While other countries propose censorship, we propose freedom of expression.

Look at just what is happening in England, since the socialists came to power, they are putting people in jail for posting on social networks.  Well, the journalists here would also like it because, let's say, they don't like that they have lost the mic, the monopoly of the microphone and to be able to use that tool to distort and dirty, slander at no cost.

The social networks send them invoices and they don't like it. Stop looking for ghosts. They are receiving the same thing they did, but nothing more than people do it organically because they realized that many of them are criminals. In turn, while others are getting closer and closer to falling into cultural and religious wars, which will eventually expel people from their countries of origin, we invite the rest of the free world to participate in a country under reconstruction."

Well said and truthful, but it's unlikely to ever be reported in the Finnish mainstream media. And perhaps not in the English media either?  

I would not have believed this could happen in Western Europe. And I am happy that in Finland, there is no fear of the authorities because of social media posts. That's why I dare to bring this matter to your attention, my esteemed international and Finnish readers.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Freedom of Speech in Danger
Swedish TV Did Not Learn Anything From the Riots in the UK
Elections in the UK: A Shift Toward Hand-Waving Politics?

Freedom of Speech in Danger

You can read the following text at the top of this blog: "As long as a society has a true freedom of speech it cannot be completely rotten. However, all totally rotten societies are lacking the true freedom of speech."

This is my own statement on what I consider my most important realization related to the political realm: the lack of freedom of speech has always led to societies that, even with the best intentions, cannot be considered good for their inhabitants. That is why society must allow open discussion, even about unpleasant topics. Unfortunately, I am sorry to note that decision-makers in some of the most important Western societies seem to be forgetting this.

This occurred in the UK following violence during demonstrations against immigration, which has led to life-threatening and sexual violence in the island nation. For example, a new UK law allows the government to fine social media companies if they permit "legal but harmful" content, such as misinformation, to spread.

This also happened in the EU, which attempted to censor an interview with a US Presidential candidate—Donald Trump—on an American platform, namely Elon Musk's X.

Interestingly, Elon Musk replied to the EU's letter with wise words from John F. Kennedy: "In 1946, the United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution reading in part, ´freedom of information is a fundamental human right, and the touchstone of all the freedoms to which the United Nations is consecrated.´ This is our touchstone as well. This is the code of the Voice of America. We welcome the views of others. We seek a free flow of information across national boundaries and oceans, across iron curtains and stone walls. We are not afraid to entrust the American people with unpleasant facts, foreign ideas, alien philosophies, and competitive values. For a nation that is afraid to let its people judge the truth and falsehood in an open market is a nation that is afraid of its people."

I fully agree, and I will continue to advocate for freedom of speech and a better world on this blog.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
The Relationship Between the Professor and Teemu Selänne
Nightwish and the Disney Company
Ayatollahs in Iran demonstrated their ridiculousness

Nightwish and the Disney Company

The Walt Disney Company has banned two of Don Rosa's Uncle Scrooge stories from all reprints or future collections. The company explained its action by an ongoing commitment to diversity and inclusion, and as a result, some stories that do not align with their values will no longer be published.

Tuomas Holopainen is the leader of the Nightwish symphonic metal band. He noted on the decision made by the Disney Company that "the freedom of speech is a cornerstone of democracy and a functioning society, and censorship of art has nasty Orwellian undertones". 

In my opinion Holopainen is right in his comment. The strength of the Western World has been its ability to stand different opinions and views. And to remember mistakes it has made in the past. The latter one you may compare to the similarities between Putin´s Russia and Stalin´s dystopian Soviet Union. 

I doubt that the decision makers of the Disney Company are deliberate advocates of an Orwellian dystopia, but it is obvious that their action is a small step towards that. And as we remember, many small streams can make a big river. And unfortunately, as Holopainen pointed out, "there are unfortunately many similar examples from the recent past" as the one made by the Disney Company (example). 

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Biafran rebel leader living in Finland
Ayatollahs in Iran demonstrated their ridiculousness
Demonstration of one´s own stupidity is a sign of western values

It hurts Russians to learn about the truth

A major newspaper in Finland - Ilta-Sanomat - published an article on victims of the genocide conducted by Russians in Ukraine, and translated that in Russian. Thereafter an access of Russians to Ilta-Sanomat was prohibited. 

The case shows that it hurts ordinary Russians, whenever they are informed about Putins´s crimes against humanity. And his regime is afraid of the consequences. 

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Is President Putin on his way to repeat the destiny of Czar Nicholas II? 
Military specialist: Russian plan in Ukraine was incredibly poor
Political rats and useful idiots