Ukraine War 

Padmini Arhant

Russia reports “Nationalists plotting chemical attacks in Ukraine when Russian troops approach.”

Russian President Vladimir Putin bears responsibility as the ultimate authority in Russia authorizing the so-called special operations stretched into 24th day of warfare.

The deaths, destruction and enormous damages suffered by Russian troops, Russian population at home and Russian economy regardless of havoc inflicted on Ukraine and Ukrainian innocent civilians are bare facts in the ongoing war.

The accounts suffice any political and military leadership to realize the path they are on leading to precipice perhaps even to the point of no return. The wars are notoriously brutal and hideously expensive either way.

When the nation’s leadership rely on violence and devastation to own people and the population of the target nation, that leadership and those around such dogma declare intellect void and surrender to impulsive vain disposition.

The nation led into warfare for unjustifiable personal goals with little or no concern for ground reality and ramifications, such unfortunate decisions invariably deliver nothing but only undesirable outcome.

Russia is no stranger to this experience. By no means it is going to be different around this time.

Any leadership hopelessly dependent on violent aggression and disproportionate artillery against the side presumed significantly weak evidently are desperate and desperations are known to blur and blindside rational approach. Those who set themselves in the direction of chaos and carnage never prevailed and only succumbed to grave danger.

On the other hand, the nations attacked by major powers with nuclear status have invariably defeated the invaders in the twentieth and twenty first century.

The prominent ones among many examples are Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and Vietnam.

Vietnam – a non-nuclear state and comparatively less military power had previously managed to free the nation from Chinese, French and Japanese occupation successively in 19th and 20th century. Then they were challenged by United States together with host of U.S. allies in the prolonged catastrophic Vietnam war (1961– 1975) ultimately leading to Vietnam’s victory.

Vietnam also liberated neighbor Cambodia from ferocious callous totalitarian Khmer Rouge regime under then Prime Minister Pol Pot aka Saloth Sar (1975-1979).

Vietnam had to deal with nuclear China in 1979 headed by then China’s Premier Deng Xiaoping who was forced to learn some serious lessons from Vietnam in that month long military invasion in March 1979.

China’s then Premier Deng Xiaoping like most politically embattled heads of state facing internal turbulence within political party or government adopted political strategy of foreign invasion to deflect domestic attention from failing governance. Nonetheless, China was reminded of the mistake by Vietnam in the interlude at that time.

Likewise, Afghanistan is another model setting precedence for major powers as nuclear supremos not to waste economic and military resources in the illegal invasion and occupation of sovereign land near or far. The imperialists whether Britain, USSR or United States and NATO combined were all forced to exit Afghan soil resulting in the collapse of empire.

Reiterating earlier statement in this context, no power, authority and military might even with nuclear threats are greater than people’s resolve, resilience and resistance to defend their homeland.

Ukrainians are brave and patriotic in the extraordinary battle imposed on them. Ukraine could learn and be inspired from Vietnam, Afghanistan and others’ achievements that right not the might wins the battle.

Throughout civilizations, the nations regarded a fair game have been the primary target for nations headed by presumptuous reckless leadership swayed by miscalculation and egregious conclusions costing lives and treasure.

However, those nations taken for granted have proved their will to sacrifice and defend the sovereignty and territorial integrity at every instance. The above analogies are testament and Ukraine is yet another inspirational source to nations and population around the world in synonymous predicament.

Russia’s peaceful exchange rather than military hostility with Ukraine would be responsible and respectful. Russia demonstrating commitment with immediate ceasefire, withdrawal from Ukraine and establishment of permanent peace treaty is the absolute and only option to end the conflict.

Ukraine on its part, expediting relentless peace talks leading to long lasting peaceful resolution with Russia is the solid alternative to protracted military engagement.

With sincere condolences for all lives lost in Ukraine including the Donbas region of Donetsk, Luhansk and those from Russian side,

Peace to Ukraine and Russia!

Padmini Arhant 

Author & Presenter

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