Ukraine: Putin Is Not Scared

ISRAEL SHAMIR • FEBRUARY 23, 2022 

The 16th of February passed without a hitch; but the Ukraine Crisis did not fade out. Now there is a new date for invasion 20 of February, or soon after. On 19 Feb Saturday, Ukrainian right-wingers attacked Donbas and Donbas authorities began the evacuation of its children and women. Putin tried his missiles with nuclear heads; a part of Russian nuclear triad. Nuclear triad is the Russian fleet, aviation and land-based units, that is the basis of Russian power. Now it was tried; at the same time Ukrainians shelled Russian positions in Donbas. The US President expressed his certainty Putin will invade the Ukraine. But meanwhile Ukrainian Army shelled Donbas over 100 shells.

Donbas asked Russia for recognition. They asked it many times; Russia refused each time. This time, the National Security Council had met in unusual place. And it was broadcast live. Putin asked each one, should we recognize LNR-DNR? And they replied positively. Same day, he signed the recognition treaty. That was the end of 8 years war. Since 2014, until now, people of Donbas were hiding in cellars. Ukrainian army shelled them from time to time. Not any more. The Ukrainian army does not dare to shoot at much bigger Russian Army.

Symbolically, a day before the decision, the German magazine Spiegel found the document containing the promise: “We cannot offer NATO membership to Poland and the others”. New find of files from 1991 supports Russian accusation. For decades, Russia has claimed that NATO’s eastward expansion violated Western commitments after the fall of the Berlin Wall. Now it is confirmed.

Russians did not understand why they had hostile neighbours. Especially why the Ukrainians are so hostile. Historically, they were friendly. One church, one language.

The US encouraged hostility of Ukrainians after 1945. Russians gave Ukrainians everything; Ukraine became the most prosperous Soviet republic. It didn’t help; they remained hostile. Russians were the least nationalist folk in the USSR. But the Ukrainians thought it is not sufficient.

In 2014 followers of Stefan Bandera (Quisling) started a mutiny. Since that time, the Ukraine does not know peace. Loyalists are killed, everywhere from Odessa to Kharkov. Loyalists were majority in the East and South of Ukraine. In the East Donbas they formed government. That assumed independence. It is similar to Texas claiming independence. Russians were forced to defend Donbas.

The Ukrainian forces shot at Donbas, and Russians had to shoot back.

Israel expressed their support of Putin. First, the Jews couldn’t support Bandera lovers. Second, Israel and Russia agreed regarding Syria. Not fully agreed, but enough. The Ukrainians thought they elected a Jew as President, and that would offset Bandera. And they were mistaken. They couldn’t denounce Bandera; he was their nationalism’ foundation. Israel has their own Banderas: Begin and Shamir and Yair Schtern. They ruled Israel, but not right away after independence.

Israel supported Putin, but mildly. American Jews listened to Israel. President Biden listened to American Jewish community.

US Sanctions against Russian business do not scare Russian businessmen. They are seen as a challenge. They grow stronger with sanctions. Russia produces wheat many times more than it had before sanctions. Especially, oil and gas products aren’t going be sanctioned. Europe would be bankrupted, otherwise. Europe needs Russian gas and oil. The US gas costs twice as much as the Russian price. That’s why President Putin was not frightened.

https://www.unz.com/ishamir/ukraine-putin-is-not-scared/