Delay defeating Russia makes nuclear war possible -Olga Len

We already have more upset and depressed people than there are real reasons for depression. But now I want to cry out from the realization that all this suffering could have been much less

If we had more weapons at the beginning of the war. If only we had received all the necessary long-range weapons last summer. If only we had had everything we needed last summer to move the Russian forces to their borders. Then the Russians would not have blown up the Kakhovka hydroelectric dam and all this horror would not have happened.

Because all these theories of a bunch of arrogant Kremlinologists that a frog should be cooked slowly so that it does not throw a nuclear bomb are nonsense and worse than a crime. Because it is a terrible, stupid, short-sighted mistake. And it is this mistake that costs tens of thousands of Ukrainian lives. It costs the destruction of Ukraine, the transformation of our land into something post-apocalyptic. And I hate it so much!

"The theories of a bunch of arrogant Kremlinologists that a frog should be cooked slowly so that it does not throw a nuclear bomb are nonsense and worse than a crime. Because it is a terrible, stupid, short-sighted mistake. And it is this mistake that costs tens of thousands of Ukrainian lives"

Because this gradual, very slow cooking of the frog achieves the exact opposite results. If in the summer of 2022 the Russian forces were driven out of Ukraine in one blow, no one would have thrown a nuclear bomb anywhere. On the contrary, Putin would be dead by now, and we would be watching the derashization and deconstruction of the Russian Federation with popcorn. Because then the Russian government and Russian society would be stunned by the defeat at the front. We saw for ourselves how the defeat in the Kharkiv region almost caused a revolt against Putin. And we would have seen a real rebellion in Russia and a coup if the Russian defeat on the battlefield had been more extensive. And if Ukrainian troops had already entered the territory of the Russian Federation.

But then the Russians got used to defeats. They saw that the entire territory of the Russian Federation was not in danger. For nine months, they threw missiles at Ukraine with impunity. They got used to the fact that there would be no punishment. You can do whatever you want with Ukrainian land and its people. But they have simply matured into thinking that a humanitarian catastrophe in Ukraine is a perfectly acceptable option for them to win the war. And that they will not be punished for it. Who will punish them? Only Ukrainians can do it. Therefore, they need to kill us all, the Russians think. And it is the delay in arming Ukraine that allows the Russians to think this way. Russia could have been defeated in the summer of 2022.

"Russians are used to defeat. They have seen that the entire territory of the Russian Federation is not in danger. For nine months, they have been throwing missiles at Ukraine with impunity. They got used to the fact that there would be no punishment. You can do whatever you want with Ukrainian land and its people. But they have simply matured to the point where a humanitarian catastrophe in Ukraine is a perfectly acceptable option for them to win the war"

And what do we have instead? We have a gradual sinking of the Russian ruling elite into senior dementia and real madness. But worst of all, we have the masses of Russians gradually getting used to the idea that more and more murderous methods of destruction can be used against Ukrainians. What the mass of Russians could not have accepted as normal in early 2022 or last summer, is now going down a storm among the people of the Russian Federation. Their train of thought is simple: we attacked Ukraine, we caused a lot of grief, and in order not to be punished, we must destroy Ukrainians.

"The Russian people are beginning to get used to the idea that it is quite normal to use tactical nuclear weapons in Ukraine"

And the very bad result of delaying the defeat of Russian troops is that this delay does not simply prevent us from avoiding the threat of nuclear war. On the contrary, this delay makes nuclear war possible. The Russian government and population are getting used to the idea that they will not be allowed to lose the war and will be allowed to use tactical nuclear weapons. And yes, the Russian people are beginning to get used to the idea that it is quite normal to use tactical nuclear weapons in Ukraine. Back in the middle of last year, this frightened the majority of not only ordinary Russians, but also the Kremlin itself. And now, the Russian propaganda system has put a lot of effort into normalizing the use of nuclear weapons by Russia. When do you think the Kremlin grandfathers will decide that they have convinced the people in the hinterland? I think this time is not far off.

Specially for Espreso

About the author. Olga Len, journalist

The editors do not always share the opinions expressed by the authors of blogs.