Who will defeat Russian bear, or wolf as Ukraine’s totem animal

Those who have spent many years studying geopolitics and, accordingly, have participated in various forums, conferences, and round tables on security issues have seen in presentations or on book covers the image of the Russian bear—seemingly the invincible beast of the European continent, large and menacing.

In this image, which the Russians themselves are so fond of, there is a confidence in the eternal dominance of this animal, whose jaw strength of 1200 Pa seems unmatched by any other beast in Europe.

Stereotypes, of course, have their roots. And although the brown bear is widespread across almost the entire European continent, if you ask the average resident of European countries about the most powerful animal in their region, they are more likely to name the European bison—the only species of wild cattle that has survived in Europe to this day. It is indeed a large animal, but herbivorous. It can stand up to the bear when it senses that it is a fight for survival. At the same time, there have been cases when even a motivated lone wolf has brought down a bison.

A similar story has happened in recent years with Americans, who have increasingly come to associate their country with the bison, which is truly inseparable from American history, both its bright and dark pages. On May 9, 2016, the 44th President of the United States, Barack Obama, even signed a law designating the North American bison as the official National Mammal of the United States.

It seems that this decision has not yet been repealed by the current 47th President of the United States, Donald Trump. Although the Great Seal of the United States and the presidential standard in the White House depict another national symbol—the Bald Eagle, which clutches 13 arrows in its talon—it seems the current administration, in countering the threats of the Russian bear, still mistakenly relies on the olive branch.

Ukraine has not yet had a totem animal that could serve as a symbol of the country. But most people lean toward the idea that such a totem animal and national symbol could be the wolf. It is no coincidence that the insignia of the Special Operations Forces and many other of the most capable and renowned Ukrainian military units feature the image of a wolf—intelligent, strong, agile, and tireless.

"It seems that the Russian war against Ukraine has put all the dots over the "i" and clearly indicated the choice of the Ukrainian people. A choice forced by the aggressive behavior of a hostile neighbor, whose symbol is a beast trying to expand its range and dominance."

In the wilds of Europe, only the wolf can stand up to the brown bear. And although a one-on-one encounter would likely favor the bear, the chances of several wolves, who use favorable conditions, coordinate their actions, and fearlessly attack the enemy, look much better.

Real-life footage of such animal battles in nature shows that wolves can simply drive out their opponent, snatch victory from the brown bear, and defend, in a clash with an aggressive predator and seemingly invincible beast, their right to life—life on their own territory.

The conclusion is obvious: the great and powerful American bison, confident that it will not be attacked, is unlikely to enter into a direct confrontation to defeat the Russian bear.

Only Ukrainian wolves are capable of this. If Europeans also bet on the courage and determination of their wolves and stand together with the Ukrainian ones, the Russian bear will have no chance!

Source

About the author: Valeriy Chaly, Ukrainian diplomat, former Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine to the United States.

The editorial board does not always share the views expressed by blog authors.