The cessation of Western financial and military aid was a Christmas gift for Putin. His favorites wanted to give Avdiivka a good, but despite 30,000 losses of Russian troops, the city still resists. If the gift under the Christmas tree was only from the West, then his favorites would be greatly disgraced. But luck was on their side - the nearby frontline town of Maryinka was finally occupied and can be festively packed to fill the void under the Christmas tree.

President Vladimir Putin congratulated his defense minister after his announcement of the takeover on state television. While horrific pictures of a ruined city flashed in the background, Putin — in the dehumanized materialistic style of the good old Soviets — stressed the real consequences of success: “it gives Russian troops the opportunity to go into a wider operational space.”

“Wider operational space,” the president's refined military jargon added an in-depth analysis of the facts from his minister Shoigu: “Under the control of Marinka, its soldiers will be able to advance further and will allow more effective protection of Donetsk from attacks by Ukrainian forces”.

Geding je. As Christianity spread and finally became the dominant religion in the Roman Empire, the tradition of exchanging gifts during the pagan holiday of Saturnalia became part of Christmas rituals. Piştî,, mîna ljubav, hêvî û şevê.

Truly, these most positive human emotions were observed even in the grim conditions of the First World War during the Christmas Truce of 1914. The armistice came in the early months of the war, when the army ran out of men and ammunition. During the standoff, on Christmas Eve, French, German, and British soldiers crossed the trenches into no-man's land to exchange food and talk. Even football matches were organized.

Instead, Russia's wise leaders, explaining the facts to their patriotic audience (who would otherwise think 'Mar'. What? Hvor er det?”), ommitted the fact that nine thousand people once lived in a completely destroyed city, and now there is a cemetery of Russian troops, and the number of dead exceeds the population of the pre-war city. A narrative devoid of compassion omits what is truly important to people, and the only hope it gives is that there will be no more bloodshed in this small town.

Taktika ruski Bakhmut,. Another such tactic is the brutality of their military. The Russians are deliberately targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure so that desperation breaks Ukrainian resistance. In addition, Ukrainian prisoners of war are used as political leverage by refusing to be exchanged, and their families receive calls to protest against their government. In addition, attacks on nuclear reactors and turning them into the location of their army also aim to spread terror.

However, one of the theses of the invasion was that there was no separate Ukrainian nationality. Atrocities against civilians and vile behavior on the battlefield, such as the execution of captured soldiers, divide the two nations more and more. Indeed, the inhumane conduct of the war led to the fact that Ukrainian Orthodox Christians first celebrated Christmas on December 25 instead of January 7, distancing themselves from Russian heritage.

Fortunately, time heals all wounds. President Putin is a relic of the Cold War and could not invent any new strategy than those used by the Soviet Union. Now he is 71 years old, and the upper Russian leadership is also a gerontocracy from the remnants of the KGB.

In addition, Russian demographics are also suffering from aging. From 1993 to 2007, 1.5 -. The effect of this drop is noticeable today. Russes 20 a 24. With a population of 143 million, the reduction of that part that is capable of giving birth to children is a sure sign of the problem. Indeed, President Putin, despite all his usual bravado, needed to initiate a “Special Operation”, otherwise after 10 years the male population would not be enough to protect the Russian Federation and for an offensive operation.

President Putin insists that Russians and Ukrainians are the same, perhaps precisely because of this demographic collapse. Ethnic minorities in the Russian Federation are not affected by the decline in the birth rate. Other elements that affect productivity - alcoholism, for example, also remain unaffected by the decline in Russia. After some time, the Russian population will not be able to maintain superiority over other ethnic groups. That is why Putin needs the fresh blood that an invasion of Ukraine can provide. Hata, Ukrainians a Crimean Tatars.