There is war again in Europe of all places. A cruel assault on a peaceful nation by their closest neighbour Russia. Ukraine has been attacked by the BEAR!
We are used to wars but not this close to home or even in our ‘Western’ world’s neighbourhood communities. A lot of immigrant Canadians have connections with the Ukraine. It is estimated that 1.3 million persons of Ukrainian origin are citizens of Canada. They make up the 11th largest ethnic group in our country.
The Ukraine already for years (as I was taught in primary school) has been the bread-basket of Europe. It is a country that emerged out of the disintegrated Soviet Union empire and struggled to gain it own independence with a forward looking mission hoping someday to be part of the NATO alliance. A nation of welcoming people and looking for a prosperous and democratic future.
All of these hopes and aspirations have now be dashed by their near friends and neighbour’s attack, at the behest of the President of Russia. He says he is afraid that the NATO influence on Ukraine will turn the heads of their citizens to look to Europe for nation building wisdom, rather than to him and Russia, a dictatorship. This is considered a threat!
So Ukraine was invaded 13 days ago (February 24th) by 200,000 fully armed Russian soldiers, with tanks and missiles, who are now encircling their cities. The Russian soldiers, through months of ‘propaganda’ have been sent – were told – to liberate the Ukrainians so as ‘to demilitarize and de-nazify Ukraine, as well as bring to trial those who perpetrated numerous bloody crimes against civilians, including against citizens of the Russian Federation.’ (report by NPR news) On an earlier attempt (2014), Russia had already annexed and occupied the Crimea and Donetsk regions on the eastern Ukraine border. However now, the continuing Liberation (read- ‘Occupation’) was met with strong resistance and was going slow. People are defending their homes! imagine that!
Many Ukrainian citizens are now escaping the bombing and killings and leaving the country (men aged 18-60 are ordered to stay and defend their homeland) fleeing to Poland, and other Ukraine western border nations. The estimate is that about 2 million (mostly women & children) have left.
At the present date (March 8, 2022) of writing there are some things that we can see that are different about this war:
NATO and allies are rallying around and forming a strong block with measures to hamper and damage the economic structures of the Russia regime by stopping and blocking Bank transactions, seizing assets belonging to the Russian president and his close advisers and oligarchs. (Bank accounts, boats, real estate, business assets etc; McDonalds, Starbucks and IBM and the major gas companies (Shell) are closing their businesses in Russia, Russia has also been banned from the SWIFT banking services.)
Russia travel and air traffic is banned from the NATO and NA skies.
Supplies of of all types of weapons (Stinger anti-aircraft defense systems and anti-tank missiles, small arms and ammunition, body armour (there are attempts to supply them even with warplanes) are being shipped to the Ukraine battle fields, even Germany for the first time has contributed weapons.
The Ukraine president spoke, via internet video, to a session of the UK parliament. He spoke of the Ukrainian people’s determination ‘to fight in the forests, to fight in the streets, to fight on the shores’. An expression that echoes the famous Churchill address during WW2.
Russian mothers (Russian prisoners are allowed to use iPhones and call home) are hearing news from their soldier sons that the propaganda about Ukraine is false and the mothers are asking ‘where can I go to get my son home, whose door can I knock on?’
This war will be the most recorded (videoed) and instant playback of events since the invention of war in history. Those iPhones the ‘prisoners’ are using are recording the willful destruction, wounding and killing and of everyday citizens and their homes by the invading forces. The iPhones are used to record and spread the news via internet and phone connections without limit to Europe and the rest of the world.
A solid block of support and unity is forming in the western world, marches, humanitarian fundraisers are springing up, unseen since the second world war. (1940 – 1945)
Support and medical supplies are coming from everywhere and the people of the western nations and good folk anywhere are watching on their ‘iPhones’, computers and TVs and seeing the unfairness and cruelty of this unnecessary and awful event.
There is the long lines of human traffic out of the country but there are also those who are going back to help and fight supporting the present Ukrainian freedom fighters.
The next few days and weeks will tell the tale of this unprovoked attack!
Awake, Awake! There is a BEAR in the glorious sunny garden! Rooting among the sunflowers and the grains of wheat. Quick! Gather the neighbours and let’s chase him out. Forever banished to the frozen winter fields of ice!
WAR IS HELL!
Lord have mercy!
……….for all those who habitually draw the sword will die by the sword. (Gospel of Matthew – Chapter 25 verse 52: Jesus’ warning to Peter who tried to defend Jesus, with his sword, from capture by the Temple soldiers)
JS March 8, 2022
Header Picture: channel4.com
On the Road 