Ponmala

Putin’s invasion of Ukraine is in many ways reminiscent of Napoleon’s invasion of Russia in 1812. Napoleon’s army entered Russia with more than 4,50,000 men, more than 1,50,000 horses, around 25,000 wagons and almost 1,400 pieces of artillery. Only 1,20,000 men and a few who had deserted survived. The death toll of French soldiers was estimated as 3,80,000. Above all, Napoleon’s reputation of invincibility was shattered. Putin’s army swaggered into Ukraine from the north, the east and the south, only to be punched in the belly by Zelensky’s outnumbered but patriotic force. David is halting Goliath’s progress, creating a stalemate that will last God knows how long. Back then, Russians died defending their homeland against French invasion; now, the Ukrainians are dying defending their homeland against Russian invasion. That is the irony of history for you.

Whatever be the outcome of this war, which has entered its second year, Putin has lowered himself and Russia in the eyes of the world: Russia is no more the super power it was thought to be militarily; Russia has got isolated in the world as 141 countries have repeatedly called for its total withdrawal from Ukraine; Russia is selling oil, the main source of its income, at a loss of 2 dollars a barrel; Russia is becoming increasingly dependent on countries like China, Iran and North Korea; the war has shown that Russia’s military equipment is obsolete; and, above all, Russia has slid back at least two decades economically and technologically. This imperial aggression on a much weaker neighbour has pushed Putin into almost as pathetic a situation as Napoleon found himself in Russia two centuries ago.

This war took everyone by surprise, because the world had cosily settled down in the belief that the days of expansionist conquest at least in democratic Europe had ended with World War II and the demise of the Soviet Union. But now, Putin has taught us that imperialist ambition can raise its head under a long-ruling autocrat who is able to provide economic prosperity and whip up nationalist fervour using captive media. The war has killed tens of thousands and seriously wounded or maimed at least three times as many with no immediate end in sight. It looks as though it will not end until Russia’s economy gets flattened or Putin exits the scene. What was expected to be a flash victory is stretching out like a tantalising mirage for the Russians. Unthinkable are the consequences that could follow if they fall exhausted and bite the dust at some point.

Frustration is already getting on their nerves. Calls for pushing the nuclear button are becoming louder by the day. One TV anchor roared: “Dear friends, drown the children! Drown them! There will be nuclear war.” Patriarch Kirill of Moscow preached: “Some mad people dared to think that the great Russia, which has powerful weapons, is populated with very strong people, is motivated to win from dad to son, who never surrendered to any enemy… bad people dared to think they can overcome us? Or how is it popular to say ‘to reshape’ means, to enforce values that are hard to be called so, and obey those who have power to control most of the world?  Their will to defeat Russia took a dangerous turn today. We pray our God to admonish those fools that any attempt to destroy Russia means the end of the world.”

This imperialist move by Putin is a throwback to the Soviet Era when individuals were considered expendable. This was made obvious by a Russian official who asked: What does it matter if one lives thirty-five years less or more? Over time, it has sunk into the Russian psyche that there is nothing wrong in using citizens as cannon fodder for the greater good of the state, even if that greater good is catering to the vanity of a ruler. Some fifty nations have come to the aid of Ukraine in defence of democracy, where the state is the protector of the individual citizen. The state is just an abstract entity; the citizen is a living a person. Of Jesus it was said, he died to save many. Putting life on the line has meaning only if others can be saved by it, by way of safeguarding their lives or their wholesome way of life. That is true of the Ukrainians who are dying to protect their sovereignty and their democratic way life; that is in no way true of the Russians who are either led to the slaughter or have fallen for the propaganda that they are under attack by Nazi ghosts that have emerged from the netherworld under the leadership of a resurrected Hitler.

Human life is extremely precious. The death of an individual is in a way the end of the world. It is so distressing to think that when epidemics and natural calamities are taking a terrible toll of human lives and materialistic tendencies are drastically reducing population growth in advanced countries, a meaningless war is killing hundreds every day. Are we in the midst of Armageddon already?