“Psychopath Putin”; Reader Forum March 9th
The idea that a murderous war of aggression against a peaceful, sovereign country, which also includes civilians, depends on the decision of a single person is unbearable. What’s on Vladimir Putin’s mind? “What are you afraid of?” Ukrainian President Zelenskyy asked the Kremlin ruler in a provocative, disrespectful manner in one of his videos recently. Two powerful men who couldn’t be more different: one easy-going, communicative, open to people, the other rigid, dismissive, emphatically state-supporting. It is basically the question of the mental state of the lonely man Vladimir Putin, who has been living in self-imposed isolation for years. His notorious masculinity complex, humiliated by the signs of age – Putin regularly has his firming Botox injected – his great fear of a corona infection, his fear of factual criticism, of inwardly free people like Volodymyr Zelenskyj and him give food for thought Alexej Navalny was locked away in a Siberian penal camp, his fear of the truth being turned into a lie and now leading to a ban on factual journalistic reporting, with draconian penalties imposed. Even in the days of the communist Soviet Union, free journalism was not under such threat in Russia. The former authoritarian state of Putin has become a totalitarian state due to the breach of international law and the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Russia, under the leadership of a possibly paranoid president, is now internationally regarded as a pariah among the peoples of the world. Putin is responsible for this, not his people.
Karin Motz-Glasow
Schongau
I agree with Mr. Mischkulnig’s letter to the editor on all points, but not on one point: to describe Putin as Moscow’s Napoleon would be tantamount to an affront to the French. Napoleon was brave, he accompanied his armies and fought at the front. Putin, on the other hand, only gives orders to kill and flaunts his masculinity with judo fights, from which one does not know whether his opponent will only obey the eventual order to be thrown on the mat by him. However, I cannot agree with Ms. Hübner’s letter to the editor! I think Putin’s goal is to gradually force all of Europe, Africa and possibly the Arab countries – in Syria he’s already spread his wings like a spider – into his sphere of influence. Unfortunately, the West has for far too long and – for energy-securing reasons – too gladly submitted to the adage “If time comes, advice will come”. We would have been better advised if we had followed the saying “defy the beginnings” after the annexation of Crimea. And one more thing: President Biden has stressed far too often that NATO will not intervene militarily if Russia invades Ukraine. This could have been agreed with the NATO countries without making it public, because it gave Putin carte blanche to bomb Ukraine.
Anne Marie Fischer
Wielenbach
The smarter give in. All I can say to that is: until he’s the stupid one. My opinion, too: When time comes, advice will come. The devil only takes his people when they are too weak to serve him. Until that happens, however, there will certainly be a great deal of suffering for all affected fellow human beings. All credit to Ms. Baerbock. She is the only one in the West who has the courage to publicly, loudly and clearly call out this injustice.
Leonhard Prummer
Market Indersdorf
Is joining NATO worth a war? How what endangers the freedom of Ukraine from Russia? It is said that more Russians than Ukrainians live in the Donbas. Allegedly, the interests of these Russians were not sufficiently taken into account by the Ukrainian governments, so that secessionist efforts led to a conflict. The Ukrainian governments have been unable or unwilling to resolve the conflict for the past eight years. Self-government like in South Tyrol or a referendum like in Kosovo might have been possible. We haven’t had communism in Russia for 30 years and yet this country is still being attacked. Former vassals such as Poland and the Baltic states are now members of NATO and the EU, despite promises to the contrary. It seems understandable that Russia feels threatened by another expansion of NATO. Who can still remember the withdrawal of the USSR in Cuba to avoid war with the USA in 1962?
Martin Walter
Otterfing
No one has the right to invade, shoot at, suffer and kill women and children like the Ukrainian people, nothing justifies it. Putin’s fear is democracy, the development of the rule of law, which the younger generations are increasingly demanding. One has to classify Putin as very dangerous, he is waging war against the civilian population. The world is amazed at Putin – since he came to power he has pursued an aggressive policy, from the war in Chechnya, the invasion of Georgia, the occupation of Crimea. The war in Ukraine is entering its second week. Fierce fighting is going on in the north, east and south of the country. It is not a war between two peoples, but between two states that more or less have the same origins and the same history. The majority of people in Russia whose opinion is against this war. Putin is playing with fear, the concern is growing about a nuclear war, nobody knows what is going on in Putin’s head, how his military would follow him in extreme cases. Already 2016 – Debate on the war in Syria with the help of Russia, looking away while dying, a mass murder in eastern Aleppo. The consequences of more than 475,000 deaths and millions of refugees were taken against their own people with the greatest brutality. In fact, the Criminal Court could indict Putin directly, responsible for war crimes or crimes against humanity committed on Ukrainian soil, even if the perpetrators are Russian citizens.
Herbert Clasen
Obergriesbach
