(opinion article)

After russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24, network users began to massively justify the citizens of the aggressor country, appealing to the fact that “only putin is guilty.” Let’s find out why this statement is wrong. Personally, I don`t see a lot of Russian People of the Good Will. Hey! Where are you?!

1) “That’s an order!”

We know that russia’s government elite has sufficient resources through years of impunity for embezzlement and corruption. However, war is a very unprofitable process. The leaders of the army, who had weakened it for years, did nothing to persuade their colleagues not to carry out criminal orders. This hierarchical system works from top to bottom. The intervention was not stopped at any stage. The words “I was just following orders” will not save the soldiers and generals at the tribunal.

2) An information blockade

The cult of the russian media as a standard of fairness has long been cultivated. Ignoring journalistic standards, pleasing the interests of the authorities created an environment for manipulations. Their informational materials excite emotions and turn off analytical skills. The worst thing is that the russians are not even trying to find alternative sources, but they unquestioningly believe and spread even obvious fakes.

3) Uncertain opposition

Precisely, it is completely gone as a system. Liberal media don’t have freedom of speech in a dictatorship time; all multimedia outlets “are scanned” by Roskomnadzor. Real oppositionists are either liquidated or imprisoned, “in FSB pocket” or in exile. This is not enough for resistance movement. Also, rather often russian liberals “avoid” Fundamental National Questions.

4) Ignorance is Strength

Sometimes it seems that russians live in an alternative universe. They know nothing about the tax system, the anatomy of protests, the collective responsibility, the international law, the media literacy… How else can we explain that almost 70% of respondents to the independent poll support an attack on a sovereign country? Though, I heard the idea that almost all sociological surveys in Russia are deep fakes, worth nothing except the price of paper, and 70% could turn into 30% or even 20% of the real support…However, it does not change a lot.

My faith in “good russians” is melting every day. Just only look at the photos of Kharkov and Mariupol ruins! People lived, loved and worked there…and now they save their wounded kids and grannies from under the debris of apartment blocks…So, my faith is replaced by aggression and fear. I think, Ukrainians’ humanity can be restored only by our complete victory over the aggressor and the last penny of reparations paid.