Putin’s Sick Victory Tour in Mariupol: A Wake-up Call to the Risks in Ukraine

A year after his forces destroyed 90% of Mariupol, leveled a children’s hospital and a theater used as a shelter for civilians, and expelled at least 70% of the population, Vladimir Putin flew into the gorgeous Ukrainian city of Central. a night Message publicity tour.

This is one way to answer condemnation of the United Nations as a war criminal and An arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court for the same thing.

But this was more than a middle finger for all Western advocates of “soft power” as a way to fight evil.

First, it was a stunt for the Russian public, which is quietly turning against Putin’s “special military operation” to “de-Nazify” Ukraine. Having cost more lives to the Russians than the Soviet Union’s debacle in Afghanistan did, it is now entering its second year when it should have ended in a week or so.

Secondly, it was a sign of defiance to Western leaders in the hope that they would somehow get Putin to agree to end the war. The bully will keep whatever he’s taken so far, get the message across; You have to get Kiev to accept that if you want the killing and destruction to stop.

However, Ukraine still challenges: “The criminal always returns to the crime scene,” An aide to President Volodymyr Zelenskiyot on Twitter.

West must answer through escalation Its support of the conquered nation, not that it hasn’t already You have a good reason Let’s do it

The mass rapist and murderer just did The dance of victory over the corpses of his victims. Everyone who speaks out and stumbles about helping fight this horror needs to take this as a wake-up call.