Eyebrows were raised when FDR and Churchill, in 1943, announced that WW II could only be concluded with ‘unconditional surrender.’
I sense the same concern, when President Zelensky refuses to commit to any ‘peace’ that includes continued occupation of Ukrainian soil, including Crimea.
Whatever the ruminations about humiliating Putin after his brutal invasion of sovereign Ukraine, personally I like the timbre of ‘unconditional surrender.’
When more than 100,000 sons, fathers, brothers, uncles, the cherished men in these families do not return to Russia, nothing Putin says will remove the rage of these Russian families. That will be reason enough to get rid of him.
The count is 200,500+ dead Russian soldiers. Do their families and friends know about the meat grinders? Do they understand that the missiles and cluster bombs (banned) are harming and killing civilians? Did they ever learn about Bucha and Izyium? New fur coats will not be enough to sooth the women of Russia.
Dr. Snyder, I'm sure you saw the open letter in the NYT today calling for a swift diplomatic end to the war. <insert eyeroll emoji> Perhaps you could do a future piece on how well-intended, useful idiots help Russia's cause....
It's so good Dr.Snyder demonstrates how to counter Russian propaganda. People need more understanding of how to disregard and make sense of Russian propaganda twists and spins and fogs.
Tim, it is not just terrorism and a war crime to explicitly target non-combatants, but it is also plainly stupid military strategy. It shows the inherent weakness behind the bullying and bluster of Russia. They cannot attack AFU, they already know how that goes. So they attack civilians instead. And now Russia knows it can no longer do that successfully. Hence the ramp of propaganda and disinformation.
A Russian oligarch whose seized $48M super yacht features an ‘infinitive wine cellar’ wants his boat back - and is suing the UK government for it. Good luck on that one, Comrade 😎
Unfortunately there is a history in the UK of deliberate misuse of the legal system: wealthy politicians, celebrities and media personalities have frequently resorted to vexatious litigation in order to suppress their enemies. Russian oligarchs see an opportunity to exploit the system and take their lead from the example set by these cynical, immoral domestic precedents.
Fortunately, moves are afoot to legislate to stop these abuses. Whether success will have to wait another 18 months for Keir Starmer and a Labour government remains to be seen.
Thank you Dr. Snyder for once again making it very clear what Russia and its propagandists are all about. In a world full of nonsense, you are the voice that makes sense.
I sure hope someone in the White House is on this distro, because Prof. Snyder is absolutely spot on. Ukrainian victory, not simply some sort of ceasefire, is the best way to ensure European and U.S. security. Anything less, and we're doing this again in 2026.
Good column. Fascism in whatever form, whether military attacks like Russia on Ukraine, or autocratic legislation like in Florida, banning books, school curricula, property ownership by certain foreign nationals, etc., must be met with swift and forceful resistance. It can never be permitted to gain complete control of a government or society, even though it has in the past, and we have seen how that went. In the US, massive voter turnout is needed to counteract the creeping fascism in many state governments and in national political candidates. In Europe, massive military support for Ukraine is needed to counteract the actual fascism of war that Russia has unleashed on Ukraine, along with terrorizing civilians. There is no other way.
At a Senate hearing Secy. Blinken just said something like “never say never” to a question about defining Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism. Doing this would complicate things but maybe it is time. Also, time to give Kyiv the air power to defend its airspace and pursue a counteroffensive with adequate air cover and close in air support.
CNN says Biden has taken another step toward F-16s for Ukraine, 4 mos. pilot training in Europe with US instructors. Moving toward having a corps of fighter pilots prepared for the go-ahead. How can Ukraine fight like NATO without an Air Force? Gotta do this.
Thank you for sharing this, Dr. Snyder! And thank goodness for the self-defense systems in place in Ukraine!
I appreciate the analogy you used. I think that is a way to help bring the scenario to light for a lot of people that don't quite understand just how aggressive and outrageous Putin's actions are in this situation. This war needs to end with Russia's completely leaving Ukrainian territory -- all of it.
I am lucky. The distress of hearing missiles throughout the night is not something I've had to experience. My heart, and my actions, are with all Ukraine.
This is the best piece by Dr. Snyder I have read (although I am far from being a completist). It succinctly and eloquently describes not only Putin’s strategy, but how to counter it, while including the very real impact decisions in Moscow have on the people of Ukraine.
Keep up the good work! Ukrainians as well as others were locked up in a prison called USSR from the 1930s if not earlier. The world does not need any more of that. I saw the plowed fields that prevented people from leaving the putrid USSR.
Two days ago, Michail Shishky and Artem Troitsky gave their interpretation of the corruption of Russian language and culture by Putiniism at a literary panel in Basel. Shishkin compared it to the analogous mechanisms in Germany between 1933 and 1945 and mentionned Thomas Mann’s desperate but relentless efforts to save that language and culture in his radio broadcasts from the USA. Your writings represent an invaluable suppor for these efforts by the Russian elite in exile. Never stop working along this line. Thank you
Not surprised that I learned more on current developments in Ukraine from Dr Snyder’s post than everything else I’ve read or viewed in the past 48 hours. I suppose this may be considered hyperbole but how I wish Professor Snyder was either our National Security Advisor or Secretary of State.
Eyebrows were raised when FDR and Churchill, in 1943, announced that WW II could only be concluded with ‘unconditional surrender.’
I sense the same concern, when President Zelensky refuses to commit to any ‘peace’ that includes continued occupation of Ukrainian soil, including Crimea.
Whatever the ruminations about humiliating Putin after his brutal invasion of sovereign Ukraine, personally I like the timbre of ‘unconditional surrender.’
Zelensky predicts Putin will be toppled by his own people. They will ‘find a reason to kill the killer’, said Ukraine’s President.
When more than 100,000 sons, fathers, brothers, uncles, the cherished men in these families do not return to Russia, nothing Putin says will remove the rage of these Russian families. That will be reason enough to get rid of him.
The count is 200,500+ dead Russian soldiers. Do their families and friends know about the meat grinders? Do they understand that the missiles and cluster bombs (banned) are harming and killing civilians? Did they ever learn about Bucha and Izyium? New fur coats will not be enough to sooth the women of Russia.
Dr. Snyder, I'm sure you saw the open letter in the NYT today calling for a swift diplomatic end to the war. <insert eyeroll emoji> Perhaps you could do a future piece on how well-intended, useful idiots help Russia's cause....
Could'nt have said it any more precise, thanks
It's so good Dr.Snyder demonstrates how to counter Russian propaganda. People need more understanding of how to disregard and make sense of Russian propaganda twists and spins and fogs.
A Norwegian guy woke Russian diplomats in Oslo after 2 am with an air raid siren on the anniversary of the invasion of Ukraine. 🚨 📢
May the guilty war criminals pay! #ICC
Why I think about Ukraine every day. And some nights, too.
Good analogy on US and Canada!
Tim, it is not just terrorism and a war crime to explicitly target non-combatants, but it is also plainly stupid military strategy. It shows the inherent weakness behind the bullying and bluster of Russia. They cannot attack AFU, they already know how that goes. So they attack civilians instead. And now Russia knows it can no longer do that successfully. Hence the ramp of propaganda and disinformation.
Meanwhile,
A Russian oligarch whose seized $48M super yacht features an ‘infinitive wine cellar’ wants his boat back - and is suing the UK government for it. Good luck on that one, Comrade 😎
Unfortunately there is a history in the UK of deliberate misuse of the legal system: wealthy politicians, celebrities and media personalities have frequently resorted to vexatious litigation in order to suppress their enemies. Russian oligarchs see an opportunity to exploit the system and take their lead from the example set by these cynical, immoral domestic precedents.
Fortunately, moves are afoot to legislate to stop these abuses. Whether success will have to wait another 18 months for Keir Starmer and a Labour government remains to be seen.
I don’t think Russian oligarchs need any schooling in crime.
Agreed. I was not suggesting Russian oligarchs were learning from the British. I said they saw an opportunity to exploit the system.
Sanctions and #MagnitskyAct are not on their side 😉
Thank you Dr. Snyder for once again making it very clear what Russia and its propagandists are all about. In a world full of nonsense, you are the voice that makes sense.
I sure hope someone in the White House is on this distro, because Prof. Snyder is absolutely spot on. Ukrainian victory, not simply some sort of ceasefire, is the best way to ensure European and U.S. security. Anything less, and we're doing this again in 2026.
Good column. Fascism in whatever form, whether military attacks like Russia on Ukraine, or autocratic legislation like in Florida, banning books, school curricula, property ownership by certain foreign nationals, etc., must be met with swift and forceful resistance. It can never be permitted to gain complete control of a government or society, even though it has in the past, and we have seen how that went. In the US, massive voter turnout is needed to counteract the creeping fascism in many state governments and in national political candidates. In Europe, massive military support for Ukraine is needed to counteract the actual fascism of war that Russia has unleashed on Ukraine, along with terrorizing civilians. There is no other way.
I think that Europe has to get involved, whether they agree or not. when will it dawn on them, probably when it is to late, as usual!
At a Senate hearing Secy. Blinken just said something like “never say never” to a question about defining Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism. Doing this would complicate things but maybe it is time. Also, time to give Kyiv the air power to defend its airspace and pursue a counteroffensive with adequate air cover and close in air support.
CNN says Biden has taken another step toward F-16s for Ukraine, 4 mos. pilot training in Europe with US instructors. Moving toward having a corps of fighter pilots prepared for the go-ahead. How can Ukraine fight like NATO without an Air Force? Gotta do this.
Thank you for sharing this, Dr. Snyder! And thank goodness for the self-defense systems in place in Ukraine!
I appreciate the analogy you used. I think that is a way to help bring the scenario to light for a lot of people that don't quite understand just how aggressive and outrageous Putin's actions are in this situation. This war needs to end with Russia's completely leaving Ukrainian territory -- all of it.
I am lucky. The distress of hearing missiles throughout the night is not something I've had to experience. My heart, and my actions, are with all Ukraine.
This is the best piece by Dr. Snyder I have read (although I am far from being a completist). It succinctly and eloquently describes not only Putin’s strategy, but how to counter it, while including the very real impact decisions in Moscow have on the people of Ukraine.
Keep up the good work! Ukrainians as well as others were locked up in a prison called USSR from the 1930s if not earlier. The world does not need any more of that. I saw the plowed fields that prevented people from leaving the putrid USSR.
Two days ago, Michail Shishky and Artem Troitsky gave their interpretation of the corruption of Russian language and culture by Putiniism at a literary panel in Basel. Shishkin compared it to the analogous mechanisms in Germany between 1933 and 1945 and mentionned Thomas Mann’s desperate but relentless efforts to save that language and culture in his radio broadcasts from the USA. Your writings represent an invaluable suppor for these efforts by the Russian elite in exile. Never stop working along this line. Thank you
Not surprised that I learned more on current developments in Ukraine from Dr Snyder’s post than everything else I’ve read or viewed in the past 48 hours. I suppose this may be considered hyperbole but how I wish Professor Snyder was either our National Security Advisor or Secretary of State.