March 13, 2104
Open Letter to Russians
I don’t like to see people suffer. I especially don’t want to see Russian people suffer needlessly, due to the reckless behavior of their president, Vladimir V. Putin. German Prime Minister Angela Merkel warned that impending sanctions by the European Union would inflict “massive” political and economic damage to Russia unless it backs down from its effort to annex Crimea.
How will this affect the ordinary Russian?
- Russia will be isolated from the rest of the world and so will you.
- The Russian Ruble could be devalued by up to one third and so will your purchasing power, just like in 1989.
- What good is Russian oil when you won’t be able to afford western car parts or non-Russian cars, or even access to buy new ones.
- You won’t be able to send your children to study in Western schools like you do now.
- Forget about weekend shopping trips to the capitals of Europe or even to the local bazar across the border to Ukraine. They won’t let you in during a war.
- Expect long lineups for food, shortages for basics and ration cards, just like in the Soviet Union
- If Russia takes over Crimea and South Eastern Ukraine, the Russian budget deficit (now estimated at 400 Billion Rubles in 2014) will increase by 45% if not more.
- As Putin lavishly spent $50 Billion dollars on the Olympics, has your standard of living increased, as promised by Putin or dropped
- Thousands of Russian youth will be killed in an necessary conflict, maybe someone you know, just to satisfy Putin’s imperial whims.
- By supporting Putin, you are dooming your children and grandchildren to a perpetual life of poverty, not seen in Russia since the Tsars.
Call your government to protest.
Stop Putin.
Stop the war and make the right moral choice.
Wolodymyr Derzko,
Toronto, Canada
