By Scott Sand
Remember The Sting from 1973? Great movie by any standard - 10 Oscar nominations, 7 wins. The plot thrills and surprises at every turn as two con men battle a mob boss, crooked cops and more. The film keeps you in suspense and leads you to believe that Johnny Hooker (Robert Redford), though not a violent man by nature, nevertheless wishes to extract revenge for his partner’s death. By the end of the film, moral order is restored.
This wonderful film could almost be an allegory of Ukraine's current struggle - the clever underdogs trying to outwit a wily and evil mobster.
The Ukrainian people are hardworking ordinary people who want to have freedom and better lives in their country - for themselves, and for the generations to come. They certainly don’t need to by bullied by Russia.
In Canada, about 1.25 million people from Ukraine have built a good life as hard-working and reputable members of the community. They have done so everywhere around the world: the United States, Brazil, Argentina, Moldova and all the European countries; even the 1.9 million oppressed Ukrainians in Russia contribute to that country's prosperity. Ukrainians represent a very large proportion of the people in Europe.
Ukrainians are diligent, resourceful, intelligent, productive, caring people and sympathetic with the Eastern Slavic nations - Belorussians and Russians, their closest relatives. The problem here is that KGB training, including propaganda, has destroyed Russia altogether with its corrupted leadership. It may take a long time before this ideology will ever change for the better. The next leader will continue to have the same mindset.
THE DEFENCE
Ukrainians may become partisans to fight against the invading Russians and the pro-Russian terrorists. They can do this by objectively working together - men, women and even our youth - using all available methods including hurling Molotovs into tanks and other military equipment thus neutralising the enemy at (relatively) little cost to themselves.
Much of the enemy armour and military power can thus be destroyed. Ukrainian People Power in Kyev ousted the president, and those who are now volunteering in the army to fight for their country have done amazing work and have won back large tracts of territory.
If 450,000 (just 1% of 45 million) of the Ukrainian people were to become partisans and join the fighting men on the front lines, the enemy could easily be defeated. They must plan, and devise ways of how best to defend their country.
THE PLOT
This is Vladimir Putin's war. Why?
- His corrupt Yedinaya Rossia party was losing its position in Russia, and his imperial dictatorship rating and popularity were out of control and going downhill. He needed to take control by jailing anyone that came against him.
- Putin’s pride and control issues are his biggest problems, leading to denials, lies, and cover-ups.
Why has Putin started this war?
- The gas that passes through Ukraine – this was used as control issue for Kremlin of the high debt of unpaid bills by the previous Ukraine government.
- The military Kolchuga radar system industries and other plants producing weapons, aviation parts and other sophisticated equipment used by the aging Russian military are manufactured in Ukraine. The humanitarian Russian “Convoy 200” kamaz trucks have already moved some factory production equipment to Cheboksary, in Chuvashiya, Russia. What will the next humanitarian convoy to Ukraine steal?
- The shale reserves in Ukraine's East could create competition that Gazprom, in which Putin has a strong commercial interest, could do without.
- After the annexation of Crimea there is a shortage of transportation, drinking water is scarce, strong decline in tourism, substantial rises in the cost of living and more. Putin wants a corridor to Crimea by creating a Novorossiya (New Russia), a puppet state controlled by the Kremlin. In Putin’s own words: “We need to start negotiations about a political organization of the society and statehood in south-east of Ukraine.”
- Putin needs to retain power to avoid being prosecuted for violation of the Russian constitution. Part of this ploy is to destabilize Ukraine and create hatred and fear in the peoples of both countries.
- Unsuccessful in his endeavours in a losing war, he is now using the Russian & and Russian-backed terrorist forces through his chain of command to conquer eastern Ukraine, even to the point of attacking a Ukraine navy ship in the Sea of Azov.
THE PROBLEM
This will never go away if the Ukrainian people do not eliminate the ongoing problem of Russia's war of aggression even after Putin is no longer in power, because another similar dictator may well arise from his ashes to once more tear the flesh or Ukraine and its people. There needs to be a close examination of the enemy within, of the corrupt Russian agents who are paid to break Ukraine.
Pro-Russians in eastern Ukraine are demanding “special status” in exchange for peace. What assurances does Ukraine have, now that Russia has broken the Budapest Memorandum of 1994, signed by Ukraine, the Russian Federation, Britain and the US.
This is a war that will not be ended until the Ukrainian people realize that we need to work together - we need compulsory National Service - we need coordinated local defence groups to protect their neighbourhoods. We must sting the enemy. Sting like a bee.
Will you rise to defend your country even after it has claimed so many thousands of lives? Or will you surrender and perhaps face the sort of brutality so favoured by the Russian leadership in Ukraine - rape, torture and mass executions.
THE SOLUTION
Ukraine People Power
- The residents of Kherson disbanded the political rally organization by the local pro-Russians; thirty people from Zaporizhya admitted to receiving money.
- After Novoazovsk fell to the Russians, most of the 480,000 residents of Mariupol along with Ukrainian armed forces are bracing themselves to fight. They have mobilized civil defense battalions - “We will throw petrol bombs on them” said one resident - as they wait for the Russian-backed armoured column.
- Komsomilske pray for peace. Children are donning traditional vyshyvankas, the young girls and women have flowers in their hair.
- Ukraine needs more active residents to defend their country. You, the Ukrainian people, need to create special services to detect enemy agents across Ukraine and within your local fighting forces.
- If each employer in each town allows one paid employee out of 100 employees to serve, Ukraine could very quickly have a force so powerful that the pro-Russians will not be able to defeat it.
- President Petro Poroshenko is trying hard to save Ukraine. He needs your vigilante support.
Putin wants power and control over Ukraine, as stated recently in his speech for “statehood” for eastern Ukraine. He has devised this war on Ukraine. During these months he has said “it’s best not to mess with us” alluding to his nuclear arsenal as he warns US and the world who might “threaten Russia’s interest”.
ACT NOW UKRAINE AND STING - LONG LIVE UKRAINE
Sources & References
Featured image credit Aleksandra Tarasova
