Here's how destruction on the bridge looks like up close.
Needless to say that the Russians are up in arms on Telegram. It looks like some sort of response would have to be made, but then there are also rational voices that urge to stop and think. That strong response is exactly what the West or Ukraine want from us. So we will wait and see.
It seems to me that particularly a section of Russians in Russia, and/or pro Russians in general, are prone to be "up in arms" about many "blips on the radar" quite often in terms of the Ukraine situation in particular and what Putin is or is not doing in general. Further, those same people often seem to lack quite some faith, trust and understanding of Putin and co and the fact that they might know better what is the best course of action, also in terms of the bigger picture involved. Many of those people also seem to have the tendency to be armchair generals, presuming that what they would do, would be better. I can't really understand that, unless those people, generally speaking, are not that well-informed about all the context, nuances and bigger picture aspects Putin has to take into consideration. Sadly, by being so "up in arms" every time something happens, no matter how "small or insignificant" it is, they are playing into the hands of the dark forces I think, who, in large parts, want exactly those kinds of sentiments to spread inside Russia (and within the world of normal thinking people around the globe in general). Hoping to start a revolt against Putin and/or unsatisfaction with him and/or sabotaging his plans.
Yesterday I spoke to a Russian colleague again (formally living in Kazakhstan) and she expressed once again how she didn't quite understand why Putin doesn't do the "Iraq" or "Afghanistan" routine of bombing everything hard and fast (thus avoiding suffering, she explained, because of a quick death). She also expressed the idea that is going around Russian circles that Putin might be undermined and/or manipulated by people in his entourage or "in the shadow" which could explain "why he is doing what he is doing". When I suggested to her that Putin and co might have already started to plan for what is going on now +- 20 years ago, and, once again, that he is doing it the way he is doing probably partly to avoid unnecessary deaths and suffering of civilians and soldiers, she didn't quite understand that either. When I told her that Putin might have bigger plans/considerations, that he has to work with and take into consideration, she didn't quite understand that either, and said to me, that that is all fine and good, but try to explain that to a woman who has lost her son, that "this is because of a plan". I also tried to suggest to her, when she made the comment, that went something like "why doesn't Putin do it like the west would do it, when the west obviously doesn't care at all about upholding the principles he tries to stand by", that Putin tries to uphold and be guided by some fundamental and higher principles that at least one leader/country in the world should stand by and reinforce, while nobody else does it. Therefore, I essentially tried to tell her that Putin is doing what he is doing and in the way he is doing it "because it is the right thing to do" and somebody "has to do the right thing on the global stage when everybody else doesn't do it". She didn't quite understand that either.
What I'm trying to get at here is that I get frustrated that even people who more or less know what is going, and/or are pro Russia/Putin, make Putin's work needlessly hard and put up road blocks unnecessary with sentiments like this. I'm kind of fed up with that attitude of disrespect and lack of gratitude and faith toward Putin which seems to be largely grounded in ignorance. Ignorance of context, history and what it would mean if Putin did it like everyone else would do it. To this day I can't see any way how Putin could have handled things in a better way than what he has done up to this point in time. And that includes so many aspects. Frankly, the way Putin handled things so far is simply masterful, and I can't think of better ways one could handle what he is trying to handle in such a position. It is simply remarkable to me. So when I hear such "up in arms" sentiments and "armchair general suggestions" I'm thinking, something like:
"Give the guy a break and be grateful for what he managed to navigate so masterfully up until now! If he had done any of those crude and very ill-considered suggestion you and all those armchair generals suggest, I'm sure things will have fallen to hell a long time ago. So be grateful, you fool, for what he has done for countless millions, and you personally as well, in that way, and have some faith that he knows what he is doing (or at least, knowing it better than you!) based on that remarkable track record! Be ashamed of yourself for being so ungrateful, presumptuous and ignorant."
End of rant.
️The condition of the undamaged part of the roadway allows the launch of car traffic on the Crimean bridge after 16:00 today in one lane in reverse mode.
No. 28 Simferopol - Moscow leaves at 17:10
The first cars from Crimea are already driving along the Crimean bridge
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