Nancy Gomez26 said:From a purely logical standpoint, this narrative only functions if you view Ukrainians as some sort of 'sub-species.' It becomes much easier to tell themselves that we—the supposedly superior class—simply tripped over our own feet, rather than admitting we were outmaneuvered by an 'inferior' opponent in direct combat. To acknowledge the latter would imply the impossible: that we aren't actually better than them. Worst of all, once you commit to such blatant falsehoods, you eventually begin to believe your own delusions. Putin is leading his people down a one-way street into total darkness. When the day of reckoning finally arrives, the hangover will be brutal.
That’s exactly why they push that angle: the idea that Ukrainians are second-class citizens. They argue they aren't a distinct nation, just a subset of Russians—and even then, they claim Russians are the elite descendants of princes while the others are just "primitive, provincial peasants" who lack intelligence and need "education." Some extremists from those so-called republics have even gone as far as calling for the total elimination of every "traitor" until the very end.
Where Putin is taking Russia is the direct result of his own hand. For years, his main goal has been crafting this image of a massive, powerful Russia under siege from all sides, positioning himself as the sole protector. He brought stability, especially to those haunted by the chaos following the collapse of the USSR. Out of fear that those dark days might return, people cling to Putin—because in unstable times, you pick what feels familiar. There's this constant, pervasive fear of an "external enemy" in Russia, and that fear makes it nearly impossible to see that the "protector" is actually the threat. Of course, while keeping the public in a state of perpetual anxiety, Putin worked hard to build his persona as a strongman through repression—silencing any opponent, whether they were politicians, journalists, or anyone else. Anyone capable of cracking that image was taken out. Personally, I think anyone truly dangerous to him is already dead, and those who are still around stayed alive for a reason. I don't really see Navalny as "opposition" in the traditional sense—he survived as long as he did for a reason. He simply wanted more than what he was allowed to have.
Putin has fully merged with the role now; I don't think he can tell where the man ends and the mask begins. Every public appearance is pure theater—he’s just playing the part. I don't see a bright future for Russia. You have to wonder about the youth—the ones who didn't live through the mess of the 1990s. They might not remember it, but their parents certainly do, and they’ve passed that trauma down. That's why so many young people in Russia are falling into an even deeper hole, and once that hole runs out, there's nothing left but the abyss.