Erasure.

This is coolbert:

Devoted readers to the blog and those merely perusing in a much more casual manner I recommend this You Tube video without reservation or qualification.

"Russia Analysis by Finnish Intelligence Colonel [English subtitles]"

"Martti J. Kari (former intelligence colonel in the Finnish Defense Forces): Russian strategic culture - Why Russia does things the way it does? Presented on December 3, 2018"

As germane and relevant [if even not more so] in 2022 as it was in 2018!!

Key points and takeaway in the nutshell:

* Russia has a "holy mission".

* Russians have a paranoia about foreign dominance/intrusion.

* Russians prefer autocracy. Chaos and instability abhorred.

See further from the Internet web site [as most favorable to Russia] an extract from this article "PUTIN’S WINTER OFFENSIVE" 26.10.2022:

"I [Putin] want to underscore again that their [NATO] insatiability and determination to preserve their unfettered dominance are the real causes of the hybrid war that the collective West is waging against Russia. They do not want us to be free; they want us to be a colony. They do not want equal cooperation; they want to loot. They do not want to see us a free society, but a mass of soulless slaves….I would like to remind you that in the past, ambitions of world domination have repeatedly shattered against the courage and resilience of our people. Russia will always be Russia. We will continue to defend our values and our Motherland.

We have never agreed to and will never agree to such political nationalism and racism. What else, if not racism, is the Russophobia being spread around the world? What, if not racism, is the West’s dogmatic conviction that its civilization and neoliberal culture is an indisputable model for the entire world to follow?…

Today, we are fighting so that it would never occur to anyone that Russia, our people, our language, or our culture can be erased from history. Today, we need a united society, and this unification can only be based on sovereignty, freedom, creation, and justice. Our values ​​are humanity, mercy and compassion.” - Vladimir Putin.

Need anyone say anymore! It need not matter whether any of what Vlad says is true or not. Just that he believes it to me true!

coolbert.