I am very sympathetic to both sides in the current mess in Europe but I am especially sympathetic to the Russian people. To a certain degree, I understand their mindset. They are creatures of war - as I am. I was born in London at the beginning of the war and did not leave until 1945, when we moved to Canada.
My mother and I survived the bombings in London during WW2 while my father spent 5 years on the front lines. The war destroyed my mother and father permanently. At the end of the war they were only husks of human beings. As for me, I suffered the effects of prolonged malnutrition. My teeth started to fall out when I was very young. I had my first dentures when I was in my early teens. And I could barely walk a mile before exhaustion would set in. All of us suffered from weakened immune systems. You would not believe the diseases we suffered in our household. Our house was quarantined several times when I was a kid.
But the effects of the war on my family pale in comparison to suffering of the Russian people.
I understand the Russian longing for political stability. While we in the west take creature comforts for granted, people who have gone through war are just happy to have confidence that there will be food on the table. I share with Russians a distrust of good times. Good times make me nervous. If I were to tell you that I am happiest when I am sad, would you understand? A Russian would.
https://konstantinkisin.substack.com/p/why-russians-support-putin?s=r
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