Ken Silverstein
Communism and oppression led to the Soviet Union’s collapse in 1989. But the final nail in its coffin was its war with Afghanistan, which lasted from 1979 to 1989. Indeed, the conflict drained the empire’s dwindling coffers and the people’s energies — a battle fought mainly with conscripts.
Today, history is repeating itself. The Soviet Union has collapsed, but Russia's current war against Ukraine serves as a stark reminder of the past. Throughout history, societies have consistently chosen freedom over totalitarianism. Ukrainians are determined to never again live in a closed, authoritarian system. To achieve victory, they are effectively targeting Russia's energy infrastructure deep inside the country.
“Ukrainians can win this war, and we see it,” says Elina Beketova, democracy fellow at the Center for European Policy Analysis, at a virtual press event.
Interestingly, Putin said a few months ago that Russia has 700,000 troops and could outlast the West. The reality is that Russia is using poorly trained conscripts. By now, everyone is familiar with how Ukrainian troops marched straight into Russian territory just north of Ukraine’s Sumy region. The conscripts just surrendered.
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