Let’s see if I have this straight.

> On February 24, 2022, Vladimir Putin sent his armed forces into Ukraine, expecting to seize the sovereign nation in a matter of days, or a few weeks at most.

> For four and a half years, he has pummeled Ukraine — including massive swaths of its civilian population and infrastructure — with missiles, drones and ground troops, killing more than 16,000 civilians and injuring an estimated 48,000 more; decimating their homes, businesses, schools, hospitals, churches, and historic sites; kidnapping thousands of their children; and fire-bombing their crops.

> U.S. and European allies have rallied to Ukraine’s defense, enabling the once-vulnerable country to build both its defensive and offensive military capabilities and to make highly successful retaliatory strikes against Russian military-related targets.

> Punishing sanctions have also been levied by the West against Russia as a result of the continuing war crimes. These include targeting a shadow fleet of ships being used by Putin to circumvent sanctions against Russia’s deportation of oil to its few remaining customers.

> And now, when the European leaders are discussing additional measures against the Russian ships in order to prevent Putin from using the oil profits to finance his war, Putin — during drills by Russia’s Pacific Fleet — offered his view of the situation:

“This is nothing less than piracy and robbery. If this begins to be put into practice, we shall be forced to respond in kind.”

– Vladimir Putin, August 12, 2026

Am I missing something here? Such as, who started this whole mess back in February 2022? Who are the aggressors and who are the defenders?

Doesn’t he have it all ass-backwards?

Well, of course he does . . . and not because he doesn’t know better. It’s the classic Kremlin tactic of “deny, deny, deny,” in hopes that people will buy into it if he repeats it often enough.

And it’s also a symptom of desperation. The shoe is suddenly on the other foot, and it’s really beginning to pinch. Vladimir Putin is a man who started a war he thought would be a walk in the park, but that turned out to be one he hasn’t been able to win and can’t find a way to end without losing face. So he raves and rants and threatens, while his people grow increasingly weary of a war they never wanted, and that now has been turned back against them.

Wait a second . . .

Please excuse me if I sound like a broken record, but — once again — doesn’t this look more than a little familiar?

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
8/13/26