[Goose]

There are a lot of bad things the Russian govt/economy have created: the oligarchs, the criminals, nuclear proliferation, etc.  But these are not intrinsic to Russian people.

I'm keenly aware of the rich history in Russia and its contribution to culture: all the great composers, mathematicians, scientists, engineers, dancers, writers, philosophers -- their legacy lives on today in the Russian academy and performing arts, and ordinary Russians celebrate these too.  Obviously Russia contributes to the world economy as well -- raw materials, helium production, fertilizer, energy (hopefully less carbon-intensive in the future), etc.  I have to imagine that most ordinary Russians understand what their govt is doing to some degree but aren't allowed to voice their opposition.  Not everyone has the means to escape, and many have.  So I am waiting for the day when the dictator and military commanders will be held accountable for their crimes.  I wait for the day when the world can welcome ordinary Russians back to full global participation.

And as the climate warms, we'll see more and more of Russia's landmass become arable, and the world will likely need that agricultural production to offset loss of other croplands.  Russia is not poor, it is perhaps poorly managed as they say.

Right now, Ukraine needs to win the war decisively.  It will take everything they have, but it just might be enough.

"There are a lot of bad things the Russian govt/economy have created: the oligarchs, the criminals, nuclear proliferation, etc.  But these are not intrinsic to Russian people."  Really ? History would disagree. I acknowledge the composers and writers of yore, and of course, the Bolshoi (losing dancers now BTW) but make no mistake: these things are not the real Russia where the everyday folks eagerly and culturally and historically default to iron-fist authoritarian rule. Putin is Russia and Russia is Putin. He is the heir to a dismal, murderous legacy of tyranny. And his people, the RUSSIAN PEOPLE, have his back. He wreaks havoc for the the simple reason that he can. He knows his people well.

They are both the Russian people. So are the > 200,000 who BC points out are leaving the country. Nobody understands it, including them.

[Goose]

There are a lot of bad things the Russian govt/economy have created: the oligarchs, the criminals, nuclear proliferation, etc.  But these are not intrinsic to Russian people.

I'm keenly aware of the rich history in Russia and its contribution to culture: all the great composers, mathematicians, scientists, engineers, dancers, writers, philosophers -- their legacy lives on today in the Russian academy and performing arts, and ordinary Russians celebrate these too.  Obviously Russia contributes to the world economy as well -- raw materials, helium production, fertilizer, energy (hopefully less carbon-intensive in the future), etc.  I have to imagine that most ordinary Russians understand what their govt is doing to some degree but aren't allowed to voice their opposition.  Not everyone has the means to escape, and many have.  So I am waiting for the day when the dictator and military commanders will be held accountable for their crimes.  I wait for the day when the world can welcome ordinary Russians back to full global participation.

And as the climate warms, we'll see more and more of Russia's landmass become arable, and the world will likely need that agricultural production to offset loss of other croplands.  Russia is not poor, it is perhaps poorly managed as they say.

Right now, Ukraine needs to win the war decisively.  It will take everything they have, but it just might be enough.

"There are a lot of bad things the Russian govt/economy have created: the oligarchs, the criminals, nuclear proliferation, etc.  But these are not intrinsic to Russian people."  Really ? History would disagree. I acknowledge the composers and writers of yore, and of course, the Bolshoi (losing dancers now BTW) but make no mistake: these things are not the real Russia where the everyday folks eagerly and culturally and historically default to iron-fist authoritarian rule. Putin is Russia and Russia is Putin. He is the heir to a dismal, murderous legacy of tyranny. And his people, the RUSSIAN PEOPLE, have his back. He wreaks havoc for the the simple reason that he can. He knows his people well.

They are both the Russian people. So are the > 200,000 who BC points out are leaving the country. Nobody understands it, including them.