The Russian attack on Ukraine was (and still is) a shock for the Europeans.
I suppose that most Europeans lived like war was something out of this world throughout the last decades. Many of us saw broadcasts from countries like Iraq or Afghanistan, but war was something remote in these cases. War in the first half of the ’90s in the Balkans is the first war I remember from the TV broadcasts. I remember how the Polish speakers described the situation of the besieged Sarajevo. Another central theme I remember from the Polish TV stations was informing the Polish society about Hubble Space Telescope repairing. It all happened in the first half of the last XX century decade. Up to this day (I wrote this text on the 27th of March, 2022), war was something remote for me.
The truth is that war knocked on Ukrainians’ houses and other people living in Europe.
I am convinced that it was a shock for the Europeans. I have no doubts that Putin and Russia have already lost the war. Even if they damage Ukraine and kill thousands of innocent civilians, Russia won’t succeed. A real shock is awaiting Russian society. Undoubtedly, the Western sanctions imposed on Russia will harm its economy drastically in the long term. Thus, ordinary people living in Russia will suffer much more than expected. I know Russia will do its best to reduce the sanctions’ impact on its economy. Still, I have no doubts that a real shock will be in Kremlin, I hope, a few months after the sanctions’ imposition. I never wished anyone war. The truth is that I do not want anyone to see blood and fire on the streets today.
I hope that this war will end sooner than later. I merely hope that the fucking Putin will die shortly. Still, today, we must get used to the possibility that war is knocking on broadly defined Western countries’ doors. I hope we won’t be shocked by the prospect of war anymore.
