I think judging by the posts on this instance, a lot of people here didn’t think that Russia would take military action against Ukraine. I was one of those people. Hell, even yesterday I wasn’t expecting to wake up to this. But I think it’s safe to say that that position was incorrect.
I’ve read opinions from communists on both sides now that it’s happened of whether the military action was justified or not, but it seems that few are reflecting on the fact that we were wrong about the prediction that there was not going to be military action. Personally, I’m very surprised that this happened. I’d be curious to hear your thoughts.
I feel a similar way. I think I have deliberately kept myself from learning the ins and outs of the conflict over the last years because of the language barrier in accessing original sources, as well as widespread disinformation and distorted framing of events on both sides of the conflict as well as unrest inside Ukraine.
For the past few weeks I was under the impression that the chance of an elevation of the Ukraine conflict was high, but would be limited, such as fighting around the Donetsk and Lugansk oblasts, and possibly Crimea. I was under the impression that Western and central European countries were too tied up with very corrupt aspects of Russia’s economy and too dependant on gas and liquid fuel trade with Russia and vice versa for an escalation to go as far as it has and is still happening. Another thought I had was that the prospect of conflict was exaggerated by the USA government (Ukraine said this at one point too if I recall correctly) and media, so that the military industrial complex would continue to prosper and arms companies who line the pockets of politicians would have an increase in their stock price and corporate worth. I didn’t think there would be bombs being targeted at airports in the west of Ukraine.
Whoever is to blame for the conflict or escalation of the conflict, civilians will suffer for it, and that riles me up.