Dearest Lemmygrad,

I don’t feel very sorry for the imperial core for getting inflation. Obviously poor people suffer the most, but up until recently that’s all who anything has ever affected. Now the commoner is being affected. It seems to me regular people in the imperial core have been the most passive slaves in history. They, and I could include myself at times, have been such comfortable slaves that they don’t really care what happens in the world. Not everyone obviously. It’s very much a NIMBY kind of attitude. But as soon as the consequences of imperialist military adventurism knocks on their door in the form of the Russian-Ukraine conflict, everyone freaks out. It turns into a both sides argument.

To me, from a global south country, I say good riddance. People have often wondered what it will take for the west to rise up. I say, nows the time. If Russia has proven anything is that the west is full of shit and that they can be challenged. Much of the west is so full of racist, xenophobic, lumpen proles reactionary, colonialist and imperial leeches. It’s like, damn, something that happens in the world is actually affecting you? So sad. Cry me a river. Welcome to the club of what life is like for everyone else. Maybe now you’ll wake the fuck up and do something to get rid of those golden chains of unbridled consumerism you have so happily worn for so long.

Maybe the white-supremacist ideology of the west will crumble once Russia has a victory in Ukraine. For we all know, if anyone cared ab Ukrainian lives, the west would’ve surrendered or entered negotiations months, if not years ago. No, Russia is not some sort of ally, anti-imperialist or even socialist. Maybe their govt is kind of a joke. It will not be socialist, at least under putin. But I don’t really care at this point. The west needs to humble itself. Overall, it’s good for communists worldwide to know their resistance can prevail! Especially now that the west has shown it’s true colors.

Tl;dr I’m glad Russia is winning. The west’s racist ideology is crumbling. This probable victory helps show social movements can resist and overcome western aggression. The west can’t even beat their own pariah.

I feel shitty for thinking like this, but I can’t help but feel justified…? maybe I’m just a big ol’ callous asshole. Maybe it’s both.

Cheers, Samubai

      • That’s entirely reasonable, IMO. Although Zelensky doesn’t seem to actually have much power compared to the Nazis in the national guard, he’s clearly willing to use Ukrainian civilians as meat shields and hostages, he’s apparently OK with the Nazis continuing to murder civilians in the Donbas, and he’s completely unwilling to consider Russia’s security concerns

  • GloriousDoubleK@lemmygrad.ml
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    22
    ·
    3 years ago

    Im from America. The inflation freaks me out. God almighty! I hope Russia wins AND the Donbass gets a chance to execute yankee mercs.

    FUCK. I hope every proud little squealing yankee settler shit on reddit feels it deep in their bone marrow.

    May China settle things with Taiwan and if any settler mother fucks makes that difficult, then I hope every one of them ends up feeding. SCS wildlife and their families never see them again.

    Beat westerners until they become good, productive people.

    To hell with America specifically.

  • Muad'Dibber@lemmygrad.mlM
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    16
    ·
    3 years ago

    Also wanna add that the CPRF ( which is the 2nd largest party in Russia, contrast with Ukraine which has effectively outlawed the communist party since 2014 ), supports the war.

    Their reasoning is extremely solid and that article should be read by all the ppl who think russia is “doing an imperialism.”

  • CosmonautCat@lemmygrad.ml
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    14
    ·
    3 years ago

    I came to some very similar conclusions, and I started from the position that while NATO is definitely guilty of escalating and Ukraine did have a nazi problem, invasion was unjustified and Russia should be condemned. However, after several months of witnessing the west completely tear off the mask of liberal civility to the point where people are openly pushing racist rhetoric and calling for the mass suffering and death of Russians and the balkanization of their country, I just want to see them humbled.

    I was even willing to write off the more disgusting SLS material as just terminally online edgelords, but the moment it really hit me was back in March or so iirc when an Ukrainian cultural org of sorts posted on social media a whole bunch of hogwash about how Ukrainians are civilized european farmers while Russians are asiatic mongoloid savages. That was when I really processed what Ukraine stands for and what the west is cheering on, and I truly think there is no way the world will be in a better state if Ukraine wins this conflict. The rotten mass that is the west needs to crumble for humanity to progress and, even with all their very real flaws, Russia is doing their part in giving them a bloody nose.

    • Alex
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      1
      arrow-down
      10
      ·
      3 years ago

      I am Russian and I wish this war never started. Btw, if Russia act more friendly and was aimed to partnership instead of confrontation, NATO will be dismissed years ago. The only reason NATO has funding from its countries is fear. So they made Putin (gosh I hate him so much) their personal scarecrow to get more financial support.

      That’s my perspective.

      • ☭CommieWolf☆@lemmygrad.ml
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        11
        ·
        3 years ago

        So you say that the solution is to just give up and let Nato roll over and dominate all of us whenever they please? We are talking about an imperialist organization that has manufactured Cassus-belli on numerous occasions with no evidence and on false pretense. Do you think that giving in and allowing yourselves to be surrounded by Nato states will save you? Or will you face the same consequences as Ukraine did since their color revolution in 2014?

      • CosmonautCat@lemmygrad.ml
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        7
        ·
        3 years ago

        I’m not Russian and could very well be misinformed on this, but to my knowledge, Putin had been fairly friendly towards NATO and actually tried to cooperate and coexist up until the late 00s. In addition to that, NATO’s eastwards expansion after the Cold War is something that NATO’s own analysts warned against on the grounds that it would constitute a real security threat towards Russia.

        I don’t think anyone here actually wished for war, but the reality is that NATO, a deFeNsiVe orGanIzaTIon with a proven track record of attacking countries on flimsy or just flat-out made-up accusations, actively chose to continue expanding towards Russia’s borders, all the while knowing it would constitute a real threat. I know mainstream media likes to paint Putin as a lunatic who woke up one morning and randomly decided to invade his neighbor because cancer or legacy or something, but keeping in mind NATO’s post Cold War track record, what exactly would you consider to have been a better option? Just let Russia get surrounded and hope that the explicitly anti-Russia alliance will be a merciful master?

        Not trying to defend Putin or anything, he’s obviously not a socialist or any sort of anti-imperialist ally, but on the matter of this war, I can’t really blame him for doing a rational geopolitk moment. He is bad, but NATO is worse, not on moral grounds but on material, actual capacity to oppose global socialism and keep the world firmly under imperialist oppression grounds. Even if NATO magically disappeared tomorrow, Putin’s Russia would not be able to magically pull the result of decades of consolidated hegemonic power out of its ass. There are no good sides to the conflict for us to give our support to, but, once again, I honestly think that a Ukraine/NATO victory would be a worse outcome materially.

  • JohnBrownEnjoyer@lemmygrad.ml
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    13
    ·
    edit-2
    3 years ago

    Like others have said, unless your sentiment extends to normal, non-Nazi Ukrainians caught up in the middle of US/NATO geopolitical bullshit, you’re not an asshole.

    I personally kinda support Russia and the Donbas republics. The way I see it, this was ultimately just a “fuck around and find out scenario”— the result of the West deciding to still make an enemy out of Russia even after the USSR collapsed, instigating a color revolution with heavy fascist elements in Ukraine, leading to rampant anti-Russian sentiment and the shelling of the Donbas region by the post-Maidan regime.

    I also support Russia because, as many other comrades here are saying, the West needs to be served a slice of humble pie. I hope that a Russian/Donbas victory shatters the minds of all those brainwashed, bloodthirsty liberal hawks.

  • frippa
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    13
    ·
    3 years ago

    In the end they are 2 autocratic capitalist governments, the reason why we should support Russia is because it’s threatening NATO expansion in Eastern Europe, and because it’s supporting local governments like LNR/DNR. They’re also (one of) the biggest threats to NATO (US) hegemony over the world.

  • 201dberg@lemmygrad.ml
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    7
    ·
    3 years ago

    I’m all about the fall of the west but it will not end the xenophobia, racism, sexism, etc. It will decay into fascism as it was always intended to do. That’s why the police force of the US has a budget that would make it the words third largest military and it’s sole purpose it to keep it’s citizens enslaved by the oligarchy. Most of the libs will fall in line when the police start mass shooting protestors. The only way I see the US not being fascist is if outside forces actually defeat them and also manage to avoid nuclear war.

    • Samubai@lemmygrad.mlOP
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      3
      ·
      3 years ago

      Yes, but it doesn’t have to end in fascism. We are communists. Many of you are in the west. This is the moment to find willing party and people leaders. The west has an opening for fascism, but this is also an opening for communists. Who will take the best advantage of this situation? That’s the question in my mind.

      This moment might not end racism. But it is a blow to it.

  • guojing
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    6
    arrow-down
    1
    ·
    3 years ago

    Inflation has nothing to do with the war, it already started much earlier. The main reason is that central banks are printing endless money for years now, and more money with same amount of products means things get more expensive. Sanctions also have an effect, but these were obviously not introduced by Russia.

  • Alex
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    5
    arrow-down
    1
    ·
    3 years ago

    Maybe western leaders gain even more power and support after this invasion? They now can do whatever they want and justify all their actions with Russian-Ukrainian war. How do you think?

  • Flannel Bear
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    10
    arrow-down
    12
    ·
    3 years ago

    There are no good sides in this war. One side is NATO, other side is a capitalist dictator. Both sides are full of Nazis. No matter who wins, the proletariat loses. NO WAR BUT THE CLASS WAR YOU DAMN REVISIONISTS!

    • Ratette (she/her)@lemmygrad.ml
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      10
      arrow-down
      4
      ·
      3 years ago

      Yep.

      Support to the independent regions for breaking away from a Nazi state that slaughters them for being ethnically Russian and not respecting their sovereignty.

      I’m not going to praise or offer support for putin as a fucking capitalist power but I’m not going to pretend I don’t blame NATO for kick starting this entire chain of events.

      As another commenter said, it’s weird to support a country you aren’t from or live in. Do I understand why Russia have done what they’ve done? Yes I guess because more NATO imperialism and the suffocation of their borders by a intentionally sly and proactive westoid collective. Do I agree or support Putin and his government? No lol wtf I’m a communist.

      Anti NATO all the way but I’m not going to naively pretend Putin is some lefty adjacent principled capitalist.

      The victims here are the proletariat of Ukraine and the proletariat of Russia who lost jobs due to scummy and callous western sanctions.

      I get peoples passion for hating NATO, I do because I’m the same but if there’s one stupid meme I could use to sum up some of the ML support for Putin it’s “siding with homophobic capitalists to own the libs”. I find that a bit cringe.

        • Ratette (she/her)@lemmygrad.ml
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          2
          ·
          edit-2
          3 years ago

          Yep.

          But to be fair as I think about it, I think a lot of it becomes conflated with what is russian critical support vs simping for putin becomes blurred in memes and jokes etc in the same way that I’ve got no issue with russia and sympathise and support them stomping out nazism and pushing back against NATO yet I myself have conflated that with Putin several times and probably not articulated myself correctly.

      • Samubai@lemmygrad.mlOP
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        3
        ·
        3 years ago

        I guess I’m not supporting Russia as a communist. I’m supporting Russia as someone who is sick of white white supremacist geopolitical hubris of the west.

        • Ratette (she/her)@lemmygrad.ml
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          3
          ·
          3 years ago

          That I can totally appreciate, it’s not even Russia that are the issue for me. Russia are a country with a based history that were illegally sold to corrupt capitalist pigs, the proletariat I’m in full support off. Its just when people simp for putin specifically it always feel a bit weird to me.

    • Samubai@lemmygrad.mlOP
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      3
      ·
      3 years ago

      I get proles suffer here. I’ll say this to you too. Maybe I’m not supporting a Russian victory from a communist perspective. But I do think the unfolding fuel, inflation and food crisis the west is facing can bring an important opportunity for communists everywhere 🌍. Or shouldn’t communists be on the lookout and anticipate these kinds of opportunities? The west is weakening. Tactically, this is the moment to take out it’s knees. We can miss it.

      • Flannel Bear
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        1
        arrow-down
        3
        ·
        3 years ago

        How do you propose to do this? The left isn’t organized in any significant way.

        • Samubai@lemmygrad.mlOP
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          4
          ·
          3 years ago

          By acting. Who am I to speak on the how? We all live in specific situations. We have Mao, we have Lenin, we have uncle Ho as guides. I think any sort of community creation without coyness or fanaticism will help us move progressively toward our goals. Build a socialism that materially benefits your community. I can’t say I know any further steps.

  • NothingButBits@lemmygrad.ml
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    7
    arrow-down
    15
    ·
    3 years ago

    No you are not, but I think it’s wrong to support the invasion of Ukraine. Here are some points to consider:

    • Russia didn’t try to create any consensus in the UN. They are part of the Group of Friends in Defense of the Charter of the United Nations, which claims to uphold the UN charter. Russia’s invasion pretty much trashes this.
    • Russia is destroying Ukraine and creating a humanitarian disaster, this is despicable. Yes Ukraine is filled with Nazis, yes they use their own civilians as shields, but it’s still Russian missiles and shells that are destroying Ukrainian infrastructure.
    • Honestly if they were going to invade they should’ve done it 2014. They allowed NATO to build up Ukraine’s defenses for 8 years.
    • It allows NATO propagandists to create a bogeyman and justify it’s existence. This makes anti-war groups job incredibly harder.

    I think the PSL’s position is the best. They condemn NATO for this escalation. They do not condemn Russia nor support them in this invasion.

    • TheConquestOfBed
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      16
      ·
      3 years ago

      Honestly, I think the concept of “supporting” a foreign government that you have no influence over is silly anyway. It’s possible to simultaneously agree and disagree with the contradictions in a large multifaceted entity. You might even say it’s dialectical to recognize those contradictions. Nothing is ever black and white.

      • NothingButBits@lemmygrad.ml
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        3
        ·
        3 years ago

        The idea is that you make enough noise in your own country, to force your government to adopt your position. Of course that’s impossible now in NATO countries, since the propaganda is deafening and everyone thinks Russia is coming to invade us.

    • ☭CommieWolf☆@lemmygrad.ml
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      12
      ·
      edit-2
      3 years ago

      The last point about the invasion creating a bogeyman is totally inconsequential. Before the conflict in Donbass flared up, Russia was always seen as an enemy and a bogeyman. They (NATO) have always been drumming up manufactured consent and would do so regardless of the facts.

      Just look at China, who hasn’t attacked anyone in decades. They are beating the drums of war based on total fabrications and propaganda lies. Whether there’s an invasion or not, this is how NATO operates.

    • GloriousDoubleK@lemmygrad.ml
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      7
      ·
      3 years ago

      PSL is wrong and going by their attitude; if they were in Russia’s driver seat; they would roll over and show belly while Russia got surrounded by advanced NATO weapons until the safest option they would have is to split up Russia just to save lives.

      It is past time we should be talking about NATO as the existential immediate threat to humanity it actually is.

      • NothingButBits@lemmygrad.ml
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        2
        arrow-down
        2
        ·
        3 years ago

        European communist parties go as far as condemning both NATO and Russia. So the PSL is far more lenient in this case.

        • GloriousDoubleK@lemmygrad.ml
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          6
          ·
          3 years ago

          With all due respect; their opinions are both immaterial and they both need to stop pretending that there is a version of the imperialism they condemn that isn’t necessarily expansionist and militarist.

          Either the USA is trying to take over the world or they aint. And evidence suggests that they arent sitting around being defensive like Russia and China does.

          How many tines does Europe and America have to prove to the world their entire existence is nothing less than a deliberate provocation at every moment?

          • Samubai@lemmygrad.mlOP
            link
            fedilink
            arrow-up
            2
            ·
            3 years ago

            Lol fr. I mean the war in Ukraine isn’t even over and they’re already salivating over Taiwan.