Qhen Putin attacked Ukraine three years ago, US President Biden said he would no longer be the interlocutor. Many hoped and thought that Putin would fallthat the people would rise up against the dictator. Why didn’t this happen? Because the Russian people have resistance capabilities that we cannot even imagine.
And if our judgment on him can only be the most severe – Putin is a murderous criminal – nevertheless It would be a mistake to think that Putin is weakened today. The Russians allowed themselves to be massacred by the millions during World War II, but they did not surrender to Hitler.
Obviously the context is different now. Hitler was on the wrong side of history; Zelensky and democratic Ukraine are on the right side. But the Russians’ spirit of sacrifice is similar. National pride as well.
Russia in a book
You understand this well by reading an important book. It was written by Marzio G. Mian, long-time deputy editor of this newspaper, a precious friend of the iO Donna community. It’s called Volga Blues. Journey to the heart of RussiaGramma Feltrinelli published it. It is a fresco of the history of Russia, from the fall of Constantinople (the granddaughter of the last emperor marries the first great tsar, and the myth of the third Rome and the defense of Orthodox Christian civilization is born) to the fall of communism.
And it’s a great travel story, through places and characters. The most significant seemed to me to be a woman, a poet. Is called Lyudmila Yevgenyevna Ulickaya. He has always criticized Putin. But in the book he explains with impressive clarity why the Russians – although certainly not all – still follow him. It is the habit with sacrifice and death to make this people so indomitable. That it is a woman, from whom life comes, who points this out is terrible, and therefore even more true.
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