CONTEXT: Why Putin Isn't Wrong
If you're blaming Russia instead of the U.S. for the crisis in Ukraine, you probably believed Saddam had WMD's, the CIA didn't kill Kennedy, and Covid-vaccines are safe and effective.
It would require multiple full-length novels to cover the entire context of what led to this moment in history, but I’ve done my best to summarize the key events along with thorough citations and additional sources to support the narrative as I see it. If you think any segment of this is inaccurate or if something vital is missing, please feel free to leave a comment with your suggestions.
It is my hope that people will come to terms with the fact that, while war should always be a last resort once diplomacy has been exhausted, Putin had been pushed to that brink and is acting precisely as one might expect if provided with thorough, nuanced context.
Don’t expect the corporate media to cover any of this…
1945: The Yalta Conference
While Stalin and the Soviets relentlessly and consistently led the fight against Nazi Germany, they had maintained neutrality with Japan. President Roosevelt and Winston Churchill changed that by pledging controlling influence over Japan to the Soviets in exchange for assistance in helping Allied forces bring about a swifter end to conflict with Japan. “To the victor go the spoils”, as they say.
The Allied leaders came to Yalta knowing that an Allied victory in Europe was practically inevitable but less convinced that the Pacific war was nearing an end. Recognizing that a victory over Japan might require a protracted fight, the United States and Great Britain saw a major strategic advantage to Soviet participation in the Pacific theater. At Yalta, Roosevelt and Churchill discussed with Stalin the conditions under which the Soviet Union would enter the war against Japan and all three agreed that, in exchange for potentially crucial Soviet participation in the Pacific theater, the Soviets would be granted a sphere of influence in Manchuria following Japan's surrender. This included the southern portion of Sakhalin, a lease at Port Arthur, a share in the operation of the Manchurian railroads, and the Kurile Islands. This agreement was the major concrete accomplishment of the Yalta Conference.
Soviet forces were estimated to be mere weeks away from securing victory and the Japanese had already begun offering terms of surrender. Their primary demand was that the Japanese Emperor not be executed, as their people believed him to be a god. Nazi Germany had already fallen. World War 2 was in its final days.
Unfortunately, Roosevelt died and President Truman broke the agreement he’d made at the Yalta Conference. Rather than allow the Soviets to finish off Japanese forces and secure their lands and rather than engage in discussing terms of surrender, Truman tossed integrity and diplomacy clear out the window. He recklessly ordered two atomic bombs to be dropped on the Japanese cities of Nagasaki and Hiroshima.
The U.S. media focused reporting on the structural damage to Japan, refusing to fully declassify the human cost until the 1980’s. Keep in mind that both Nagasaki and Hiroshima were civilian cities, not military targets. The majority of deaths were women, children, and the elderly.
Ever since, the U.S. Department of Education has been ubiquitous in ensuring that American history books do not provide full context, entirely omitting the agreement made with the Soviets and the rejection of diplomacy with the Japanese, in order to protect the “hero” status of President Truman.
Here’s one example from the Truman Presidential library website:
After a successful test of the weapon, Truman issued the Potsdam Declaration demanding the unconditional surrender of the Japanese government, warning of “prompt and utter destruction.” Eleven days later, on August 6, 1945, having received no reply, an American bomber called the Enola Gay left the Tinian Island in route toward Japan.
The is just one of many revisionist lies, designed to shield Americans from the truth. For more on the shameful, criminal actions of Truman and the United States, please read this excellent opinion piece and watch Episode 3 of Oliver Stone’s docu-series The Untold History of the United States.
1947: Aftermath of World War 2
The Four-Power Authorities (France, the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom, and the United States) maintained control over Berlin (including air travel and political status) for fairly obvious reasons. Germany had started both World Wars and the global community was keen on preventing a third. Germany was further split into East Germany and West Germany to further dilute German power.
The Soviets also knew they couldn’t trust the Americans either. Not only had Truman wiped out two civilian cities, an undeniable crime against humanity, but he had violated agreements reached at the Yalta Conference.
Not wanting to be left at the mercy of the unhinged madmen running the United States government, the Soviets began to fortify a nuclear arsenal of their own. This Cold War arms race carried on for decades.
Despite the legitimacy of Soviet concerns, the U.S. never acknowledged any wrong-doing and instead made a concerted effort to demonize the Soviet Union (and all Communists) with absurd and excessive propaganda that still continues today, propping up Russia as a convenient boogeyman for the military-industrial complex and a scapegoat used by the Democratic Party (RE: Russiagate) despite President Obama’s brief moment of honesty in 2012:
1990 - Reunification of Germany
When the Cold War between the United States and the former Soviet Union was finally wrapping up, East and West Germany were in the process of reuniting and were set to join NATO (chiefly led by the United States) The Soviets were apprehensive about this, as they had suffered the most losses in World War ll (27 million or 13.7% of the Soviet population) and were concerned about the potential of history repeating itself, as is so often the case. The Soviets had no reason to trust the Americans, of course, so the notion of the U.S. and Germany working together under the same umbrella of NATO was a valid reason for concern.
In response, the U.S., UK, and France pledged in 1991 that NATO would not extend any further East beyond Germany to preserve a buffer between NATO members and the Soviet Union. While this had been an informal “gentleman’s agreement” and not put into writing, there are documents verifying that this discussion did take place. Despite deep mistrust of the West, the Soviets ultimately relented and a reunited Germany joined NATO in 1991.
1997: The Founding Act
Modern-day Russia and NATO finally had some kind of agreement in writing with the signing of the Founding Act, under which the alliance pledged to
“…carry out its collective defense and other missions by ensuring the necessary interoperability, integration, and capability for reinforcement rather than by additional permanent stationing of substantial combat forces.”
In other words, NATO agreed to focus on building up defenses in already existing member states, rather than expanding and creating offensive combat forces.
Yet NATO proceeded to break both the previous gentleman’s agreement and written agreement multiple times over. Hungary, Poland, and the Czech Republic joined NATO in 1999, followed by Bulgaria, Romania, Slovakia, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, and Slovenia in 2004. NATO military bases were installed in each, further betraying, isolating, and threatening Russia.
By all rights, these geopolitical advancements made by NATO have been grounds for Russia to take proactive measures, yet their government has largely opted to show admirable restraint. As you can see by the map, the whittling away of the former Soviet Union has been steady for over 20 years, already encroaching on modern Russia’s border in the northeast.
2003: Enter Ukraine
The buffer between NATO and Russia had all but evaporated with only two regions remaining neutral: Ukraine and Georgia, both directly neighboring countries to the east and south respectively.
In 2003, Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma sent 7,000 troops to assist the unlawful, U.S.-led invasion of sovereign Iraq, the third largest coalition force aiding the illegal occupation, demonstrating their usefulness as a NATO ally. Kuchma wasn’t shy about wanting closer relations with Europe but also seeking to maintain friendly relations with Russia.
Historically, Ukraine is part of the Euro-Asian cultural and economics space. Ukraine's vitally important national interests are now concentrated on this territory of the former Soviet Union. We are also linked with the former republics of the Soviet Union by traditional scientific, cultural and family ties... I am convinced that Ukraine can assume the role of one of the leaders of Euro-Asian economic integration.
Ukrainian forces helped hang Saddam Hussein, a democratically elected president. Hundreds of thousands of Iraqi civilians were killed, including children. Thousands of women were raped. (No biggie, right?).
2008: A Stark Warning
Then-President Bush rewarded Ukraine by pushing European leaders to offer NATO membership:
A memo cautioning against this was sent by William Burns (current CIA Director) to then-Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice:
Ukrainian entry into NATO is the brightest of all red lines for the Russian elite (not just Putin). In more than two and a half years of conversations with key Russian players, from knuckle-draggers in the dark recesses of the Kremlin to Putin’s sharpest liberal critics, I have yet to find anyone who views Ukraine in NATO as anything other than a direct challenge to Russian interests.
Burns added that it was “hard to overstate the strategic consequences” of offering Ukraine NATO membership, which Burns predicted, would “create fertile soil for Russian meddling in Crimea and eastern Ukraine.”
The Biden Administration didn’t give a shit.
2013: European Union-Ukraine Association Agreement
Noting how difficult it would be for NATO to add Ukraine to its membership without triggering military conflict with Russia, the European Union opted to take baby steps toward that objective. The EU-Ukraine Association agreement was drafted to tighten allegiance between Ukraine and the EU both politically and financially. While this agreement wouldn’t directly add Ukraine to NATO, it tied Ukraine to NATO members, all but ensuring future membership down the road.
Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych had the foresight to recognize where this path would lead and wisely refused to sign the agreement.
2014: Ukrainian Revolution
A coalition of far-right extremists, disapproving of this decision, launched the Euromaiden movement. The most popular group in this coalition, the Svoboda party, combined radical nationalism and some Neo-Nazi features, even using a modified Wolfsangel as the party symbol (a variation of the swastika).
The violent, far-right coup that overthrew Yanukovych and collapsed his government was funded and otherwise supported by the United States to such a degree that Senator John McCain went in person to speak on behalf of the Svoboda party, with Neo-Nazis leader Oleh Tyahnybok standing directly beside him:
In the end, the U.S. funded coup succeeded at installing a puppet government, led by President Perhsenko.
We are not dealing with a transitional government in which Neo-Nazi elements integrate the fringe of the coalition, formally led by the Fatherland party.
The Cabinet is not only integrated by the Svoboda and Right Sector (not to mention former members of defunct fascist UNA-UNSO), the two main Neo-Nazi entities have been entrusted with key positions which grant them de facto control over the Armed Forces, Police, Justice and National Security.
You can read much more about this here.
2015: Minsk Agreement
Ukraine’s civil war led to the deaths of over 14,000 people and displaced over 2.5 million, with nearly half of them seeking refuge in… wait for it… Russia! And you thought they were the bad guys?
The Minsk Agreement was proposed to finally end the bloodshed. It was signed by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), France, Germany, Russia, and Ukraine in February 2015 and later endorsed by the U.N. Security Council (UNSC).
According to the provisions of the agreement, apart from establishing an immediate ceasefire in the Donbass region, the government in Ukraine agreed to make provisions for greater autonomy to Donetsk and Lugansk Oblasts (Regions), the centers of rebellion, by first recognizing the right to self-government and also creating special status for the regions in the parliament. (SOURCE)
Since its signing, 1.2 million of the 6 million people who live in the Donbass region, the primary pro-Russian faction in Ukraine, have since applied for citizenship in Russia due to fears of an ethnic cleansing by Ukrainian Neo-Nazis.
Unfortunately, Ukraine went back on their word and never implemented the agreement, despite Putin pleading that they abide by the deal.
President Volodymyr Zelensky made one attempt in 2019 to return to the agreement, but backed off when ultra-nationalist protests broke out across Ukraine firmly opposing the peace deal.
Putin made a final plea for Ukraine to follow the Minsk Agreement to avoid war earlier this month. Zelensky ignored him.
DECEMBER 2021
Putin issued his full list of demands to the United States to prevent a conflict. Unlike the U.S., Russia wasn’t seeking a war.
Russia sent the United States a list of its demands for defusing the crisis: a binding promise that Ukraine will never become a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, plus the removal of all NATO troops and weapons from 14 Eastern European countries that have joined the alliance since 1997. (SOURCE)
In other words, Putin simply demanded that prior commitments finally be honored. Nothing more, nothing less, and nothing new.
Bizarrely, albeit not surprisingly, U.S. media (curated by the U.S. State Department and sponsored by defense contractors) called these reasonable demands “extreme” (Los Angeles Times) and a “pretext for invasion”, while NBC News called them “bold” and “tough”. Putin directly appealed to Ukraine’s military, encouraging them to abandon their “drug-addicted, neo-Nazis leaders”.
Good idea.
SO LET’S RECAP
Truman violated Roosevelt’s deal with the Soviet Union in 1947
NATO violated the gentleman’s agreement never to expand beyond East Germany
NATO violated The Founders Act in 1997
Ukraine refused to honor the Minsk Agreement
Every step of the way, the Soviet Union/Russia has been betrayed by the international community despite being the country most responsible for stopping Nazi Germany and for simply demanding that there be a reasonable buffer in place between Germany and Russia and, falling short of that, requested that at least the immediate neighbors to Russia, Georgia and Ukraine, should remain neutral rather than become members of NATO.
Such neutrality is next to impossible for Ukraine, being that the U.S. not only helped orchestrate a military coup to overthrow their government and installed a puppet Neo-Nazis government to replace it, but has also made significant financial investments in building up their military to intimidate and further isolate Russia.
Here’s a breakdown of the “foreign assistance” that went to Ukraine from 2001-2020. These are YOUR tax-dollars at work, America.
2001: $144,861,119
2002: $173,270,837
2003: $95,082,336
2004: $133,185,239
2005: $156,874,407
2006: $152,508,373
2007: $153,869,961
2008: $140,962,594
2009: $194,766,244
2010: $314,293,475
2011: $290,418,167
2012: $282,806,424
2013: $254,978,164
2014: $307,086,468
2015: $273,022,949
2016: $518,007,992
2017: $515,397,576
2018: $569,530,03
2019: $595,744,599
2020: $679,710,971
But apparently we still can’t afford universal healthcare or even deliver clean water to Flint, Michigan…?
Despite being royally fucked left and right, Russia refrained from taking military action (other than securing the Crimea Peninsula in 2014, which was already pro-Russian to begin with). All things considered, Putin has shown remarkable restraint; sticking to diplomacy, negotiation, and appeals to reason, even though every deal successfully reached with Western parties has resulted in betrayal with zero consequences.
The United States has been asserting greater and greater influence over Ukraine for years, (as evidenced by the above records, which you can verify right here), so it makes sense that Putin has become increasingly nervous about losing Ukraine to NATO. Why wouldn’t he??
But these investments have been going on for a long time. So what exactly tipped the scales in 2022? I dunno, probably something to do with Ukraine’s ongoing build-up of advanced weaponry Ukraine. Here’s a few sample headlines.
October 2017
Also April 2021
But Russia is the instigator, right?
IMAGINE
Consider if China funded a military coup in Canada, installed Neo-Nazis to run a puppet government, and armed them with tens of billions worth of advanced weaponry near the U.S. border. How would the U.S. Government respond to such a proxy threat via China?
Exactly how Putin has responded to the U.S. proxy threat via Ukraine.
Or worse. Probably much, much worse.
The only difference is that Western nations would rally behind such an effort if it were led by the U.S. instead of condemning it. Since 9-11, the U.S. “War on Terror” (aka War of Terror) which included multiple illegal military actions (RE: Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Syria, ongoing genocides in Palestine and Yemen, etc.) killed nearly a million people. This is a gross underestimate, as the number killed in Iraq alone was over a million, but even mainstream media concedes to the “nearly one million” figure.
Where was the media outrage?
Watch how the media humanized U.S. forces during the unlawful invasion of Iraq, which began based solely on the lie that Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction. At least Russia has a legitimate motive that doesn’t rely on pure fiction.
Here’s Brian Williams on MSNBC literally describing the 2017 missile strikes in Syria as “beautiful”. Disgusting.
Yet that very same, dishonest, warmongering, corporate media apparatus is now reporting the death tolls in Ukraine on a day-to-day basis, as if they suddenly give a damn about civilian deaths and the tragedies associated with war. They don’t. They only care about ratings and furthering U.S. imperialism (RE: Operation Mockingbird).
If Russia launches a preemptive war over legitimate grievances, targets Neo-Nazis and keeps civilians deaths to a minimum… well, the Russians must be pure evil and Putin should be relegated to Hitler-status.
But if the United States invades a country based solely on imperialist ambitions, slaughters a third of a country’s population, drops atomic bombs on Japanese civilian cities, knowingly starves half a million children to death, maintains an ongoing genocide in Yemen, and continues operating a torture facility…
We’re heroes.
SOURCES OF TRUTHFUL CONTEXT:
Glenn Greenwald provided foresight back in April 2021 on why people are afraid to speak out against the increasing but rarely discussed US-Russia standoff”
Tulsi Gabbard criticizes the Biden Administration for refusing to exclude Ukraine from NATO membership, a small ask to avoid a war:
Jimmy Dore and Max Blumenthal provide an extensive breakdown:
Convo Couch exposing the Ukrainian Nazis via French media:
Russell Brand on Western hypocrisy on U.S. criticisms over preemptive invasion:
Kim Iversen reports on Kamala Harris’ escalating, non-evidenced rhetoric:
Matt Taibbi On How The Media Got Ukraine Wrong:
How the US Caused the Ukraine Crisis – with Branko Marcetic:
Why is Ukraine the West's Fault? Featuring John Mearsheimer:
Chris Hedges On Ukraine, Russia & NATO:
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HOLY SH*TBALLS! Thank you, David, for this incredibly informative collection of information that has enlightened me beyond my wildest imaginings! Your presentation is thorough, and I am blown away at all the information you have gathered here. I am grateful to be able to see this whole situation through realistic eyes. I feel very informed about this subject - for the first time in my entire 58 years on the planet! I appreciate the time it took you to compile this awesome presentation. Thank you, brother!!