Vladimir Putin looks lonely. There are photos of him sitting at the far end of the long table with his generals clustered around the other end of it. The Russian president has fired 1,000 employees out of fear for his own safety. But such isolation does not serve him, because he does not get appropriate feedback. For instance, a battalion in one of his most loyal countries, Belarus, just bailed on him.
The former U.S.S.R. country Belarus noticed that Putin has made public he wants to draw 20,000 troops out their country and march them into Ukraine, according to The Daily Beast. The people have not had the training of Russia’s troops, and Putin has used those soldiers as cannon fodder. Everywhere we looked, the number of Russian troops killed in 27 days was estimated somewhere between 7,000 and 14,000 depending upon whom was asked. For comparison, at the height of the Vietnam War, about 2,000 soldiers died in the deadliest month, The Government Casualty Records.
The Belarusian soldiers have watched as Putin has bombed a formerly beautiful seaside city, Mariupol, into smithereens. The Russian president intentionally bombed a maternity/children’s ‘hospital, a school where 400 Ukrainians sought refuge, and a drama center where 1300 individuals hid. The bombing has been so continuous that rescuers have not been able to free the survivors. Putin had his soldiers bomb the only access to the outside.
A volunteer regiment member made public a video announcing that its members would “de-blockage’ the isolated city, according to The Express. It would send troops into the under-siege city, Mariupol. The Russian president’s medieval strategy has been encircle a city, bomb it relentlessly, then declare it conquered.
In the video, a Belarusian trooper said:
“For three weeks already, the whole of Ukraine is fighting the Russian invaders. The most difficult situation is near Mariupol, which is surrounded. Russia is conducting a true genocide there. They want to wipe Mariupol from the face of the Earth. Mariupol must be de-blockaded. The whole world community should be talking today about Mariupol.’
‘We will provide support to all residents of Mariupol and will be trying to help Ukraine to de-blockade Mariupol. Mariupol is a Ukrainian city and it will remain so.’
Then, in a show of solidarity with Ukraine, Belarus’ soldiers chanted as one:
‘Glory to Ukraine. Glory to the heroes. Long live Belarus.’
A news outlet in Belarus, Nexta, released the video dubbed “The Belarusian Volunteer Battalion.” It was named in honor of a historical figure, Kastus Kalinovsky. He was an underground newspaper owner and leader of Belarus’ uprising against Russia, according to The Belarus Guide. Perhaps, they have a long memory:
‘The Belarusian Volunteer Battalion named after Kastus Kalinovsky will come to help the Armed Forces of Ukraine in breaking the blockade of Mariupol. Many Belarusians are fighting on the side of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and the flow of volunteers does not stop growing.’
The soldiers who offered to fight the Russian troops went public in spite of certain retribution when they go back to Belarus.
Three White Lions is Gloria Christie’s new serialized book available in episodes on Amazon. Go to Kindle Vella and insert her name. She also writes for the liberal online newspaper The Bipartisan Report. Gloria Christie Report her newsletter for people on the go. Written in her own unique style with a twist of humor in a briefer version of Bipartisan Report. Christie’s Mueller Report Adventures In Bite-Sizes a real-life compelling spy mystery. Find her here on Facebook.
