Mariupol, Russia? I don't think so!

 

"This was a stupid war, for a stupid reason, brought on by a sick and stupid man."

To the victor, go the spoils. So says that old adage. With the surrender of the remaining Marines, which had been hold up in the tunnels under the steel mill, Mariupol has officially "fallen". The surrendering Marines have been taken to Russian prison camps, with the threats of trying some, or many of them, as "war criminals". Huh? That is the pot calling the kettle black! The remaining civilians have also been rounded up, put in cars with Russian license plates, and taken to parts unknown in Russia.

Congratulations Vladimir! Well played! But tell us sir, what exactly did you win? I know, I know - Mariupol is part of that Russian "land bridge" thing. And the good folks in Odesa better get ready, as all hell will be coming soon. Once Odesa falls, many analysts think that Russia might call it a day, lick their wounds, and go home (except however, for their occupying forces on the "land bridge").

Seen a picture of Mariupol lately? It is almost 100% destroyed. The amount of money it will take to rebuild this city is off the charts expensive. Will the Russians do it? Don't hold your breath. They just wanted the strategic location of this port on the Sea of Azov. 

But here is the problem for Putin. He had a tiger by the tail when in 2014, he took Crimea. But that was nothing compared to today. First off, the Ukrainians want the Donbas region back. Then they want Crimea back. And they really, really don't want to give up Mariupol. Not an inch of it. So - since the Russians could not topple Kyiv, and thereby get rid of Zelenskyy's government (and Army), what exactly was won? Anything which could be kept? 

It is one thing for a country to take a vote amongst its citizens, and have the majority agree to become part of another country. It is quite another to attempt to suppress unwilling citizens by force. Especially citizens as tenacious as the Ukrainian people. I think the worst job in the Russian army will be an occupying soldier in the expanding Russian "land bridge". They will be walking around with targets on their backs, 24 X 7. 

This was a stupid war for a stupid reason, brought on by a sick and stupid man. The upcoming Euro famine as the result of losing some of the planting season in the wheat fields of Ukraine will be harsh. We are already seeing the result of a wheat shortage in the United States. The land will slowly heal, but the hatred for the Russians will not. Least wise, not for a long, long time.