The tragedy unfolding in Ukraine is a direct result of unchecked aggression and a feckless response from the West. We must remember that weakness invites tyranny, and the stories coming out of Russian-occupied territories prove this in blood and tears.
- Forced Russification underway
- Widespread human rights abuses reported
- Infrastructure crumbling under occupation
Life Under the Russian Boot: A Living Hell
Imagine living every day in fear, where a wrong word or a misplaced glance could land you in a secret prison. This is the reality for millions of Ukrainians living under Russian occupation. Inna Vnukova’s story of fleeing her village with her son, waving a white sheet as they escaped mortar fire, is just one glimpse into the nightmare. They left her husband behind, not knowing if they would see him again.
Russian soldiers aren’t just “keeping the peace;” they’re actively erasing Ukrainian identity. They force residents to accept Russian citizenship to access basic services. They are rewriting history in schools and terrorizing anyone suspected of disloyalty. Oleksii Vnukov, Inna’s husband, was threatened with death by Russian soldiers, not once, but twice!
Human rights groups have documented the existence of “filtration camps” where Russians are identifying and detaining anyone who might sympathize with Ukraine. Stanislav Shkuta recounted the horror of being on a bus where soldiers demanded that men and women strip to check for Ukrainian tattoos. This is the behavior of a savage, occupying force.
Mariupol: A City Reduced to Rubble and Lies
Mariupol, once a vibrant port city, is now a symbol of Russia’s brutality and disregard for human life. The bombing of the Donetsk Academic Regional Drama Theater, which killed nearly 600 people, stands as one of the deadliest attacks on civilians in this war. The Russians are trying to bury the evidence.
While new apartment blocks rise from the ruins, they’re not for the Ukrainian families who lost everything. Instead, they’re being sold to Russians, incentivized to move in with promises of salary supplements and benefits. This isn’t rebuilding; it’s replacement.
The former actor who spoke anonymously illustrates the insidious nature of occupation. He says half of his old troupe now support the Kremlin. This is what happens when people are starved of truth and bombarded with propaganda. Even his parents had to take Russian citizenship to get medical care.
Collapsing Infrastructure and Empty Promises
The promises of prosperity and stability under Russian rule have proven to be empty words. Cities like Sievierodonetsk, once home to 140,000 people, are now ghost towns with crumbling infrastructure. One ambulance crew serves the entire city.
Alchevsk is experiencing severe heating shortages, with over half the homes without heat during the frigid winter months. Even pro-Moscow politicians are starting to complain about the disastrous conditions. Residents of Donetsk are forced to collect water from trucks, only to see it freeze solid in the winter.
Putin himself has acknowledged the problems, but his promises of a “large-scale socioeconomic development program” ring hollow. It’s about control, not compassion.
The Conservative Take: Strength is the Only Language Tyrants Understand
The situation in occupied Ukraine should serve as a stark reminder that weakness invites aggression. The feckless response of the West to Russia’s initial incursions into Ukraine emboldened Putin, leading to the full-scale invasion and the atrocities we see today.
A strong America, committed to its allies and willing to project power, is the best deterrent to such behavior. We must stand firm against Russian aggression, providing Ukraine with the resources they need to defend their sovereignty and liberate their people. Anything less is a betrayal of our values and a dangerous signal to other would-be aggressors around the world. We must not forget the lessons of history, and we must not allow tyranny to triumph.
Are we truly doing everything we can to support the Ukrainian people and ensure their freedom?
