Estonia supports Ukraine because we know the devastation of Russian imperialism

The New Stateman ^ | 7 December 2022 | Kaja Kallas

[Cronos]

Moscow’s full-scale war did not come as a surprise to us, but we didn’t believe it would so closely replay those old atrocities.

Whenever I receive guests in Tallinn ..I show them a room where portraits line the wallse depicting Estonian heads of government before WWII. I ask my guests to look at the dates of their deaths; all lost their lives at the hands of Soviet occupants in the 1940s or died in Soviet captivity. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine did not come as a surprise to Estonia, but we did not believe it would so closely replay those old atrocities.

...I think of the Ukrainian mayors in Russian-occupied territories who have disappeared or been arrested. I think of calls from Russia to “liquidate” Ukraine...we should have no illusions about Russia’s goals. The Kremlin has not given up on its long-term aims.

..The past year made the face of Russian war crimes and Russian occupation visible to the whole world. Estonia, like half of Europe, knows what it means to lose everything. We lost our territory, freedom and a fifth of our population to Soviet terror. What is so shocking is that the extent of the war crimes, systematic mass killings, deportations and torture in Ukraine today is a repetition of the Kremlin’s atrocities in the past.

Since the Russian invasion in February, many have been asking “why?” Why is Russia waging a genocidal war against Ukraine? My response is always: just look at history. The Soviet Union fell, but its imperialism never did. In Russia, the truth about the Soviet past was buried, and with it the lessons from that time. Impunity prevailed. Stalinism returned. Use of force continued – against Moldova, then against Georgia, Crimea and eastern Ukraine. ..

[Cronos]

Since the Russian invasion in February, many have been asking “why?” Why is Russia waging a genocidal war against Ukraine? My response is always: just look at history. The Soviet Union fell, but its imperialism never did. In Russia, the truth about the Soviet past was buried, and with it the lessons from that time. Impunity prevailed. Stalinism returned. Use of force continued – against Moldova, then against Georgia, Crimea and eastern Ukraine. Too many outside Russia overlooked these developments. Russia’s full-scale war in Ukraine should not have come as a surprise.

[Cronos]

The Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania were invaded and occupied in June 1940 by the Soviet Union, under the leadership of Stalin and auspices of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact that had been signed between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union in August 1939, immediately before the outbreak of World War II.

The three countries were then annexed into the Soviet Union (formally as "constituent republics") in August 1940. The United States and most other Western countries never recognised this incorporation, considering it illegal.

[rrrod]

Easter Europe know the Russians.

[2banana]

Genocidal war in da Ukraine?

And, yet, the power, gas and water worked until recently.

And no cities bombed, like in Serbia.

No even one carpet bombing or Dresden like firebombing.

Works Genocidal War ever.

[Cronos]

Yes a genocidal war - genocide is “the deliberate and systematic extermination of a national, racial, political, or cultural group.”

Putin has said that he does not see Ukraine as a legitimate state and the Russian media has called Ukrainians as “brainwashed Russians who need to be re-educated” — they want to eliminate that national group as a distinct entity.

[PGR88]

“genocide” - using the pathetic, twisted language of the deep-state and the left.

[Cronos]

PGR88 “genocide” - using the pathetic, twisted language of the deep-state and the left.

ok so another holocaust and holodomor denier?

[PGR88]

reductio ad absurdum - another pathetic tool of the deep-state and the left

[2banana]

But your own definition this is exactly what the Ukraine has done in the Donbas since the 2014 Coup.

Funny how you ignore that.

[JonPreston]

they want to eliminate that national group as a distinct entity.

Haven't you called for shooting Muslims and nuking mecca?

[BeauBo]

Happy warrior Kaja Kallas, Prime Minister of Estonia - right about Putin:

[dennisw]

Estonia population — 1,331,796

[FtrPilot]

What happened to my ping?

[BeauBo]

I guess I just assumed that she was already married.

[mylife]

zelensky invited this war breaking the Minsk agreement

[ansel12]

Trump has described the Russian invasion as a “genocide” and a “holocaust”.

[canuck_conservative]

that’s total nonsense and you know it

in fact, Russia funded and equipped violent separatist groups to attack Ukraine from within

Ukraine merely fought back, as ANY OTHER country would do, such as if the Mexican Govt. had funded and equipped violent separatist groups inside the US

IF what you said was really true, Russia could have presented its case to the UN and had the whole World’s support ... Russia never did that, because it never had any case ... RUSSIA was the criminal

so stop your lying

[canuck_conservative]

when the Soviet Union broke up, Russia signed agreements promising to respect the borders of each of the newly-independent states

and then Russia violated its own agreements by systematically attacking Moldavia, Georgia, Armenia, and Ukraine (twice)

Russia is the criminal here, stop your BS

[Cronos]

It hasn’t done that in Donbas or any other area. Heck Zelensky himself is a Russian speaker