This is from a contact in Crimea. – Natylie
Here in Crimea we (civilians) are fine. Hospitals are full with wounded, hotels and rest homes are full with refugees. From time to time, we bury friends who died in combat or in the operation, protecting civilians against Nazi battalions in Ukraine.
Are we worried? Yes. 80 % of Crimeans have got relatives in Ukraine. But, we saw what Nazi battalions did in Ukraine. I personally saw it in Donbass. Someone has to finish it. I never ever thought it could happen with…my countries [Russia and Ukraine], relatives and friends who live in Ukraine.
We volunteered to be nurses, but so far we were not accepted, as everything is under control….For us this is the next stage of the civil war with cousins on both sides of the barricades. On a higher level , this is the war between USA/NATO and Russia and all understand it.
I watch many US TV channels, [the] insanity of their explanation is over the top. Its info war, on all levels.
The general mood [here] is silent majority supports Putin. After 8 years of war in Donbass with 14,000 killed civilians and defenders, many patriotic Russians ask why Putin waited so long to finish with Nazi battalions in Ukraine.
Liberals of course condemn this war and try to save their millions. [The Orthodox] Church is supporting Putin too. Strongly. It is my personal estimation that up to 70-80% are standing for Ukrainian denazification and support special operation (as it is called) in Ukraine.
Very similar response from my Russian friends. Grit the teeth, get on with it, Ukraine has been a pawn for the West but denazification had to happen anyway. No one is under illusions where this can lead but they are ready. Yes the liberals, especially many young cry ‘stop the war’ but many of them also flee to the likes of Georgia, Azerbaijan et al. It is a tiny percentage of the population. Sanctions are quite often scoffed at, ‘do your worst’ is the kind of attitude I hear often. Russia is not going to break and as we already see the sanctions are causing more problems in the West than in Russia. Russian govt is flexible and creatively seeking solutions (and finding them) the West is ideologically calcified and has few options. Russia has access to billions of people in terms of trade and the biggest most populace countries in the world, India, China, Brazil on its side, this is not only about Ukraine it is a change in world affairs I do not believe the West has yet truly grasped what its stupidity has started.