Isn't it time we stopped dignifying this euphemism of 'war' and call it out for what it really is? An invasion of a sovereign country with a licence to commit mass murder, infanticide, rape, violence, torture, pillage etc., all in the interests of satisfying a greedy and selfish lust for power, land, status and legacy whilst destabilising the rest of the world. Yes, there may be countless motives attributed to it in this case: geopolitical (international political relations influenced by geographical factors), revenge, malice, insecurity, insanity etc). But, in my view, the root cause here is an insatiable, autocratic, acquisitive addiction to greed.

Ukraine is in Eastern Europe and shares a border with Russia. It used to be part of the Soviet Union but became an independent country in 1991. Putin has long bitterly resented this, believing that they are one people and should be reunited as such. His ambitions go beyond preventing a Ukrainian NATO membership and encompass a more thorough aspiration to dominate Ukraine politically, militarily and economically. He wants to be the person to pull Ukraine back into Russia's orbit under his watch which could then assure his presidency up to 2036.

Stanza 1 - His success in the annexation of Crimea and intervention in Donbas in 2014, has encouraged him in his ambition to take control over the whole country. He sees the current democratically elected leadership as illegitimate and has tried without success to install a pro-Russian puppet leader.

Stanza 2 & 3 - He failed to read the Ukrainian strong sense of identity and believed that, at least in the eastern part of the country, the people would willingly accept reintegration into a Russian sphere of influence. His calculations were proved dramatically wrong.

Stanza 4 - When he sent up to 200,000 soldiers into Ukraine on 24 February 2022 at the start of the war, he wrongly assumed he could sweep into the capital Kyiv in a matter of days and depose the government.

Stanza 5 - What he failed to comprehend was that the people of Ukraine, despite ties with people in Russia, loved and honoured their country and would resist to the hilt this illegal invasion. They would also get the full backing of the Western World, appreciative of the fact that Putin's avaricious ambitions would never stop at Ukraine and a third World War could therefore be threatened.

Stanza 6 - He has previously referred to Ukraine as "the crown jewel of Russia," steeped in an historic era which he yearns, not least for its architectural and artefactual majesty and significance. Yet he razes it to the ground. While Ukraine continues to suffer from this horrifically destructive war, Putin's insatiable ambitions show no sign of abating.

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