Although there is war in Ukraine, thoughts turn to Russia because, on the one hand, one cannot help but be horrified by the atmosphere there and, on the other hand, one cannot help but be glad that one has not had to be in the same political space with this country for 30 years. There is no denying that Russia and its inhabitants have always been able to cause astonishment, it is only very desirable to be able to look at them from a distance or read about them in fantasy literature. Unfortunately, this sick fantasy is becoming a reality in Ukraine. I don’t want to go into all the craziness this character is capable of today, but a few important events of the war come to mind that highlight the peculiarities of this mindset.
For example, the episode in the “Red Forest”, as the pine forest near the Chernobyl nuclear power plant is called, because the needles of the trees turned reddish due to radiation absorption. This is a zone where even today it is forbidden to enter, because the radioactive radiation is still too high and everything there is dangerous for life. Despite this (which is impossible not to know, because the warnings are everywhere), the Russian army has built a base there by digging into the earth, swirling the radioactive dust into the air and inhaling it. As a result of this crazy order, which made absolutely no tactical sense, people were sentenced to death. How can this be explained? Simple stupidity, carelessness, indifference?
The second phenomenon is related to the looting by the occupiers. Russian soldiers who were lucky enough to survive and managed to capture Ukrainian property, get to the post office and send packages home with their loot, are now complaining about the postal robbers stealing from their packages. Even funny.
Another news is that after the sinking of the cruiser “Moskva”, an investigative commission was set up in Russia to check whether the sliver of the cross on which Christ was crucified and which was supposed to completely protect the warship was not a fake after all.
Another episode is an intercepted telephone conversation between Roman and Olga Bikovsky, a man fighting in Ukraine, and his wife waiting at home. No comment.
Olga: You’re raping those Ukrainian chicks over there, right? And don’t tell me. Did I understand that correctly? (laughs)
Roman: Rape them and not tell you?
Olga: Yes, so that I do not know anything. What? (laughs)
Roman: May I, yes?
Olga: Yes, I will allow you. But beware!
Roman: Good.
Etc.
Kara 52. diena
Lai gan karš notiek Ukrainā, domas ķeras aiz Krievijas, jo no vienas puses nav iespējams nešausmināties par tur valdošo atmosfēru, no otras nepriecāties par to, ka jau 30 gadus nav jāatrodas ar to vienā politiskajā telpā. Nevar noliegt, ka Krievija un tās iedzīvotāji vienmēr ir pratuši izsaukt izbrīnu, tikai ļoti vēlams, lai viņi būtu vērojami pa gabalu vai lasāmi fantāzijas literatūrā. Diemžēl Ukrainā tā slimā fantāzija kļūst par realitāti. Šodien negribas iedziļināties visās neprātībās, ko šis raksturs spēj pastrādāt, taču prātā nāk daži zīmīgi kara notikumi, kas izceļ šīs domāšanas īpatnības.
Piemēram, epizode “Sarkanajā mežā”, kā ir nodēvēts priežu sils pie Čornobiļas AES, jo koku skujas, uzsūcot radiāciju, ir kļuvušas sārtas. Tā ir zona, kurā arī šodien uzturēties ir aizliegts, jo radioaktīvais starojums joprojām ir pārāk augsts, dzīvībai bīstams tur ir pilnīgi viss. Neskatoties uz to (ko nav iespējams nezināt, jo brīdinājumi ir visur) Krievijas armijas vienība tur izveidoja nostiprinājuma punktu, ierokoties zemē, paceļot gaisā un ieelpojot radioaktīvos putekļus. Šis trakās pavēles rezultātā, kurai nebija absolūti nekādas taktiskās nozīmes, cilvēki ir nolemti nāvei. Kā to izskaidrot? Vienkārša muļķība, paviršība, vienaldzība?
Otra parādība ir saistīta ar marodierismu, ko piekopj okupanti. Krievu karavīri, kuriem ir paveicies izdzīvot un izdevies salaupīt ukraiņu mantas, tikt uz pasta nodaļu un sūtīt pakas ar salaupīto uz mājām, tagad sūdzas par pasta marodieriem, kuri izzog viņu sūtījumus. Pat smieklīgi.
Ar to sasaucas cita ziņa – pēc kreisera “Moskva” nogrimšanas Krievijā ir nodibināta izmeklēšanas komisija, kurai jāizmeklē, vai skaida no krusta, pie kura sita Kristu un kurai pilnībā bija jāpasargā karakuģis, nav tomēr bijis viltojums.
Vēl viena epizode ir noklausīta telefona saruna starp Romānu un Olgu Bikovskiem, Ukrainā karojošu vīru un mājās gaidošu sievu. Bez komentāra.
Olga: Tu tur tās ukraiņu bābas izvaro, labi? Un man neko nesaki. Saprati? (smejas)
Romāns: Izvarot un tev neko nestāstīt?
Olga: Jā, lai es neko nezinu. Kas ir? (smejas)
Romāns: Drīkst, yes?
Olga: Jā, atļauju. Tikai izsargājies!
Romāns: Labi.
utt.