Day 11, Phase 3
The headlines are depressing.
According to my historiography, we’re in the ninth year of World War IV. World War III started in 1947 and ended in 1984 (my recollection1), and World War II, a continuation of World War I (1914-1917), began in 1939. So, I’ve lived during at least two world wars (and maybe three if you believe in reincarnation).
Those interested in the current world war should listen to Roman Bezsmertny’s account of Russia’s botched attempt to decapitate Kyiv. He was with his 83-year old mother in Motyzhyn, a small town 50 kilometers west of capital that Russian troops occupied in late February. What a nightmare.
Roman helped Ukraine with the Orange Revolution in the early 2000s (when he said he stopped fearing death by unnatural causes). I laughed at that part and recalled TBDD dioxin. The case remains unsolved.
From February 2010 to June 2011, Roman was Ukraine’s ambassador to Belarus. He left Minsk around the same time I exited print journalism. That’s another story2.
My legionnaire friends and Det-A deadbeats are nagging me for night vision equipment. NVGs and NODs are hot ticket items for ordinary soldiers and volunteer mercenaries anxious to spot and dispose of adversaries at night. The other day I offered a mobilized friend an ATN BINOX, but he declined because he has a desk job.
“Thank you. Nope. I am not at the front line. But thank you.”
I attempted unsuccessfully earlier this month to arrange for Chien-Chi, the Michael Jordan of war photographer/correspondents, to take pictures of Ukrainians using computerized night vision optics, specifically ATN gear, in the field. I’ll try again when he comes back to Kyiv. It would also be nice if the President’s Office lets him poke around Bankova. That way billions of Mandarin and Taiwanese speakers can learn WTF is going on with Ukraine from an independent — read: not state-controlled China government — source.
I am reminded again of The Sacrifice3, but it would be churlish to continue ranking on Fred. He and the entire ISW team are welcome in Kyiv. I volunteer to give them a walking tour of the capital and show them where all the secret tunnels are.
Before the Coup. Excerpts (1997)
Day 5, Phase 2. The Sacrifice (March 30, 2022)