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This feels like a real straw man.
Now, I am sure that there are still some cold war hawks who might be described as "hating Russia", but even they might just see Russia as an opponent in a zero-or-negative-sum game. Europe generally was fine with Russia. What I am not fine with, however, are wars of conquest. From a utilitarian perspective, we should try to prevent these wars, and the best way to prevent them is to support the victims so that a quick blitz is turned into a humiliating defeat. When this is not available, turned them into years of a costly and embarrassing meat grinder -- while having lower utility -- also serves to dissuade further wars of conquest.
Geographic note: I just checked on a map, and it seems that the Kremlin is not actually located on Crimea, but in Moscow, which is a bit further away.
Remember when the US pulled out of Vietnam, and this lead to a total collapse of their country? Roving bands of former US marines would try pillage Canadian and Mexican border villages, Kansas declared itself an absolute monarchy, missile bases would just launch their ICBM payloads against whatever cities their commanders personally disliked most, Stalinists took over most communal councils and fought the class war using zoning?
Of course, nothing of that sort happened.
If Ukraine retakes Crimea, which seems very unlikely, then most of the probability mass is probably not on them slaughtering every last able-bodied man in Russia on their path there, followed by killing Putin as he personally tries to hold Crimea. Instead, the hypothetical path to victory would be for political pressure to mount on Putin as more and more Russian citizens are killed, finally resulting in Putin withdrawing. (Slightly more realistically, his forces would withdraw to Crimea and perhaps a tiny slice of what used to be Ukraine, and Ukraine would be persuaded to accept the new borders.)
Sure, a loss of the war -- especially after this much bloodshed -- would also be a political loss for Putin, and it is uncertain if he would survive it. But from what I can tell, the key stakeholders -- his oligarchs -- are in it for having a carefree life of embezzling money, not for Making Russia Great Again. Likely, they let him slaughter his troops because they have a good thing going and don't really care too much either way, not because they believe that it is instrumental that Russia controls Kiev.
Even if they decide to get rid of him, they would likely just put on of their numbers in charge. The probability that some doomsday cult running on a platform of nuclear Armageddon will end up in charge of Russia seems tiny indeed.
I’m sorry, but the discourse about Russia I’ve seen both online and IRL since the very early days of the war (and even some before the invasion began) has gone far past “supporting Ukraine for utilitarian reasons.” I frequent several subreddits dedicated to architecture and classical music, and any time a Russian building is posted — even if it was built hundreds of years before this war — or any time there’s discussion of the great Russian composers, there’s a very loud contingent of people either saying that Russia has no great culture, or else expressing disgust that anyone would post anything that paints any aspect of Russia in a good light.
Speaking of classical music, a year and a half ago I attended the San Diego Symphony’s annual Tchaikovsky Spectacular, which always concludes with the 1812 Overture. When I arrived, I was handed a program with an insert informing me that the orchestra had decided — and not informed its patrons until we arrived at the venue — to omit the 1812 Overture and to perform a music lesser-known (and inferior, although still good) piece by Tchaikovsky because “we feel that it is inappropriate to perform a piece of music that glorifies a Russian military victory, while there are Ukrainians dying every day defending their country from this indefensible invasion.” What the fuck does Tchaikovsky have to do with Putin’s invasion? The overture in question was written to celebrate Russia’s army repelling an invading army! It honors a battle that took place two centuries ago!
What, other than a jingoistic, atavistic, propagandistic hatred of Russia would motivate a decision like this? It’s disconnected from reality and causality. It doesn’t even attempt to provide a consequentialist or utilitarian reason why we have to disfavor aspects of historical Russian culture which were nigh-universally beloved before the current war began? It’s very clear that places like Reddit have decided that since the current fifth-generation warfare paradigm involves psyops, propaganda, and control of social-media messaging, it’s imperative to impose a blanket policy of negativity toward anything Russian or Russia-adjacent in order to aid (in whatever way possible, even if it has no basis in reality) Ukrainian morale and international standing. This goes way beyond just wanting to punish and degrade Russia’s military.
About a year ago I had to take Boney M's excellent Moskau off my playlist after a guy started shouting about Russia and how disgusting it was to support them.
It's a two-way minute hate.
Wait… “Moskau” is by Dschinghis Khan. “Rasputin” is by Boney M. Fake fan!!!
No! My precious seventies music cred! Oh what a woe!
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