I have been following the brutal invasion of Ukraine closely and though defensive support from the U.S. and NATO has been slow walked or denied over the past year, the Ukrainian people and their president Zelenskyy have proven to be fierce patriots fighting overwhelming odds with military might, holding the Russian army at bay.
They love their country and their freedom so much that thousands are laying down their lives. Women, children, grandparents, first responders and other defenders of their nation have and will continue to pay a heavy price.
Orphanages, hospitals, pre-schools, nursing homes, bomb shelters and churches have been demolished and deliberately targeted by Russian grim reapers.
No humane rules of engagement for Putin — just indiscriminate slaughter and carnage of anyone and anything that get in his way. He ran into a problem when a modern day David vs. Goliath arose to confront this aggression named Zelenskyy. An inspiring and capable war leader who united his defenders and citizens in the name of freedom.
Putin and many Russian leaders should face war crimes. But they won’t.
The Ukrainian people are suffering non-stop attacks. Eighty percent of homes and buildings have been completely destroyed by this scorched earth policy. It’s going to be future Ukrainian PTSD on steroids there. Russian and Ukrainian refugees are flocking to Mexico to easily access the U.S.
Putin surely could have inserted some of his friends among them. There are too many world leaders, the U.S. included, who have been compromised by Russia and China.
These green agenda countries, their leaders and activists are complicit and responsible for the mess we’re in today. Russia heavily funds green activists while banking our money from sales of their own gas and oil.
Energy produced under zero tolerance policies for carbon and pollution is effectively increasing this planet’s problem. Does it make any sense to go cold turkey with our own clean standards energy production and be dependent upon our enemies for the same, who don’t follow any standards at all while filling their war chests?
We are using Russia to negotiate a nuclear/oil deal for us with Iran. It’s INSANITY! Check out how much energy and slave labor are involved producing batteries for electric vehicles. It’s a shocker.
The destiny of Ukraine and the rest of the world weighs heavily on the outcome of this war.
God bless the brave people of Ukraine and you, patriotic readers, and your families.
Town of North East resident Larry Conklin is a Vietnam War veteran and a member of both the Millerton American Legion Post 178 and the VFW Post 6851 in North Canaan, Conn.
Meg Sher, executive director of the David M. Hunt Library in Falls Village.L. Tomaino 
