The U.S. government should commend these brave Russians for their heroism in recognizing and opposing Vladimir Putin’s evil. Our leaders should salute them as the true children of Pushkin, Tolstoy and Sakharov.John Francis
PhiladelphiaTo the Editor:Vladimir Putin openly dreams of the Cold War world where numerous countries were ruled by the Soviet Union. His latest step has been to invade Ukraine. The democratic world faces a moment of truth. Do we really believe in democracy, or are we just interested in our own cushy and perceived safe life rather than standing by other democratic countries if there is a cost to pay?Sanctions are fine but take years to have any major effect. In the meantime Ukraine, and who knows what other country, will fall back under Russian control. When Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait, we acted and stopped him. Was it really just about oil, or did we believe that invading another country was wrong and unacceptable?The Cold War ended decades ago, and there has been a long period of peace in Europe and Russia. It is up to the democratic world to decide if we want to slip back into that threatening world that existed during the Cold War.Ray Warren
Mandurah, AustraliaTo the Editor:My theory is that Vladimir Putin had planned on invading Ukraine during the pliable Trump administration, when he could get away with it. Luckily for Europe, his plans were delayed by the Covid-19 pandemic. He has gone ahead, but now Joe Biden is president and NATO is united, so his success is less assured.Winnie Boal
CincinnatiTo the Editor:The monstrous actions of Vladimir Putin and the lack of humanity in his rule over Russia should serve as a terrifying lesson for America. We can see what happens when an authoritarian cements his power through lies and propaganda, when the sycophants around him grovel at his feet, when the media promotes his lies, when a class of wealthy individuals lends him support to enhance their own financial status, and when he and his supporters subvert democracy and fair elections. Sound familiar?Donald Trump builds his American version of authoritarianism on lies, his sycophants grovel in fear of offending his followers, right-wing commentators at Fox News and other far-right outlets spread propaganda and lies, and the authoritarian’s followers show an utter disdain for democracy, voting and fair elections.