Last fall, Banksy travÂeled to Ukraine and spray-paintÂed a series of murals that offered a stingÂing comÂmenÂtary on the war launched by Vladimir Putin and RusÂsiÂa’s milÂiÂtary forces. Now, to mark the first anniverÂsary of the invaÂsion, a defiÂant Ukraine has released an offiÂcial postage stamp feaÂturÂing one of Banksy’s murals. It depicts a young boy judo flipÂping an oldÂer man on his back. SeeÂing that Putain likes to preÂtend that he’s a judo expert (he does the same with hockÂey too), it’s not hard to get the mesÂsage here. But just for good meaÂsure, the UkrainiÂans driÂve the point home with a litÂtle shortÂhand at the botÂtom of the stamp. TransÂlatÂing the CyrilÂlic script, it reads “FCK PTN!” And who could disÂagree.
RelatÂed ConÂtent
Banksy Spray Paints Murals in War-Torn Ukraine
How Ukraine’s Works of Art Are Being Saved in Wartime — Using the Lessons of World War II
The UkrainÂian milÂiÂtary and politÂiÂcal leadÂerÂship have been able to fight the RusÂsians and inflict devÂasÂtatÂing & catÂaÂstrophÂic strateÂgic lossÂes on the RussÂian milÂiÂtary. The capÂture of KherÂson has been the biggest setÂback for Putin and the RussÂian Army, this was the first greatÂest strateÂgic loss. The batÂtle of Bakhmut is the secÂond great loss for the RusÂsians and it does not matÂter now if the WagÂnÂer terÂrorÂists can take over the remainÂder of the city, the UkrainiÂans have strateÂgiÂcalÂly won this batÂtle too.
WithÂin next weeks once the mudÂdy ground gets dry and becomes more solÂid, the UkrainiÂans will be able to wage a masÂsive counÂterÂatÂtack involvÂing and utiÂlizÂing the newÂly delivÂered westÂern tanks ChalÂlenger and LeopÂard 2 tanks and Bradley, StrykÂer, AMX-10 and Marder infantry fightÂing vehiÂcles. These batÂtle tanks and vehiÂcles have much more supeÂriÂor fireÂpowÂer and high tech options vs. the RussÂian equipÂment. If Ukraine will have enough numÂber of the tanks and fightÂing vehiÂcles, they should be able to start a masÂsive counÂterÂatÂtack and libÂerÂate more of its occuÂpied terÂriÂtoÂries across DonÂbass, LuhanÂsk and at a latÂer stages Crimea.
The only stratÂeÂgy for the wantÂed war crimÂiÂnal Putin now is to keep inflictÂing masÂsive civilÂian terÂror, casuÂalÂties on the UkrainiÂans and keep attackÂing the civilÂian infraÂstrucÂture to starve them and leave the UkrainiÂans withÂout elecÂtricÂiÂty or water supÂply. It feels like Putin is utiÂlizÂing the usuÂal RussÂian milÂiÂtary playÂbook he used in GeorÂgia, ChechÂnya, Crimea and SyrÂia: win the war by spilling more civilÂian blood, inflict more civilÂian terÂror and keep comÂmitÂting more war crimes to furÂther inflict more fear and terÂror.
HopeÂfulÂly the NATO memÂbers, the US espeÂcialÂly will be able to throw in more weaponÂry, espeÂcialÂly the F‑16 fightÂer jets, hopeÂfulÂly highÂer range MGM-140 ATACMS rockÂets, counter rockÂet C‑RAM weapons sysÂtems to betÂter fight the IranÂian drones and more for air defensÂes to counter the IranÂian drones and balÂlisÂtic misÂsiles.
With such phase this war will most likeÂly end in 2023 or maxÂiÂmum with Crimea’s libÂerÂaÂtion withÂin few months of the start of 2024. The RussÂian forces will be also forced to leave MoldoÂva, GeorÂgian regions of AbkÂhazia and SamachÂablo (so called South OsseÂtia), Nagorno-Karabakh and SyrÂia. Ukraine will be vicÂtoÂriÂous and the RusÂsians should be very conÂcerned about the fate that awaits afterÂwards. With the UkrainÂian vicÂtoÂry the world will forÂevÂer destroy Russia’s impeÂriÂalÂisÂtic ambiÂtions, RussÂian nationÂalÂism and this will save future genÂerÂaÂtions from future wars and peace will defÂiÂniteÂly folÂlow.