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I feel like setting the record straight concerning the Russian invasion of Ukraine and a few related topics, particularly Nazis. What follows is a long text.
Because it is such a common misconception, I should remind that NATO “expanded” (Finland and Sweden joining NATO) as a response to Russia's attack on Ukraine on 24 February 2022, not the other way around. Until that day, majority of Finland opposed the idea of joining NATO (unofficial polls on the subject were conducted several times in year since 1998). But in 25 February 2022, when Russia's official message changed from “we appreciate Finland’s neutrality” to “Finland may not join NATO, or else”, that's when the President Niinistö felt that Finland's sovereignty is being threatened, and the balance in public opinion quickly changed, to that we need to join NATO immediately in case Russia wants to invade our country next (again). In Sweden, the public opinion had already begun to shift in NATO-favorable direction after Russia’s invasion of Crimea in 2014, but it took until 2022 for the balance to change permanently, and the political decisions in the matter were made following Finland’s lead.
Even if the NATO claim was true, Russia has no business conducting invasions in not-Russia. That is nothing but pure imperialism and expansionism. Even if the claims about Nazis in Ukraine were true, it’s none of Russia’s business. Russia, not-Russia. Russia, not-Russia. Russia, not-Russia. Learn the difference. (And don’t deflect by talking about USA.)
Yes, during WW2 Finland allied with Nazi Germany for a moment. There were not many good options; we most certainly did not agree with Nazi ideals. In August 1939, Nazi Germany and USSR made a temporary pact that secretly stipulated that Finland, Latvia, Estonia, and parts of Poland and Romania, are to be considered USSR’s sphere of influence and that USSR may invade these lands and build military bases in them without Germany retaliating, and in exchange USSR would not impede Germany’s efforts elsewhere. In October 1939, in line with this pact, USSR officials tried to negotiate with Finland about mutual exchange of several territories, but these negotiations were fruitless. As a consequence, in November 1939, USSR attacked Finland, without a declaration of war, in a false-flag operation following an intense wave of anti-Finland propaganda to make the Russian people complacent with the upcoming invasion of Finland.
In 1940, during the Interim Peace, Germany sought alliance with Finland for an offensive against USSR. Finland accepted strategic/tactical cooperation in exchange for receiving weapons and other supplies such as food. This was partially because at the time, Germany had conquered Denmark and Norway, and we were trapped: nobody else could help us recover from the Winter War. However, Finland refused to allow German usage of our land for military operations unless it happens that USSR attacks Finland again. On 22 June 1941, Germany attacked USSR. On the same day, Hitler also announced in his speech Germany’s alliance with Finland. USSR promptly attacked Finland the same day.
For three days, Finland did not respond, in an attempt to remain neutral in the war between Germany and USSR. On 25 June, USSR launched aerial strikes against several cities in Finland. In response, the prime minister of Finland declared that our country is again in war against USSR, and the rest of our alliance with Germany was materialized de facto. The war lasted for three years. Had Finland not allied with Germany, Finland likely would have been destroyed for at least 50 years, probably forever. And this is the outcome that dictator Putin is now seeking in Ukraine, too.
I must also point out that had the whole Nazi Germany not happened, dictator Stalin would have likely invaded and destroyed most of the continental Europe, including all its civilization, freedom, democracy, value of life, right to own private property, way of life, and tens of millions of lives. Today, I feel NATO has a similar restraining role.
I do not mean that Nazi Germany should have won or that they were good-intentioned or that they never invaded any country. Quite the contrary. They even attacked us in 1944 (Lapland war) in retaliation of being forced to withdraw from Finland and as an expression of their disappointment at our neutrality, and destroyed many of our northern cities and towns as they did. Just, that sometimes, it can be useful to have the enemy’s enemy on your side. Many medical treatments are toxic to you, but because they are even more toxic to the ailments afflicting your body, they are still useful.
But unlike Germany whose last concentration camps were liberated in 1945 and is no longer doing those, Russia kept doing gulags until 1950s, and is once again doing them (“filtration camps”). If you need to find fascism/nazis somewhere, look no further: Russia’s where it is.
And today, we see Russia using the exact same methods that they used in WW2 times. Attacking sovereign nations, negotiating spheres of influence agreements with other military powers, spreading propaganda to sell the idea that it’s a good idea to attack a country. The Soviet Union may have disbanded, but Russia does not change.
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