Servant of the People

Worth dropping in on…

Mariya: What are you watching?

Stanislav: Servant of the People. Zelensky before he became president.

Mariya: Is it any good?

Stanislav: It’s satirical. It’s funny. It’s great.

Mariya: Corruption?

Stanislav: Aplenty. Politicians
controlled by oligarchs but you never see more than half their face. A teacher who wins 73% of the presidential vote because a student posted a social media video of him which went viral.

Mariya: So Zelensky plays as president?

Stanislav: Which is what he became in real life.

________________

Voice-over

A television series 2015-2019 that started as fiction and ended as fact. But who would have guessed that Zelensky would end up in such a beleaguered role in an ideologically-driven war? Fighting for his country’s life against an unfortunately-governed Russia. 

Helping a crisis from afar

Watching the invasion news…

Sofiya: Outrageous. Villainous. Monstrous. 

Mykhailo: It was unspeakable. Unthinkable. Unbelievable.

Sofiya: Well, there had been signs like the troop buildup on the border. And the rhetoric. There was a hope that it would amount to just more intimidation and psychological warfare.

Mykhailo: Only it turned out not be. Declarations of “I won’t attack” and then the next day invading. 

Sofiya: Well, what to do about the atrocity? How to assist people who fled with nothing from ruined homes? How to help defend the country? How to get the message out?

Mykhailo: Short of going in there, contribute. There are agencies and I’ve even heard of people personally sending money for hotel rooms to accommodate refugees.

________

Voice-over

Supporting humanitarian efforts like UNICEF, medical like Red Cross, feeding the hungry like World Central Kitchen, defence through agencies like Army SOS, media like The Kiyev Independent.

White Ruble Rabbit

March could be an edgy month.

A time when the white rabbit’s diplomacy skills are needed. “Be more level-headed. Show some restraint. Let’s talk more about what bothers you.”

That’s what my mother would have said to a certain bolshie leader.

But if he’s made up his mind to conjure up danger and to denounce and invade, then dialogue gets difficult.

And invasions can be tricky to get right. In 1812 Napoleon tried to invade Russia, marching on Moscow with 400,000. He returned with only 10,000. Then, after he lost the Battle of Waterloo in 1815, Napoleon was exiled to St Helena.

Now we have other wars, like currency wars. Sanctions and bank-transaction blocking could lead to the ruble deflating. There is a rumor that Russia may replace the ruble (RUB) with a new currency, the rabbit (RAB).

WHITE RABBIT WHITE RABBIT WHITE RABBIT.