All since the 24th of February, I've keep spending far too much time obsessively checking various news outlets. I don't know what I'm waiting for or looking for - though, I'm probably hoping for news like Melitopol and Kherson being liberated from the Russian occupation. Anyway, particularly in the mornings in the beginning of the war, I came to think that no significant news actually was to be considered good news. Of course, war is going on, and it's horrible. People get killed and injured. Ukrainian infrastructure and property gets destroyed - but in general, the more news there are on the war itself, the more destruction and violence taking place. When the news are filled with public statements ... that probably means there are no "big" news.
There are small things in those public statements that irks me - small, because they probably have no significance at all. Kremlin being angry because military targets outside the Ukrainian borders being attacked, like the Moskva vessel (sunk due to some internal accident according to Russian official information, but apparently they are mad on Ukraine for this happening) and fuel deposits in Belgorod. Russia has by all means declared war on Ukraine. Russia has been carrying out bombing strikes against Kyiv and many other "deep" targets far away from the front line. This does not legitimize retaliation strikes, but any strike against military targets and infrastructure targets in Russia that may be considered to reduce Russia's offensive capabilities are perfectly legitimate. Even attacks against Moscow, or bombing of the Kertsj bridge would be legitimate. That's a natural consequence of participating in a war. Terror bombing and other attacks against civilians, at the other hand, is never acceptable - but a Russian life is not worth more than a Ukrainian life. Thousands of civilians in Ukraine have been killed (around 3000 confirmed - probably at least ten times as much in reality), millions have had to fled their homes, and too many have had their homes and property destructed - most of it in confirmed Russian attacks on civilian targets. This does by no mean legitimize retaliation strikes - but when I read that there are reports about some few houses on the Russian side of the border being destroyed, with six person injured, then I think it's totally insignificant. A "false flag operation", some says. Yes, it should be investigated as a war crime, but except for that it should simply be ignored as a consequence of war.
And then the other way - Russia is now demanding RUB for gas deliveries, and they are shutting off the gas to those countries that deny paying in RUB - and angry voices are calling it "breach of contract", "blackmail" and "unreliable supplier". No ... please stop whining! The "west" launched a "special economic operation" (aka sanctions) against Russia, even including freezing assets. Russia has all it's rights to retaliate, I'd say they are even expected to do so. Gas trade goes on just because it's too painful for both parties to stop the flow.
