I'm struck by the contrast between how the western mainstream media are presenting the Kyiv's régime's allegations about Russian violence against civilians, versus how western MSM are not presenting allegations from Kyiv's adversaries, about pro-Kyiv people being violent in comparable ways... Kyiv's claims are treated as almost-facts (even if not independently verified); allegations against the Kyiv side, when mentioned at all, get dismissed as absurd misinformation....

Very good article. I especially appreciated the closing quote from Olga Baysha.

I'd suggest that another part of the tragedy is that the pro-Maidan forces have been encouraged to look down on their anti-Maidan compatriots by "progressive" people in other countries, including the Obama and Biden administrations in the USA.

I find it worrying that the world's most powerful liberals are now allies with the blatantly fascist Azov Battalion. I cannot see how this sort of progressivism will lead to actual progress.

I’m glad you wrote this, and I agree that Russian history and culture are poorly understood in the West.

Your knowledge of English may be imperfect, but it’s vastly better than my knowledge of Russian.

I will say, though, that your use of the terms “entourage” and “nationalist” may be confusing to some readers. The word “entourage” usually applies to paid staff who travel about with someone very prominent, like a head of state. Judging from the context, I don’t think you mean it that way.

Also “nationalist” in English is a very general term, similar in meaning to “patriot”. I can hardly imagine anyone saying that there are no nationalists (in the English sense) in Ukraine.

I have seen claims that there are no nazis in Ukraine, which is a much more specific statement...

And I'm well aware that Ukraine does, in fact, have nazis.

You objected to the way Aaron Maté used the word "identify" in relation to Russian-speaking communities in Ukraine. You compared to the way white nationalists speak of "white identify"... How can you overlook the obvious point that all sorts of poliitical and social movements use these "i" words?Please take a look at Wiki's page "Identity Politics".

The battle for Mariupol was prolonged because Ukrainian armed forces, including the neo-Nazi Azov Battalion, used civilian buildings for cover. This wasn't universally appreciated by the local people. As one middle-aged Mariupol woman said afterwards: “We don’t want to hear anything about our so-called defenders who hid behind our skirts. Who tossed people into basements by their arms and legs, old people…” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=knlGFB2Q9wE

Is this simply a war between "Putin" and "the Ukrainian people"? Are you aware that the "Ukrainian people" of Donetsk and Luhansk have been fighting against other "Ukrainian people" for the past 8 years?