Readers' Letters: Putin’s madness enabled by silence of many

Having criticised the Pope for his equivocal view of the Falklands invasion, I applaud his robust action in leaving the Vatican and bearding Russia’s ambassador to Italy in his den to deliver a fierce condemnation of Vladimir Putin’s war.

Did then Chancellor Angela Merkel play into Vladimir Putin's hands by killing Germany's nuclear energy programme? (Picture: Johannes Eisele/AFP via Getty Images)

Conversely, while Ukraine’s Orthodox Church has also condemned it, the Patriarchs and priests of the Russian and Belarus Orthodox Churches have sided with the warmonger. Should they remain in the World Council of Churches?

The Security Council abstention by India of all nations, which regularly suffers border incursions by China, also needs credible justification or condemnation.

While it is encouraging that there is increasing public opposition within Russia, including by some Duma MPs, are there no academic historians there prepared to put their heads above the parapet and rebut Putin’s fake history lesson on both countries? Are there no Russian psychiatrists who query his mental state, evident in his recent rambling speech and demand for nuclear preparations?

The UK’s role as safe haven for oligarchs and their ill-gotten gains is deplorable, but the far greater fault lies with those like Germany’s former chancellor Gerhard Schroder as the West’s foremost apologist for Putin and his close friend, whose actions since leaving the chancellorship seem almost treasonous; and Angela Merkel, who in a knee-jerk reaction after the Fukushima flooding cancelled Germany’s nuclear energy programme in favour of dirty coal and Russian gas, thus putting billions into Putin’s coffers.

Finally, could a historian at last give us a credible reason why Boris Yeltsin, after some sensible decisions albeit with volatile changes of prime minister, handed the keys of the Kremlin to the rump-KGB in the person of Putin?

John Birkett, St Andrews, Fife

Virtue signalling

We hear the First Minister announce that the Scottish Government is giving initial humanitarian aid for Ukraine in the amount of £4 million, as well as medical supplies. While this may appear noble, it is disingenuous when we had Kate Forbes, the Finance Secretary, tell business owners that she had no money available to offer them support to keep their staff employed when the Christmas lockdown occurred, and we have hungry and homeless adults and children using soup kitchens.

This is pure virtue signalling by Nicola Sturgeon as the UK has pledged £140 million in international aid to Ukraine this year – it is, after all, a reserved matter. When will Ms Sturgeon and her SNP colleagues realise that she is letting down the people on our streets, business owners and their employees – or does she not care? Would she rather get grand headlines than help those here on our streets?

Jane Lax, Aberlour

Safer together

You report Nicola Sturgeon's call for further action against the Putin regime. Perhaps Ms Sturgeon should reflect on how her demand for independence from the UK is undermining the security not only of the UK but of Nato. Apart from the disruption and economic uncertainty that another independence referendum would bring, if Scotland were to separate from the world's fifth-largest economy it would be left defenceless, and the most important submarine base in Europe would be closed.

The nuclear strike force based at Faslane is a vital cog in the machinery of Western defence, and without it we would be open to Putin's nuclear blackmail. You cannot reason with people who are unreasonable. An independent Scotland would be a gift to Putin. The SNP should end its opposition to nuclear weapons immediately and drop their foolish separation agenda, because unity is strength.

William Loneskie, Oxton, Berwickshire

IT surprise

Considering the ludicrous ease with which hackers group Anonymous has wrecked havoc on the IT of Russia's government, military and media in the last 72 hours since it declared “war” for the invasion of Ukraine, perhaps it's President Putin that now has more to fear from his own computer-controlled nuclear weapons than us?

Mark Boyle, Johnstone, Renfrewshire

Lone voices

After listening to President Putin “warning”Sweden and Finland to essentially, “watch their step” and remain neutral or else they would incur his wrath, I reminded myself of what appeared to be his objective of rewinding the clock to a period when the Soviet Union effectively collapsed. The countries of. Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia and Estonia all slipped out of Russia’s direct control or sphere of influence and, together with Croatia, North Macedonia and Albania, became more closely linked to the European Union to a greater degree.

The general consensus is that President Putin’s objective is to pull these countries back into the fold controlled by him. That they may not wish to revert to the previous situation does not seem to concern him over much. I am also conscious of a situation regarding an attitude regarding Ukraine along the lines of it is a “far-off country of which we know little”.

I also recall a poem by a German pastor which refers to the situation “when they came for the socialists I did not speak out – because I was not a socialist”. And so forth, mentioning a number of other groups, and how because he was not one of them he kept silent. And concluding, “then they came for me and there was no one left to speak for me.”

I believe that is why the European Union countries, and everyone else, has to accept that if we do not hang together we will hang separately. I believe we must face down the threats, nuclear or no, from an individual and group showing all the signs of irrationality.

A recent letter from Colonel General Leonid Ivashov, who served under Putin, to the All Russian Officer’s Assembly to the President and citizens of the Russian Federation is worth a read as it counsels that external threats are there but they do not threaten the existence of the Russian statehood. He states that the situation “that is being whipped up around Ukraine is “artificial” and “mercenary in nature”.

I would strongly recommend reading the letter, if only to consider the views expressed therein.

Ron Oliver, Elie, Fife

Target tourism

It is obviously difficult to impose some sanctions as they have hurtful effects here but why not have an immediate hit on Russia's tourist industry by putting on no travel list.

This might hit cruise ships and river travel but would have an immediate effect on ordinary Russians, who would see tourist income vanish. As many guides are students, this would overflow into their social media

James Watson, Dunbar, East Lothian

Energy idiocy

No event could have illustrated so perfectly the hypocrisy, no, absurdity, of the SNP/Green policy of attempting to shut down all our oil and gas production and blindly fighting against development of new fields than the invasion of Ukraine by Russia. In the entire history of western politics, this policy of closing down our energy reserves must rank high for sheer stupidity.

Those making these policy decisions must exist on another “green” planet, where highly dangerous international bullies do not exist and wars and emergencies do not arise. Surely it is obvious that abundant energy supplies should not even be considered for being shut off until an absolutely assured, 24/7/365, alternative is up and running.

If there were an Olympics for self-harming to put on a show, or a race for cutting off your nose to spite your face, the SNP/Green administration running Scotland at present would win every gold, silver and bronze.

Alexander McKay, Edinburgh

Keep free tests

I went to my doctor the other day. Before I left the house I did a lateral flow test so that I was able to reassure her that I did not have Covid. She was grateful. I was grateful that I had not had to pay for the test.

Despite Boris Johnson’s boosterism, the sad fact is that Covid is far from finished with us. If Westminster will not continue to pay for test kits there will be many families who will not be able to afford them. It will put many more Scots at risk, and not just our friends and neighbours.

Patients will become serious threats to everyone who works in our Health Service. They don’t deserve this added pressure. They have worked tirelessly for us. The same goes for workers in any of the social services. It also includes everyone you meet or stand next to, in pubs, at matches, in discos or just everyday shopping. It is unreasonable to expect the already stretched finances of the Holyrood Government to take money from other necessary projects to fund what has to date come from central taxation.

Now, when we gladly accept refugees from Ukraine, it is even more important that we are able to check our Covid state. Important, too, for them to be able to test without having to pay for it.

Westminster can and does run up borrowings that are not available to Holyrood, which has to rely on the vagaries of the Barnett Formula that understates the income that Westminster actually receives from Scotland.

This latest financial insult does nothing but harden the resolve of undecided Scots to work for Independence.

Elizabeth Scott, Edinburgh

Try, try again

Mark Boyle (Letters, 28 February) asks why is a try in rugby called a “try”. My understanding is that in the early days of the game one could only score by a goal: a penalty goal, a drop goal or a conversion.

Simply to touch down over the line was not enough but it did give you the chance to “try” for a conversion and thus score.

Michael Grey, Edinburgh

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