Russian view

With regard to Ukraine, when will our leaders ever consider Russia’s perspective? We fail “to see ourselves as others see us”.

Ex-Soviet satellites, no matter what their illusionary prosperity might be, in reality are economic and political slaves (just like the European Union) to the United States and the International Monetary Fund. Russia fears the same if EU “creep” continues.

Add expansion of Nato to its borders, support by the west for the illegal overthrow of the elected Kiev government, brutal killings by Right Sector in Kiev, Mariupol and Odessa, and the loss of flight MH17 (no evidence, lots of blame) plus 2000 civilian deaths and 500,000 abandoning their homes in a form of ethnic/national cleansing reminiscent of Isis. Add western naivety that Russia would allow its Black Sea port on Crimea, its only access to the Med, to be lost to further EU/Nato expansion.

For Russia it looks like bully boy tactics by the West. We will never really understand the hardships that the Russian people have endured in recent centuries, including when Britain and others fought Russia over Crimea. Russian people can cope with hardships, they are a resilient people. Instead of weakening Russia, our actions will strengthen it. Agricultural sanctions by Russia on the west will do far more harm to the EU. So before we accuse others of bullying maybe we should look at how we are seen by them.

David Briggs

School Brae

Drumoak, Aberdeenshire