Putin and his escapades in Syria with fellow dictator Assad had no qualms about using chemical weapons on civilians, so in desperation in Ukraine, it can be assumed that when all avenues are foregone, he will commit the same atrocities. The Syrian town of Khan Shaykhun on April 4, 2017, was witness to Assad’s chemical weapon attacks covered up by the Russians. The Kremlin war machine also supplied and assisted Assad’s forces in delivering the chemical weapon, Sarin. The Russian/Syrian atrocity killed 90 people, including 30 children.
By utilising chemical weapons, it is one step away from resorting to nuclear weapons, and the Kremlin would prefer the former choice. Putin and his evil agents of death have no scruples in slaughtering thousands of civilians and military personnel to achieve the goal of Ukrainian conquest. In his deranged cancer addled brain, Ukraine belongs to Russia, and he assumes he is merely taking back what was taken from him.
The Russians have also labelled Ukraine as a Nazi country, thus fuelling deep nationalistic behaviour among some of the indoctrinated population. Through the use of propaganda and enforcement, the mindset of many Russians has been skewed to accepting total war, and the term ‘special operations’ has been sidelined.
The West would naturally condemn such an action against the Ukrainian population, however due to this being a proxy war, there is little they will be able to do apart from attempt to support the Ukrainians with further supplies.
By backing the rat into a corner, the West has not given Putin a way out of his folly in invading Ukraine. Sun Tzu stipulated in The Art of War, “When you surround an army, leave an outlet free. Do not press a desperate foe too hard”. If the Western NATO high command and strategists wish for this conflict to end, they must give Putin a way out, but instead, under the auspices of an equally deranged Biden, they are skirting dangerous waters that can easily lead to escalation.
As mentioned earlier, the Russians will have no misgivings in using chemical warfare, as they have already done in Syria. The key point is de-escalation, which can be achieved through political and economical means by the West.
