[Language]

If I could use one word to describe this entire conflict, it would be: misinformation.

It's absolutely incredible (and props to the Russian propaganda machine for this), that they've been able to perpetuate a lie that western Ukraine is full of Nazi's and fascists, hell bent on either eradicating Russians and their culture, or some other nonsense. I watch the Vice News dispatches and listen to the DPR rebels talk about fighting for their homeland, etc., and I just have to shake my head at the things they are saying, because they honestly believe that the Ukrainian soldiers are on par with Nazi German soldiers. Meanwhile, the rebels are the ones that started the bloodshed to begin with.

It's truly an unfortunate situation now, because you have Ukrainian citizens in the Donbass and Eastern Ukraine (whether they have Ukrainian or Russian heritage), caught in the middle, and unfortunately, I don't think the situation will ever return to normal. You see citizens being interviewed there who absolutely denounce Poroshenko, suggesting he's a western fascist and how could he possibly be ordering the shelling of homes, killing civilians, etc. Meanwhile, they don't understand that the country is defending their territorial right.

I say all this with a bit of info about my background. I was born in Kiev (as were my parents and grandparents). I immigrated to Canada when I was very young, and growing up and until just last year, identified myself as Russian. This is because I grew up speaking Russian (not Ukrainian), and growing up with a crew of guys from the former USSR, it was easier to identify with Mother Russia. Our group of guys were always referred to as the Russian crew, and we were partly those douchy fobby track-pants wearing guys. Further, it seemed like every third person in Edmonton would say they were Ukrainian, even though they were born in Canada and were Ukrainian based on their grandparents or great-grandparents being from there. So identifying myself as Russian was a way to stand out more.

However, since this whole conflict started, it's amazing how quickly one can change their self-identification. I am firmly on side with Ukraine in this conflict, find Russian foreign policy and the propaganda machine completely out of line, and now don't even want to identify myself as being Russian. My nationalistic Ukrainian pride has seemingly risen from 0 to 100 in the past year.

Someone made the comment a few posts ago about how many Russian people (in Russia or abroad) are very indoctrinated and brain-washed, and that is absolutely true. We've had family dinners with relatives where aunts/uncles who mostly watch Russian satellite tv (NTV, RT), are so supportive of Russia in this conflict, that it makes you look at them completely dumfounded with the things they say. An aunt of mine was saying that MH17 was shot down by Ukrainians because the passenger airline just happened to be flying in the vicinity of Putin's presidential plane. And keep in mind, these are relatives living in Canada saying these bogus stories. It's absolutely no wonder those in Russia believe the spiel the government continually puts out there.

This is a ranting and drawn out post, and it doesn't really say much. However, for those who were wondering how Pointman believes the things he does, it just serves to illustrate that it's not only people in Russia, but many ex-USSR immigrants in Canada that agree with Russia's actions (annexation of Crimea, supporting the rebels), based on where they get their source of news.