Is the West laughing at Russia over their military performance so far in Ukraine?
Some people poke fun at the stupidity and incompetence of the Russian armed forces, but this isn’t really a laughing matter.
The most prevalent reaction in the West was surprise mixed with incredulity: this bunch of amateurs is the army we’ve been scared about all those years?
The driver’s seat of a civilian car in Ukraine. (Photo: the author of this answer)
But let’s not forget that amateurs or not, the Russian military in Ukraine is committing war crimes on a massive scale. They are certainly not the best soldiers on the battlefield, but they’re quite proficient when it comes to raping and murdering innocent civilians.
It’s the thought about these atrocities that keeps us from laughing about their military (non)performance.
If there’s one common emotion among people in Europe about the Russian military and their leadership, then it’s probably contempt:
They completely lost all respect. They’re people without honor.