PUTIN, THE MYSTIC

A deep strain of mysticism lives in Russian culture.  It is the many pagan beliefs, folk traditions, mythic stories that inform their history.  These predate Orthodox Christianity, yet they have been folded into Orthodox Christianity in an astonishing variety of ways.  This is important because one of the driving forces keeping Russians in the fight against Ukraine may well be a group of mystical beliefs wrapped up in national identity and their beliefs about their future.

Russia is the sum total of its history.  That is a history richly imbued with a mysticism that blends eastern and western traditions. One person is the story of Russian mysticism:  Rasputin.  All of this can be best understood by an amazing analysis provided by Elvira Bary.  The passionate belief in higher powers as expressed by Rasputin also fills Russian Orthodox Christianity.  However, it, like other religions is also filled with a long history of pagan beliefs fused with Chrisian beliefs.

Russians have a uniquely Russian belief in higher powers.  Fatalistic, opportunistic, all without any underlying basis for logic or explanation.  Elites are drawn deeply to mysticism for these reasons.  Since there is no explanation for their good fortune, then higher powers are the only answer.

Well, if the elites are strongly drawn to mysticism, what about Putin?  He is supposedly a Russian Orthodox Christian.  However, that label can be misleading.

Russian mysticism is a goulash of beliefs ultimately centered around their concepts of destiny and fate.  It applies as much to individual lives, the lives of the elites and of the nation.  It is a mysticism that informs how they will continue to fight with Ukraine.  It is by the dictates of destiny and fate that they believe they will ultimately recapture Ukraine.  This is why Putin has no plans for a peace deal.  In addition, the reader must be reminded that Putin Fears Peace.

Putin, The Mystical Nuke Guy

Even if the deep mysticism of Russia informs Putin’s state of mind, there is that one other little reality of which the reader must be reminded forcefully.  There is no mystery about the 7,000 some nuclear weapons in Russia’s arsenal.

So, while Putin may resort to mystical faith, his fall back is the nuclear arsenal.  For both of those reasons, this current round of phony peace talks will play out for however long.  The fighting will continue for at least a couple more years.  In that time, NATO has to get real, and even more pressure will have to be brought on Russia.  The West can only think of terms of effective methods for weakening Russia.  Frankly, that’s all that matters.