27 PUBLIC GAMING INTERNATIONAL • MAY/JUNE 2022 a lot of equipment from our retail outlets in the combat areas. Many shops are closed. As well, we had to discontinue two of our most popular draw-based games and we are thinking now about how to restart them in a new format. People are short of money and there are fewer visitors at the shops. On the one hand, our business is suffering. On the other hand, it is a miracle that it is still active despite this severe and awful war when Russian barbarians are destroying the Ukrainian economy, including oil refineries, railways, highways, factories. They steal our agricultural machines and production and bring it all to Russia. They blow up the warehouses that store fertilizers and grain and mine the fields to disrupt the sowing season. What is Putin’s end-game? What does he hope to gain by destroying Ukraine, murdering its non-combatant civilians in violation of international law and the most basic standards of morality, and turning the whole world against Russia? E. Vlasenko: Russian chauvinism is the ideology of Putin’s regime multiplied by imperialistic ambitions. It is even more dangerous than Nazi ideology, because it is more cynical and mentally distorted. Putin’s end-game was declared by him some time ago when he said that for him the border of Russia is along the line where the Berlin wall used to be. But I hope that his end will be similar to Hitler. Actually, since 2014 in Ukraine we call Putin the “putler”. The key message is this: the real reason for this war in Ukraine is that Putin does not want for Ukraine to exist as an entity, neither the Ukrainian language nor Ukrainian culture. And if Ukrainians are not ready to become Russians, the Kremlin is ready to kill all of us and destroy everything on our territory. And this is the basis of Russian chauvinist ideology. If they could succeed in Ukraine they would expand the invasion to the Baltic countries and Poland and after that all other former Soviet-block countries. They will continue until the Russian flag is raised in Berlin. This is their plan, not because I say so but because Putin has said so, on many occasions and in perfectly clear terms. Those who understand this are helping Ukraine in its defense against Putin’s Russia. You ask about international law and morality. No space for law and morality for the Russian army when they act like the worst examples of SS troops during WW2. • Filtration camps • Deportation of Ukrainians to Siberia and Far East • Tortures (pictures of civilians shot into back of the head with their hands tied behind and torn off fingernails have been shown to the whole world) • Holding people on frost without shoes until foot becomes gangrene. They are specially trained to conduct torture. They hit residential houses, hospitals, schools, everything…They kill simple people, rape women, men, children…These are not traditional military forces, this is a universal evil perpetrated by physical perverts. On the occupied territories they steal laundry machines, water closet bowls, second-hand underwear and used deodorants, actually everything that they are able to carry away. They shoot dogs, horses, and other domestic animals just for fun. Wild people. No, I cannot use the word “people” in relation to Russian soldiers. What is the most urgent need of the people of Ukraine right now in your war against the Russia invaders? E. Vlasenko: To list by priorities, military support is priority #1. If NATO had closed the sky to Russian planes in March the war would finish by now. But at least now, the Ukrainian Army has started to receive all necessary armaments and ammunition. And as I mentioned to you in March, Continued on page 34
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