How good a liar is Putin, really?

Христос Воскрес! Christ is Risen. 

It is Easter Monday, Обливаний понеділок, and I am angry. Not happy about Christ having arisen for our salvation, but angry that Putin has once again threatened our freedom.

I have been angry about the new situation in Ukraine for some time. It is so clear that the insurgency in Eastern Ukraine over the past few weeks is being orchestrated by ex-KGB liar Putin. It is clear that the insurgents are Russian special forces troops. Photos have been documenting this consistently for the past couple of weeks. Today's New York Times carries US sanctioned photos released by Ukraine's government clearly identifying the troops on the ground as Russian special forces. The way in which it is all unfolding is entirely akin to Georgia and Crimea. Putin's greed is clear. The West's apathy is as well.

Putin is a blatant liar. He says there are no Russian troops on Ukraine's soil. He said the same in Crimea, then later admitted that of course Russian troops backed the loyal separatists. When will he admit his lies this
time?  Is this a normal way for Russians to behave? Or is it just ex-KGB agents who have perfected their lying ability? Putin lied during his 4-hour television interview when he said Ukraine is not a sovereign country and has always been a territory of Russia.  I seem to have learned a different history, one in which Ukraine, as Kyivan Rus, preceded the establishment of Moscow and the country of Russia. They even stole the name so Kyivan Rus renamed their country Ukraina -- the true country.

Yet blatant as Putin's lies are, everyone seems powerless to do anything about it. I find myself missing Rea-guns, whose totally American words carried weight not rhetoric. If he said, "Do not go into Ukraine," I think Putin would re-think. Reagan would not say, "don't go in or else." He'd leave off the "or else" and leave it up to the enemy's imagination as to what might the consequences be, which also left the choices open ended for him. He took action, whether right or not, like with the air traffic controllers, and so he was believable. When Reagan spoke, people believed he meant what he said. He talked about Star Wars defenses, which could clearly be turned toward the offensive. He played his cards close. He had integrity. You could trust his words. Today's Western leaders just don't have that kind of clout. They have gotten too comfortable in their armchair world domination seats to ruffle feathers too abruptly. Except for Putin. Will anyone ever be able to believe him again? Does it matter?

So I read and I listen and I prepare for Easter with my new friends in Ireland. I explain our traditions, rituals and religions. I expose them to our rich heritage and foods. I explain again the difference between the Ukrainian and Russian peoples and psyche. I show off my precious pysanky which I have collected over my lifetime. I explain the painstaking process of laying on colours with wax overlays in intricate patterns each of which has a pagan symbolic relevance within Christian re-interpretation.

I find myself once again, eating ham, pashtet, kobasa and kabanos -- enjoying a bit of wine with which to wash it down -- munching on eggs and egg salad, tsvikla and chrin in anger and confusion and guilt. I am angry about what is happening once again in this country, which I love for some deep but unfathomable reason, confused about what options might be pursued, and frustrated that I cannot do anything about it.

Can I?