Letter: A comparison of Putin and Nazism

Vladimir Putin loudly declares his attack on Ukraine is to save citizens sympathetic to Russia from Nazi-like crimes against them by the Zelenskyy government. Ironically, it is Putin whose rise and behavior mirrors that of Hitler.

They both were appointed by a democratically elected leader: Hindenburg and Yeltsin. Both swiftly used an emergency manufactured at their behest to cement power: the Reichstag fire and the "Chechen" bombings. The Nazis were the arsonists and Putin's FSB was caught trying to set the next apartment house explosion.

Each moved to annex land: the Rhineland and Sudetenland for Hitler, Crimea by Putin.

Each dictator solidified his local appeal by improving living standards and coercing complete legislative support. And each then invented a pretext to invade a sovereign nation.

Hitler dressed condemned prisoners as German soldiers and shot them inside Poland. Putin declared the Ukrainian government Nazis and invaded to save the supposedly beleaguered population.

And finally, each dictator moved to silence all opposition. Hitler with his Gestapo and concentration camps, Putin with edicts stifling opposition via support by the Duma, the police, jailing and poison.

Kent G .Gallagher

Geneva