Here's my take on things. First, I despise the Russian "hooray patriots" (ватники) who have supported Russia's desire to Make Itself Great Again by trying to trash the rest of the world. That means that I despise Vladimir Putin, Aleksandr Dugin, and the lying mouthpieces - both in the East and in the West - who have supported the project of Russian empire. Moreover, I am not very fond of many Russians whom I have met over the last ten or so years right here in the U.S.A. Their stuck-up cultural narcissism and monstrous sense of entitlement have been a real turn-off.
However, not all Russians are like that. Not all people of Russian descent are stuck-up narcissists. (And not all non-Russians are saints!) I am thinking particularly about a trip I took to Seattle in early 2020 (before the COVID-19 restrictions), and how once I arrived there I needed to take public transit to keep an important appointment. On that morning I had stupidly forgotten to get change, so I got on a Seattle public transit bus with nothing other than a $20 bill. The bus driver - a white man, a Russian - noticed my discomfiture at discovering that I did not have the appropriate change to pay the fare. He smiled at me and gave me a bus pass anyway. I should note that he gave me the pass without my asking, before I had a chance to say anything or make any appeal. And since I was unfamiliar with Seattle public transit, he even helped me by giving me information about the correct connecting bus so that I could make my appointment. (Believe me, coming back from my appointment, I made sure that I had the right change!)
Sometimes we all need mercy. Therefore although I am not a citizen of the nations I am about to name, I believe (if I may be so bold as to venture my opinion) that Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania, Poland, and other Eastern European nations should give asylum to those Russians who are fleeing from being drafted into Putin's evil little war. Not only will such a move further weaken the Russian invasion effort, but it is the right thing to do. As the Good Book says, "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy." I think the present refusal of these nations to grant asylum is a mistake.
I would also say that the West must not allow itself to be bullied by Russian threats even if Russia threatens to use nuclear weapons. Putin must be made to see that the choice he offers us is hell via nuclear weapons vs. hell via Putin's rule. We should propose a third option: Putin either repents or he eliminates himself. That way he'll be no trouble to anyone else.
