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Notes -
As someone coming from a family that emigrated west from the ruins of Soviet Union myself, I can tell you that there is an obvious candidate for that magic spell, namely the dangled opportunity to freely move to a Western country (as far as I can tell, the use of Ukrainian colours in that video is pure serendipity) or perhaps even have their country turned into one (like Poland or Slovenia). The degree to which life in the West is mysticized in those cultures is hard to comprehend for those of us spending our lives on forums kvetching about it, and the median person would absolutely be ready to kill and risk death in return for a chance for themselves or their children to enjoy it. This offer was never really put on the table for the South Vietnamese, Iraqis of Afghans.
Is it mysticism or simply the same calculation that anyone comparing Warsaw and Minsk might make regarding which side offers a better future for them and their children? The West can't exactly assuage the fears of Russian leaders or stamp out the desire of Ukrainians to join the EU and NATO when its very existence as a more prosperous alternative is what creates those feelings.
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