Throughout Snyder’s talk, he believed that the Russian invasion of Ukraine is genocide, starting off with saying how he believes that there were 4 ways of objection towards his thesis and also avoiding the way genocide is perpetrated. One point was the “emotional” objection, “feeling” that it wasn’t like a genocide, with another point being that people would not be bystanders if a genocide was happening, yet people are ignoring what is happening and what could be classified as a genocide. This introduction alone doesn’t pertain to the genocide itself, but Snyder instead started off with counterarguments to his thesis.

Pertaining to Snyder’s provided evidence as for why it is a Ukrainian genocide, Snyder stated “The problem is not that we lack evidence of intention, I think if anything, the problem is we are overwhelmed by the evidence of intention” (20:40 - 20:44). Snyder argues that since there is so information about the political and personal intent about the country doing what they are doing, people will tend to “increase” the standard for what actions qualify as genocide. The idea that genocide is an extremely violent legal and moral crime is held to such a high standard that it is something that should only occur under extreme circumstances in history, such as the Holocaust. However, this brings us back to the main counterarguments that Snyder, once again, stated in the beginning of his thesis. He had stated that “...most genocides are forgotten, and the reason they were forgotten is because they were never noted in the first place. So if you don’t note that a genocide is happening in the first place, you’re asking a lot of future generations to remember it, to record it, to evaluate it, later on” (5:34 - 5:48). The reason why it is so hard to evaluate something such as Ukraine as a genocide, according to Snyder, is because many genocides in history were simply not recorded or denied. Many of these genocides were denied or not recorded simply because it can tarnish the reputation and perspective of that specific government and nation. 

Within Snyder’s talk, he also talks about the 9 classifications of intent within a genocide. Synder would start off with the term “Colonial”, where he referred to Russia claiming that Ukraine was not a state or nation, which is an “absolutely predictable, normal way that European colonials referred to the social and political groups that they encountered”  (24:52 - 25:00). It displays the imperialistic method that Russia uses, as well as giving a country the power of deciding who exists and who doesn’t exist. Snyder would further back this up with the claims of Russia believing that Russia also controlled the Crimea peninsula, even though the Crimea Peninsula’s indigenous people had been there for over eight hundred years. This indigenous people would then be “ethnically cleansed”, killed in a genocide. The third category that Snyder mentions is dehumanizing. For this category, Snyder would use an analogy between Hitler and the Holocaust and Putin and the Ukrainian invasion. Snyder claims that “...they’re not really attached to the land, they are alienated from the soil. The people who call themselves Ukrainians, who mistakenly believe themselves to be Ukrainians, it’s a mistake. There’s no such thing as Ukrainians. These people have been seduced….or Germans, or Poles, or the European Union, or the Americans, or the Jews” (29:00 - 29:32). This section provided by Snyder shows the effects of the Russians’ attempts at dehumanizing the Ukrainians, that they are delusional and are influenced by an outside source. Snyder then compared this method of dehumanization to Hitler’s persecution of the Jews, where both declared those groups of people as an alien or foreign threat, that they have no place to belong to and must be expelled out. 

The nine classifications:
Colonial, Apologist, Dehumanizing, Narcissistic, Escalatory, Metaphysical, Fascist, Replacement, Exceptionalist. 

I don’t think there is much that we, as individuals, can do at all. Relating back to the counterarguments that Snyder made in the beginning of his thesis, there is an emotional barrier and even a legal barrier that prevents us from doing anything. It does not affect many of us personally, so there is not always a sense of sympathy or empathy, leading to bystanders. People can say they support Ukraine’s efforts, but then they don’t do anything about it. However, this doesn’t mean that people can’t do anything, as there are many people volunteering to distribute or donate essential supplies or medical supplies, as well as hosting a home for refugees. Concerning the United States and the rest of the world, many countries have already placed sanctions and major enterprises such as Adidas or VISA have stopped their operations in Russia. There are also many countries providing large amounts of money and humanitarian aid, such as the United States providing a bill of over 40 billion dollars “https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2022/05/20/upshot/ukraine-us-aid-size.html”. There are also some people who have joined the Ukrainian resistance or distributed essential goods. However, other than that, there is not much else the world can do. No one wants to have a direct conflict with Russia, as Russia contains a large arsenal of nuclear missiles, which would put any conflicting country in danger. 

(Before you read, when I mention Russians, I don’t mean the entire Russian population, only those supporting this genocide) 

At around minute 6, Snyder explains how a town of people were forced to live in the basement of a school for about a month, and people died. This really put things into perspective for me because when you hear the word genocide, you understand it is a horrible thing, but it is not until you hear the stories of these victims when you realize the true impact. He also compares how much of Ukraine has been depopulated by comparing it to multiple states in America. This is at minute 14. This also puts things into perspective, and it has so much more of an impact, because you are viewing in terms of states, homes. Snyder also makes a really good point at minute 19, saying that we would prefer to think there is no genocide happening in this time period. That is why so many people refuse to believe it, because it seems impossible to fathom, considering the world prides itself on progressing so much. When listing his 9 criteria for intention, Snyder mentions that Russians deny the existence of Ukrainians, saying they are not attached to the land. This is a very similar view to Hitler’s. So although there is no concrete paperwork confirming the intent of the Russians is to depopulate the Ukrainians, the evidence is pretty stacked against them. The accidental essay post was also really baffling to me, it seemed the Russians had been not only planning the war, but planning to win. It is obvious they think of themselves as higher up. I feel the most convincing piece of evidence is the quote Snyder repeats throughout his lesson. It is his opening line, basically describing the contents of genocide. At first, you think it is a quote from a Nazi, but it is later revealed this is a quote from a Russian soldier. 

I think individually (as students) we should speak up about this, and educate ourselves. I don’t really know if the signing of petitions will be helpful in this case, but I think we can write letters to those who can actually do something about it, specifically those with access to help the Ukrainians. I think the rest of the world should at least share support and resources to the Ukrainians (if they are able). I don’t really know if we would be able to send in soldiers to help fight the war, because that may put everyone in danger, but we definitely need to try harder. 

I think the biggest question for me was regarding the definition of “genocide”. Snyder explained that there is both a vernacular and legal definition to genocide and I think right off the bat, as someone interested in law (specifically international law), it made sense. Just because not every Ukrainian has died, does not mean that this isn’t a genocide, and I think the way Snyder goes about disputing the vernacular definition and referencing that not all Jewish people died during the holocaust, let listeners understand that the legal definition alone is the basis for prosecution. That made sense and helped me to come to my own conclusion early on.

I think Snyder’s most forward examples of evidence was not only his continual reference to statements, made by Russian important figures during the beginning, middle and end, but his continuous reference to the holocaust as a form of remembrance. He begins by talking about the ways in which we refuse to see; and how that in turn makes us bystanders. One of those ways was questioning the intent of Russia, as a means to justify the actions — and as a means to underplay the severity of these actions. Not only did he go back and connect our own judicial system, the way we persecute everyday crimes without knowing the intent, without telepathy, made it clear. Synder also simply said that there will never be, and there has never been a written document or spoken word of the intention, mattered. Someone perpetrating evil or someone disillusioned by their own theories, is not going to admit to their intention. We cannot use that question of intention as a means to allow said perpetration and as a means to refuse to persecute. He then goes on and evaluates intention. Synder mentions the colonial, the duhumanization, and the metaphysical, all of which helped me come to the conclusion that this is, in fact — a genocide.

As for what the US can do, as for what we should do (both as a collective, and as individuals) is something that has been widely discussed. It's interesting, because when we mention getting involved militarily, the concern becomes “what about us”. What could happen to us, what happens if we get involved with Russia, and they retaliate on us and other members of the UN? I think that as important as it is to note the amount of lives that could be lost in that scenario, I question: does our refusal to make a stand, despite the penalties and the consequences, make us a collective bystander. When we were discussing what it means to be a bystander or an upstander, and when we read the articles regarding people being bystanders or upstanders, it seemed that one who was an upstander, was an upstander without regard to the consequences upstanding could have on them. And I think whether we consider physical action or financial action, we should less prioritize the consequences to us and more the benefit to them. I’m not entirely sure that I have an answer, but I think we need to remember what it means to be a bystander versus an upstander.

During this talk, Snyder explains the definition of genocide many times, defining the legal term but also sharing the ways a historian would define genocide (nine qualifications). With each definition, he provides ample evidence to prove that the events in Ukraine clearly match the criteria provided. Additionally, he uses the Holocaust and Nazi Germany’s ideologies and actions to compare a widely recognized genocide to this one, which many refuse to acknowledge for what it is. 

Around 12 minutes into the talk, Synder speaks about the legal definition of genocide, listening off several crimes that would make an event a genocide. To summarize this list of criteria, to committ genocide would be to inflict mental or bodily harm onto a specific group or placing them in conditions that are intended to desecrate them. Restriction of reproduction and the forced transport of children also help to define a genocide. In between each definition, Snyder describes the absolute brutality that the Ukrainians had to face. How can this not be considered a genocide when the Russian government is actively killing thousands of Ukrainians while also supporting the systematic 🤬 of Ukrainian women and the deportation of countless Ukrainian children? The cruelty the people of Ukraine are being forced to handle shows an obvious intent to harm and even completely kill off the Ukrainian population. Additionally, during his explanation of the nine qualifications of genocide, Snyder speaks about narcissistic nature present in mass killings throughout history (32:15). In it, he speaks about how genocide is a way for a nation to define itself (if it chooses to go that far). The quote “we know who we are when we name the enemy” (34:20) said by Carl Schmitt (a Nazi party member) was particularly interesting to me because of how Russia is so fixated on the idea that Ukraine as a nation does not exist. Snyder brings up the idea that Russian leaders may be using this ideology to define the nation of Russia itself (the “politics of us and them”). In the 6th qualification, Snyder speaks about the metaphysical aspects of genocide (37:30). He uses lots of Nazi references in this section, specifically emphasizing the Nazi regime’s propaganda strategies which included making people believe Jews spread mental illness. This is rather reminiscent of Russia’s propaganda against Ukrainians, claiming that they did not know they were Russians because they were possessed by Satan. It was also hinted that if Ukrainians could not be “exorcized,” they would have to be killed. By spreading this false notion of Ukrainian satanism, the Russian government tries to justify its mass killing of Ukrainians (alarmingly similar to Nazi ideology). In the final qualification, Snyder speaks about how Putin tries to argue that Russians were exceptions to rules pertaining crimes such as genocide (48:15). In his September 30th speech, Putin repeatedly speaks about how the rules “do not apply to Russia” and brings forth the question of “who made the rules anyway” when speaking about how many consider his decisions to be genocidal. This belief that one’s nation is exempt from certain rules because of some aspect that makes them exceptional is extremely harmful as it gives that nation a way to justify committing horrific crimes against others. There is no exception to the rule when it comes to genocide. Mass killing cannot be forgiven simply because the perpetrator claims to have a bigger purpose. 

As individuals, one of the most important things we can do is just admit that there is a genocide taking place right now. As Snyder said, many refuse to see the event for what it is because they refuse to believe that an event such as this one could actually be taking place. After witnessing so much evidence that shows that this war is a mass killing perpetrated by Russia, we become “jaded” (as Snyder would put it) and keep waiting for more and more evidence to roll in because we simply refuse to see the truth. As individuals, we must recognize this event for what it is and spread awareness about it so that the victims will not become unnoticed or forgotten. We must push our governments/nations to take direct action against Russia. Along with making a public statement that directly recognizes and disapproves of Russia’s actions, nations should also try and actively help Ukraine as best they can (military aid, rescue teams, etc.). All in all, the most important thing is to not become a bystander in the face of genocide. 

2)

3)
Quite frankly, there is a severe disconnect between war and genocide right now. The US, social media, and global organizations should identify this connection because most people do not realize or understand that it is genocide. Actively speaking, it is a difficult choice to make. Sending NATO troops or US troops could embolden Russia like we have never seen and risk the use of nuclear weapons. But only sending arm supplies seems feeble for America to think it is helping. I don’t know if I have an answer militarily. I think the best way to create peace or solve the issue is to focus on Putin’s and Russia’s domestic problems. Putin’s elite are constantly strained by unilateral tariffs, but the US and other countries should compel more change to happen. I do believe that the average Russian does not support the war, and if they do now, have been conditioned to by the Russian government. If any revolt or internal problem arises in Russia that threatens Putin’s power, it's our best bet at seeing internal reform. Albeit, Putin may act chaotically: past decreases in popularity have led to expansion not pacifism. However, losing his grasp on the elites would surely do something that has not happened yet. 

I personally think that the first question is quite a simple one. Yes, genocide is being perpetuated by the Russians. In fact, it is being perpetuated by any and all bystanders, especially those with the resources to help Ukraine. This is because the events are direct actions of Russian soldiers, and indirectly through the actions of other countries, and these events are causing the death of group of people.

One extremely telling piece of evidence is the dehumanization of Ukranians by Russians. A common and useful tactic when commiting a genocide is to make your soldiors believe your opponent is inhuman, thus rationalizing barbaric behavior. This action is not necessary when a nation is not attempting a genocide. Another method of genocide is not through direct murder, but forced infertility. For example, a modern genocide on the Native Americans took place through the use of forced infertilities on your women. Similarly, Russian soldiers are forcing Ukrainian women into Russia, in order to deplete Ukraine's population. Another strategy is exceptionalism. If Russia can enforce that Ukraine is not a nation, and merely one of their provinces, they can rationalize doing what they please to its citizens. And finally, and perhaps most damning, the intentional attacks on Ukrainian civilian lives. Bombings of hospitals and schools, executions of war prisonerse, and torture even to civilians  show a complete disrespect to the people of Ukraine. These attributes are examples of genocides, and they are exhibited in mass by Russian forces.

To weigh in, the West is in a very tricky situation. Worst case scenario, nuclear warfare ensues, however no nation wants that. So I think the US should make it abundantly clear that Russia would be completely annihilated if they ever dropped a nuke. However, there also needs to be a way out for Putin. For example, if someone grounds their child for a month, that child may act out as they have nothing left to lose. So, Russia needs to be able to back themselves out of the corner they created. However on an individual level the most one can do is spread awareness or donate to charities.

As citizens and nations of the world, it is our job to intervene in this genocide. Nations need to send Ukraine resources to fight Russian forces as well as necessities of life. If Russia continues to toy with Ukraine’s basic necessities, like water and electricity, nations have to be willing to supplement these things. Governments can further pressure Russia to stop this war by cutting off trade. Countries can also provide water and basic heat sources. As individuals, we can help by first recognizing that what is happening is genocide and spreading the information. We can all do something small to help. It doesn't matter if that's fundraising/donating, spreading information, or lifting Ukrainian voices in their time of need, anything helps. If there is an agreed consensus that leads to public outcry, more pressure will be pushed onto Russia. This would hopefully have some effect on the country.

(3) What do you think we should do - we, individually, and we the United States?
I think one of the best things that we can do is to raise awareness for the Ukrainian people. "Once you see a genocide you are no longer a bystander. You are either with the victim or with the perpetrator." - "By ignoring labelling this as genocide we are making it ever more a genocide." 
We can not stay silent about this imperative issue. Regardless of what we do now, we must uplift the voices of Ukraine. Let them be heard far and wide. Donate. Raise money. Speak out. Recognize the genocide. Anything will help.

As students, we can continue to educate ourselves and spread awareness about this genocide to others. The U.S. and the rest of the world should also continue to be making a greater effort to donate supplies and donate to organizations who are sending resources to Ukrainian families and it shouldn’t only be done when it is trending. It is so important to be informed on world news and be open minded about these kinds of things. While it is hard to pay attention to things such as these, especially since it doesn't directly many of affect us, it is still extremely important to make an effect to continue to support Ukraine. 

If there is any way we can connect with people in Ukraine and have them share their experiences with us and what they need us to do, I think that would be the first step to action. 

On a larger scale, I believe that the US and NATO should be providing more support to Ukraine in terms of military affairs and diplomatic negotiations and to set a no-fly zone over Ukraine. Russian-oil-using countries need to switch to renewable energy so that they no longer need to rely on their oil. Countries currently friendly with Russia to any degree should cut off ties — even for economic and political matters — such as Turkey and China. The fact that the US and NATO have the resources to do so, but the war is pro-longed because they aren’t bringing enough help, is not a good reason. 

One compelling piece of evidence was the “ethnic cleansing” of Ukrainians through deportation. Around 10% of the population of Ukraine was deported, which is a very significant number. This truly puts into perspective the scale at which this genocide is taking place. The purpose of deporting Ukrainians is also partly to prevent births of Ukrainians, which is part of the definition of genocide, and is not something I took into account. Fertile Ukrainian women are scattered across Russia after being taken away, to lessen the continuation of Ukrainians as a group as much as possible. A particularly powerful piece of evidence for the intention of Russia is the quote from Russian state television, which is operated by the president. With this quote, and others like it, the president made it clear that the goal was to completely eradicate Ukrainians. The language that the president and Russian media uses dehumanizes Ukrainians and portrays them as an obstacle that should be broken down by sheer force. Another piece of evidence was the deliberate creation of bad conditions to destroy Ukraine, through cutting off access to water and electricity over the winter. The notion Russians have is that if targeted killing did not wipe out Ukrainians, then the cold, thirst, and starvation certainly would. This tactic slowly drains Ukraine of all of their resources, which we know is for the purpose of demolishing its structure and population. Lastly, the colonial language that Russia and Putin specifically uses displays their justification for the genocide they are committing. The concept Putin is pushing that Ukraine simply does not exist, and Russia and Ukraine were always united, allows erasure of Ukrainian history and culture, since they wouldn’t be viewed as significant if they did not exist. The war crimes directed against Ukrainians could be brushed off because after all, Ukrainians don’t actually exist, according to Putin. As to what we must do to support Ukraine, at an individual level we must acknowledge that what is happening is indeed genocide, instead of distancing ourselves from the truth. We must do our research into this crisis, and advocate for U.S. support of Ukraine. The abundance of misinformation in U.S. media must be countered, and more attention should be brought to the severity of the ongoing events in Ukraine. At a national level, the U.S. must take more steps to intervene. Snyder makes a good point that when we say there must not be genocide going on because we are the type of nation to intervene when that happens, we are actively being that type of nation. I do not know of many specific and strategic actions the government could take, but in general, the U.S. should make more efforts to supply basic necessities to Ukraine. 

Snyder mentions that it never feels like a genocide from the outside (where we are). He mentions his time in Kiev, and how he saw all this writing calling Ukrainians the devil. Ukrainians are constantly told that they don't/ shouldn’t exist. Their children are being kidnapped and 4 million Ukrainians have been deported according to Russian boasts. Russia has made it clear that their intentions are to get rid of the Ukrainian people/ identity, and the effects on Ukraine speak even louder.

According to International Law, something is genocide when one of a multitude of criteria is met. Russia meets more than one of the criteria quoted by Snyder. Russia was definitely involved in the killing of a people. Russia was definitely were involved in causing bodily/ mental harm to Ukrainians. Russia definitely deliberately destroyed Ukrainian way of life. There are so many more pieces of criteria met.

The quote from the Russian State Television is referred to twice (once at the beginning and once in the middle) because it so clearly shows Russia’s genocidal intent. They want to obliterate all Ukrainians. Russia wants all of its people to hate Ukrainians. They want to drown Ukrainian children in the raging river. Snyder said that this evidence of intent is so overwhelming that it makes people more lenient about their definitions of genocide. 

The 2nd classification (Apologetic) Snyder refers to provides some interesting insight as to why genocide is happening in Ukraine. He says that if you deny a crime, you are affirming it and are implying that you want it to happen again. With an example being how neo-nazis deny the holocaust. He connects this to Russia because they said that the taking down of Ukrainian monuments was just nature. They don’t acknowledge the evils of the past, because they intend to cause them again. 

The metaphysical classification is an interesting piece of evidence. The idea is that there is always metaphysical reasoning/justification from those who commit genocide. With Hitler, it was that the jews create mental illness. With the Russians, they believe Ukrainians don’t know who they are because they are mentally ill Russians. Further than that, many Russians believe Ukrainians are possessed by the devil. A Russian soldier said that one can try to exorcize the devil out of Ukrainians but the next step would be to simply kill them. Putin said that Russia and Ukraine should be one because it is willed by God. 

Everyone individually could at the very least educate themselves. They should understand that what is going on in Ukraine IS a genocide. They should understand the weight of the situation, and stay up to date with it. The world should be ready to accept refugees, and make it easy for them. The world should make it known that Ukraine exists and that its national identity exists and that their people exist and are human.