Putin compares Russia's war against Ukraine to wildlife food chain

The Russian president linked his analogy to "the world we live in." During a conversation with a Chinese language teacher from the Belgorod region, Putin compared the war against Ukraine to the laws of the wild.

The teacher told Putin about his trip to the North Pole. In response, the Russian president began talking about orcas, which, according to him, attack polar bears.

"Such a food chain"

Putin claimed that orcas attack polar bears in packs and tear them apart.

"They (orcas — ed.) eat these bears like small fry. They simply attack them in a pack and tear them apart. It's all very interesting. Such a food chain," the Russian president said.

Putin then said that children should be told about such phenomena so that they understand "the world we live in" and why Russia is conducting the so-called special military operation.

Thus, the Russian president effectively used an example from the wild to explain the war against Ukraine.

Putin mentions Jack London

During the same conversation, Putin also mentioned writer Jack London and the customs of some northern peoples described in his works.

According to the Russian president, he was referring to cases in which elderly people were left to wolves because the tribe could not "carry them around."

"Yes, it all looks rather harsh, but that's how they live," Putin added.

Why Putin embarrassed himself again

Putin failed in the role of a "zoologist," just as he did in the role of a "historian" when he talked about Russians fighting the Pechenegs. In fact, orcas do not eat polar bears. There are no confirmed cases.

The only food-chain connection between them may be that polar bears sometimes eat the remains of whales killed by orcas. In that case, the metaphor does not work in Russia's favor at all (if the bear, in Putin's understanding, is a symbol of Russia).

News context

Judging by the Russian president's latest statements, the Kremlin does not want to end its aggression or sit down at the negotiating table. In addition, Putin said that massive attacks are "effective and timely" and allegedly help the Russian army carry out its tasks on the front line.

First Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Sergiy Kyslytsya noted that Putin is not actually interested in peace talks, as he is relying on terror against civilians and hopes that Ukrainians will not survive the winter period.

Meanwhile, in Russia, in the background (propagandist lawmakers), calls for a nuclear strike on Ukraine continue. State Duma member Zhuravlyov said that Russia should allegedly carry out a tactical nuclear strike that would force Ukraine to surrender.