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Practical Advice
Should I cross the border and fight in Ukraine?
A Russian who opposes Putin’s war asks what the most ethical course of action might be
A. wrote: I’ve been learning about Stoicism for over three years. When something happens in life I turn to Stoicism, and it helps me. I’m 25 years old and living in Russia. Unfortunately, as you know, we recently started a war against our brothers and sisters. For the last eight years I have been helping our country to get rid of Putin, because of Crimea, corruption, etc.. I went to demonstrations and have contributed money to people and organizations who help to counter the government. The police has been after me for all this.
Now that the war has began Putin could send me or anyone else on the battlefield. So I was thinking what I would do if I were in Ukraine with a gun. I settled on two options: 1) Defect to the Ukraine side and help them to protect Kiev; 2) Same as (1), but killing a few soldiers before I go. I’m not scared to die, I would be happy to give my life to protect Ukraine. Are these two options in agreement with Stoic philosophy?
Zelenskyy, the president of Ukraine, established an International Legion, so that anyone from different countries could go to Ukraine to fight against Russia. But my father…
