When some Western experts told me this spring that Russia had been relatively restrained in this war against Ukraine—because it was not striking logistics, not destroying depots, and not doing everything that could have made civilian life unbearable—I had my doubts. Perhaps our air defenses were simply too effective, or perhaps Russia lacked the resources for all of that. At the same time, I took the point seriously and understood that saying it out loud was impossible. It would immediately have been branded “Russian propaganda.” Then came Zelensky’s 40-day operation, which has already stretched into 18 weeks. Only then did I grasp what those experts had meant. Now, as we watch Russia ruthlessly destroy civilian life, I see that they were right. There were certain restraining factors. They are gone. What could stop Russia now? When will we begin a realistic dialogue? How many more Ukrainians must be killed before Western politicians, mainstream media, and countless experts finally start assessing the situation realistically—if only out of respect for all those people who, for a fifth year, have been bearing the unbearable burden of this war?