I couldn’t help feel happy when I learned that Ukraine had captured some Russian territory. And it made me think of the song “High Hopes,” popularized by Frank Sinatra for a movie in 1959. It goes like this:

Just what makes that little old ant
Think he’ll move that rubber tree plant
Anyone knows an ant can’t
Move a rubber tree plant

But he’s got high hopes
He’s got high hopes
He’s got high apple pie in the sky hopes

So any time you’re gettin’ low
‘Stead of lettin’ go
Just remember that ant:
Oops, there goes another rubber tree plant
Oops, there goes another rubber tree plant

So Ukraine and Russia

So, little Ukraine at least has put a chink into the armor that Vladimir Putin felt was invincible. At least, they’ve held off the giant Russian bear for a time with weapons help from friends, including the United States and Europeans. And this romp through Ukraine that Putin thought would be over in a week is heading toward its third anniversary.

Death tolls

It’s hard to tell the death tolls on both sides. Ukraine claims 31,000 soldiers have died on its side, while the Russian death toll is said to range from 130,000 to 500,000. And that doesn’t count troop injuries. It also doesn’t count Ukrainian civilian deaths and injuries. And Ukrainian jails are filled with Russian soldier recruits.

But Ukraine battles on

Another stanza in “High Hopes” goes like this:

The “High Hopes” music was written by James Van Heusen, with lyrics by Sammy Cahn. It was introduced by Sinatra and child actor Eddie Hodges in the 1959 movie “A Hole in the Head.” The song was nominated for a Grammy and won an Oscar for Best Original Song.

As for Ukraine

I’m sure we can expect a horrific response from the Russians. But nonetheless, the Ukrainians and Volodymyr Zelenskyy have the admiration of the world. As you can see from the map above, developed by OpenMap Distributors, the amount of Russian land Ukraine has taken is tiny compared with Russia’s incursion.

But the principle is mighty

But the principle is mighty. The Russian soldiers just laid down on the ground when the Ukrainian forces approached. And the Putin forces really were simply caught unaware and ill prepared.

Nord Stream Pipleine

And now it turns out some renegade Ukrainians were responsible for the Nord Stream pipeline explosion, which knocked out supplies of natural gas from Russia into Europe in 2022. This cut off a source of Russian income as Europeans headed for other suppliers.

It turns out Zelenskyy first approved, then disapproved, of this disruption. But rogue soldiers and a civilian went ahead anyway with the civilian supplying the $300,000 it cost to rent a boat, get the explosives and get divers to install the charges.

Oops!

Oops! There goes another rubber tree plant. Oops! There goes a billion kilowatt dam. Go Ukraine!