There’s one thing that Ukrainians, ordinary Russians, Vladimir Putin and westerners all have in our heads during this conflict: the second world war. An old-fashioned land invasion is terrorising the same cities as the German invasion of 1941, history’s largest military operation.
The scenes of families sheltering from bombs in underground stations, or trying to squeeze on to terrifyingly packed trains, are instantly familiar. Even the tanks and the confused, underfed Russian conscripts haven’t changed much. History repeats itself, the first time as tragedy, the second time as tragedy.
