Today is Sunday, February 27, 2022, one day before the end of the month. This is Day 4 of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. It could be that Russian strongman Vladimir Putin has bitten off more than he can chew in that his invasion is encountering “stiffer than expected” resistance from the Ukrainian military as well as unexpected difficulties supplying its forces. Even on the battlefield, Russia is suffering heavier losses in personnel and armor and aircraft than expected. This is due in part to the fact that Ukrainian air defenses have performed better than preinvasion U.S. intelligence assessments had anticipated. In addition, Russia has yet to establish air supremacy over Ukraine, a senior defense official said, as the Ukrainian Air Force and air defense systems fight for control of the airspace.

Therefore, major Ukrainian cities like Kyiv have not been overthrown as forecasted by U.S. officials. The city of Kharkiv near Ukraine’s border with Russia also has not fallen to invading forces, which officials worried could occur on the first night of the incursion. So far, these are welcoming signs, but it’s been pointed out that the picture in Ukraine could change at any time in the near future. Keeping Russia’s large invasion force supplied with fuel and ammunition has also proved difficult. The reason for this is that the aggressor anticipated a fast victory and may have neglected to plan for sufficient resupply of its forces. Whatever the cause for this, this is a good sign for the courageous Ukrainians who are fighting fiercely to hold on to their country.

Even President Volodymyr Zelensky has refused to leave his beleaguered country; unlike an unpopular president in the recent past who was hustled to an interior bunker because of people protesting the death of George Floyd in May 2020. Even on that terrible day of January 6, this former president did not walk with his supporters down to the Capitol; he left it to them to lay siege to the Capitol.

Talking about that ex-president whose name cannot be mentioned here, Republican Mitt Romney of Utah finally came out swinging and called that segment of his moronic party who has heaped praise upon Russian President Putin as “unthinkable” and “almost treasonous” for anybody in this country that could side with the murderous Russian dictator. In an interview with CNN anchor Dana Bash, Romney “bashed” ultra-MAGA nut job Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) for attending a white nationalist event that celebrated Putin’s actions. Saying in conclusion, Romney talked about how he could use the word “treasonous.” He said, “Standing up for freedom is the right thing to do in America. Anything less than that, in my opinion, is unworthy of American support.”

Changing gears altogether, I would like to summarize an article that appeared in today’s edition of the Daily News that is extremely alarming. It’s written by Ryan Schwach and John Annese, and the article is entitled “Stats show rise in random slays.” The article mentions that “New Yorkers’ chances of getting killed by strangers grew sharply in 2021, and show no sign of abating in 2022.”

An alarming statistic is that 26 people who didn’t know their assailants were slain in the city last year. One of those slayings that shocked the city was the murder of Michelle Go who was shoved into the path of a Times Square subway on January 15 by an unknown assailant. Another slaying was that of Christina Lee, who was followed into her Chinatown apartment building and stabbed to death, allegedly by a homeless man, on February 13. Another terrible murder occurred in Brooklyn when Dorothy Clarke-Rozier, 50, was killed by a drunken, drug-addled stranger who drove a knife into her back. A law enforcement source called the slaying “completely random.” Other random killings make up the rest of the article. I won’t repeat them here because of their grimness.

However, a professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, Eugene O’Donnell, said overall crime data actually show the city to be remarkably safe, considering how many people live in the metropolis, but the increase in homicides involving strangers shows things are “heading in the wrong direction.” O’Donnell states that just having one killing involving no connection to their attacker “can be really enough to electrify people’s perspective and really frighten people to the bone, depending on the time, the place, the manner that it happens – the subway, Central Park, somebody at work, somebody minding their own business, your average Jane or Joe cut down.”

One such murder was the 1990 killing of Brian Watkins, 22, a tourist and tennis fan from Utah who was in the city to see the U.S. Open. Watkins was knifed to death trying to protect his mother from a gang of muggers in a Midtown subway station. I remember the slaying very well, and it was so tragic. This wasn’t even a native New Yorker but a visitor to our city who was struck down at the age of 22. O’Donnell says this slaying had the transformational consequence of influencing people to leave the city or make adjustments to their routines or conduct.

All I can say is that I hope our new mayor, whom I’m having second thoughts about already, is reading this article as well and is driven to do something about this tragic situation. Where are the police on the subway, which he has promised? I haven’t seen any men or women in blue on our trains during those times I have used the subway. Maybe they’re hiding – I don’t know.

It’s getting late here. Tomorrow our contractor will show up as early as 9 to continue his remodeling of the kitchen. We have a 10:30 appointment at Jocelyn’s vet, so we can leave around 10.

Have a good week.

Stay safe and be well.