I doubt those tourists on the beach actually realize the war could come to Crimea in a larger scale and that the bridge would be a prime target - many will just see great balls of fire near their beach and conclude it's better to go home.
And: Usually, ordinary citizens are in no position to take down a dictator unless they risk life and limb by taking to the streets. Some tried, but unless the system starts showing fractures, I doubt many more will. Getting locked up for up to 15y in a terror state is a pretty tall order.
>And: Usually, ordinary citizens are in no position to take down a dictator
I am from Romania, I know how it is done, you need just a spark and a few people with courage to start it, it also helps if the army won't fire on their own parents and brothers but I have no idea if Putin brainwashed or brought in Moskow the most retard of the retards of soldiers (we in Romania know about presidents using brainwashed, less intelligent people to do the dirty thing too).
It really depends on how well Putin brainwashing works, and how many Russians will move the blame for their poor economy to nazzis, gays and their mean neighbors that for illogical reasons want to enter into a defensive alliance.
Well, I don't want to lecture you about your country's history, so please don't take it the wrong way - but IIRC, the Ceaușescu regime was showing signs of fatigue in 1989 - and during that year, the wind of change was blowing pretty strong in CEE Europe.
I would claim that current Russia isn't comparable, I don't see signs that the regime is severely weakened and the security apparatus would stay neutral.
Maybe you are right, maybe Russians can endure a few more years of bad times, maybe Putin can continue moving the blame on others(if he still has money to keep the oligarchs happy and pay the propagandists). So he needs money for the oligarchs(or needs to eliminate them, could be a popular move), money for propaganda, money for the army (to keep them loyal), it will be expensive.
> it also helps if the army won't fire on their own parents and brothers
For a bit of added context, it's a common story that I hear among my friends here in Ukraine with relatives in russia that when they tell their relatives "the russian military are shooting at us, and we have had to hide in the basement", even their relatives respond with "No, you haven't been hiding in your basement. It's all fake."
In fascist russia, the television propaganda cable is thicker than blood.
And: Usually, ordinary citizens are in no position to take down a dictator unless they risk life and limb by taking to the streets. Some tried, but unless the system starts showing fractures, I doubt many more will. Getting locked up for up to 15y in a terror state is a pretty tall order.