Latvian officer: Putin explained Ukraine war using whale-and-bear 'food chain' analogy

Russian President Vladimir Putin has again offered an unusual explanation for Russia's war against Ukraine, this time comparing it to a food chain in the wild. The remarks were relayed by National Armed Forces Major and Latvian National Guard staff officer Jānis Slaidiņš during the TV24 program "Aktuālais par karadarbību Ukrainā."

The orca story

Putin made the comparison while meeting with faculty and students at Moscow State Pedagogical University. Asked whether he had seen polar bears during a visit to the North Pole, Putin instead began describing orcas, which he claimed attack bears, hunting them in packs and tearing them apart as easy prey.

Linking it to the war

Putin then tied this story to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, saying children need to understand "what kind of world we live in." According to Slaidiņš's account, Putin described the situation as a food chain that should be explained to children so they understand the world and the reasons behind what he called the "special military operation."

Slaidiņš noted that Putin's comments have already sparked reaction online, with Ukrainians turning them into memes. He also pointed out that orcas do not actually eat bears.