Putin may well be deranged, but that does not preclude the idea of stopping him by deposition, assassination or revolution. It seems impossible that the Russian people and those under arms in Russian forces do not recognise that Putin is a megalo-maniac who is killing thousands and risking nuclear disaster.

Yes, the difference between Russian form of totalitarianism and Western democracy is very marked but surely the way to coexist is in peace not war. Russian troops are killing their brothers and sisters in Ukraine for no other reason than that President Putin has lost the plot, gone off his rocker!

Why must one person die because of this crazy man? And why must thousands die because what Putin says – goes – even mass murder, the flouting of international law and the sacrifice of Russia’s future?

Thank the stars that Putin has in his eccentricity made sure he has become a Pariah, a universally recognised war criminal and a genocidal lunatic. For the first time in many years the West is united to resist this lunatic. Even Turkey and India have condemned Putin’s criminality.

Two things then: What of the future? What of the Russian people?

Many more Ukrainians and Russians are going to die, and they will die brutally and for no purpose. At least those Ukrainians have shown heroism and pride and given their lives for freedom. The Russians will die as aggressors and invaders, the savages of the twenty first century.

What of Russia’s future and its people? Our first thought is to punish, to punish the people who would not stand up to Putin and say – No! Is the whole nation unaware of what its leader is doing? Are the Russian military commanders blind to the evil that they do? If they are morally blind do they deserve mercy? if Putin is deposed what will these episodes tell us of Russian values and apparent blind obedience to obviously manic choices?

Picking up the pieces after Putin’s manic romp will have to be long and hard for not only Russia but the whole world. We must, if the human race is to survive, blend mercy and forgiveness to all people, we must, by example, show that democracy is inherently the better way.

China, of course, waits in the wings whilst the drama unfolds, no doubt calculating how to dominate the world. The West must, absolutely must, stand up with courage and fairness to alternative regimes and by example ensure that our world is never again held to ransom by some lunatic leader. We thought Hitler, was the last and we chose to ignore Putin razing Syria to the ground to support the evil that is Assad. Now we know better, but it is very late in the day, for we can already see the President of China commit genocide with impunity.

We must now ensure that the President of Ukraine and his lieutenants are kept safe, that the Ukrainian people are spared further torture, for they stand in lonely peril. The short term repair of harm rests in Russian hands, Putin must be stopped. Sadly we no longer care how!