@Hoss yeah, I knew nothing at all about Ukraine, not even finding it interesting after Trump got impeached over it. I also didn't have an especially warm view of Russia, mostly thinking of it as a former peer adversary that's been going through hard times for a while. So it should've been very easy to get me to at least think well of western support for the friendlier nation that was getting invaded by the unfriendlier nation. But instead the persuasion was

Q: don't you FUCKING HATE Russia?
A: not really?
Q: WHY NOT? They should all die! They're not even human! They're too DUMB to have a democracy!
A: you know, I remember 9/11 very well, and I remember being disgusted by how extremely careful everyone was with sentiments like this. And 9/11 happened in NYC, on American soil.
Q: shouldn't Russians be banned from EVERYTHING? Why are Russians allowed to play Eve Online??? Maybe when millions of Russians are STARVING TO DEATH they'll finally kick Putin out
A: -- what I'm saying is, your tone is kinda weird.
Q: ISN'T ZELENSKYY A VERY SEXY MAN?
Q: IF PUTIN WINS HE'LL INVADE THE REST OF THE WORLD. HE'S JUST EVIL

I think it might be generational. Older than me and you get cold warriors who enjoyed hating the Soviets. Younger than me and you get people who don't remember 9/11 and were more credulous of the last decade of Hillary's "Russia Russia Russia" revenge on the country for not voting for her.