"Full Tonto"

Amid the generally awful Ukraine coverage yesterday, I discovered a new expression:

Russia's foreign ministry said on Friday it was surprised by a remark by UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace, who said that Russia's invasion of Ukraine showed that President Vladimir Putin had gone "full tonto".

"It is surprising that the British defence minister gives such assessments of the head of another state," Maria Zakharova, the ministry's spokesperson, told a briefing.

Sure enough, the Urban Dictionary provides this definition (I assume the Russian foreign ministry had to look this up as well):

Gone full tonto

taken lunacy to a new level

You've gone full tonto there, Simon

There's also just Tonto:

Tonto

When someone completely loses the plot and goes mental at you for no reason. The word can be used in both funny and serious situations.

Teachers, partners and mothers are most likely to be described as going "tonto".

Person 1: "You coming out tonight?"

Person 2: "Sorry can't my mum's gone absolutely tonto for no reason and she's lost the plot."

The context this definition provides is illuminating -- it normally applies to mothers and teachers, especially in crazy-tyrant mode. But here we have the UK defense minister applying it officially to a head of state, with an implication of belittlement and ridicule. I get the impression that the Russian foreign minstry looked this one up too and was not amused. But then I followed the link to the plot:

The plot

The destination or proper action for the outing

What’s the plot tonight??

More widely reported is this exchange between US officials and Ukraine President Zelensky:

Zelensky has reportedly refused to be evacuated from the capital city of Kyiv as Russian military forces attack the city and surrounding areas.

“The U.S. government is prepared to help Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky leave Kyiv to avoid being captured or killed by advancing Russian forces, according to U.S. and Ukrainian officials,” The Washington Post reported. “But so far, the president has refused to go.”

A senior American intelligence official with direct knowledge of the conversation that U.S. officials had with Zelensky when he was reportedly asked to evacuate says that Zelensky responded: “The fight is here; I need ammunition, not a ride.”

The situation is fluid, but the one certain thing is that circumstances aren't turning out as respectable opinion had predicted. Or maybe more succintly, they've all lost the plot.