ping!
Somehow, this just is not a credible situation...even in St. Petersburg, this reeks.
How much more likely that the strings are being pulled from here?
ping
BTW, in news that you won't see from Russia's state-owned publications (examples, RIA Novosti and Pravda), a journalist named Vladimir Rakhmankov recently called Putin, "Russia's phallic symbol." Rakhmankov is in court under criminal proceedings. His computers in his office and home were seized and his office sealed.
I don't remember seeing that before. They could easily provide the continuity between then and now as the external appearance changes to fool the useful idiots.
Any comments??
In other news we can't see, Viktor Shmakov, editor-in-chief of a Provincial News publication, was jailed for criticizing the Russian government about corruption and human rights abuses.
Chekist clique after getting their hands on gas and oil wealth of Russia find it hard if not impossible to relinquish it in a normal elections. Certainly, they would like to set up some kind of monarchy. However, if Russia wants to restore Monarchy, the legitimate descendants of the Last Tsar Nicholas II of Romanov Dynasty are alive and well living outside of Russia. Obviously Putin Chekists are not interested in sharing their wealth with anyone--only among themselves. So their monarchy will be only open for them.
Very disturbing development since this clan is interested first and foremost in enriching themselves and the only way they see to maintain the grip on power is a combination of repressive policies at home with Anti-Americanism abroad.
However, this system is clearly not viable. When elites have absolutely no accountability toward the citizenry, they grow too unruly and they are collapsing under their own weight. The collapse of the Soviet System of governance is an obvious example. Plus, I doubt that Russian Citizenry will continue to put up with lawlessness of the Putin clique indefinitely. Majority of Russian people may be completely disenchanted with Democracy, which is not unusual seeing how Yeltsin regime perverted Democratic institutions to enrich himself and his associates. But it doesn't mean that they will continue to put up indefinitely with situation when Putin and his Business Checkists living lavishly while the majority of population is getting scraps from the table, sending their kids to the cruel and absolutely corrupt military and having a few prospects for a decent future.
The continuing lawlessness of Putin clique will likely cause mini-revolts here and there, or we'll see an acceleration of immigration of the most productive of Russian people abroad. Stalin could count on the love of majority of Soviet populace because it was based not only on fear, but also on illusion that Communism is near. Modern Russians don't have such illusions.
Some governments pay individuals for foreign media advocacy (including advocacy through the Internet), and it's not all that uncommon. Italy does, for one.
http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2002/11/12/172635.shtml
(NewsMax)
Russia and Immigrants From the USSR
Dr. Alexandr Nemets
Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2002
Moscow Plans Regarding 'Former Russian Jews'
Interesting !
PING