Russian Change?

[JayH]

The sentiments expressed by the writer are commendable -- and the fact that such widespread overt demonstration actually happened does tend to indicate that  there are people in Russia that do not believe in the scum running the country  -- I can only hope that they are not simply pawns in Putin's games.
I am sceptical that what happened at the weekend is what it looks like -- and that a much larger game is not in play here.

QUOTE
"Like everyone else, I want to be proud of my country, but instead I find myself apologizing that I'm from Russia and assuring people that I'm against Putin's regime. But pride for my country has returned after Sunday’s protests. We know Putin’s regime will respond to the surprise success of the rallies with harsh repression. However, something is changing in Russia; the generation raised by the strong hand of Soviet leaders and now Putin will soon be replaced by a generation that refuses to answer to corrupt and undemocratic leaders."

Why Sunday’s Massive Protests Will Change Russia

Nearly 100,000 people went to the streets in more than ninety cities, from Vladivostok to Kaliningrad. Sunday’s protests were the largest anti-government protests since the demonstrations for fair elections in 2011-2012. They touched not only big cities, but took place in smaller places like Saratov and Tyumen that were previously “sleepy” and apolitical.

A huge number of young people, including schoolchildren, participated, and this was the most striking difference between Sunday’s protests and the 2011-2012 ones. It was remarkable to see hundreds of young faces all across Russia, from Vladivostok in the Far East, to Tomsk and Novosibirsk in Siberia, to Yekaterinburg and Chelyabinsk in the Urals, and Samara in the Volga region.

While a new generation of Russians took to the streets, their grandparents saw none of it on television. This fact made the protests all the more powerful—and encouraging—that so many bravely went against the authorities.

http://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/ukrainealert/vladimir-putin-change-is-coming-a-case-for-optimism-in-russia

[JayH]

The current protests in Russia and more intellectuals speaking are the first phases of potential change in Russia. This guy lost his job for his comments reported here.

Professor Andrey Zubov was the only speaker from Russia at the 10th Kyiv Security Forum which took place on 6-7 April in the Ukrainian capital. He started his talk in the panel discussion on “Russia’s everlasting strategy for the neverending war” with a public apology for the things his country did to Ukraine, which was met with a round of applause. Back at home, he suffered for his stance, having been fired from his position of at the Moscow State University.


Russia will one day be a normal country

To change the regime, Russia needs demilitarization and deputinization, as Putin continues the KGB-based Soviet and totalitarian mentality, prof. Zubov said, as well as to struggle against the communist mentality. The PARNAS party of which he is a member produced a memo on systematic decommunization. Like many other Russians, he hopes that:

“we will have another Russia, a center of peace and stability. But not the center of aggression and everlasting war.”

http://euromaidanpress.com/2017/04/13/andrey-zubov-russia-will-one-day-be-a-normal-country/#arvlbdata

[JayH]

Not normal anytime soon it seems.
For those Russophiles who attempt to rationalise Putin & Russia -- it is long overdue to recognise how evil this regime is.

After Tillerson visit, Putin orders sweeping arrests of opposition figures

Last night and this morning after the end of US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson’s visit, Vladimir Putin ordered the arrest of nine opposition figures across the entire country, “from Nakhodka to Samara,” Rusmonitor reports.

http://euromaidanpress.com/2017/04/14/after-tillerson-visit-putin-orders-sweeping-arrests-of-opposition-figures-euromaidan-press/

[JayH]

Vladimir Kara-Murza, vice-chairman of Open Russia, an international Russian pro-democracy movement, talks with Rachel Maddow about the risks of opposing Vladimir Putin in Russia and the resilience of Russia's pro-democracy, anti-Putin movement.



Russian pro-democracy movement resists Putin's oppression


http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/russian-pro-democracy-movement-resists-putin-s-oppression-932539459600

[JayH]

Can these protests be the litmus for change?
For those who have little knowledge of current day Russian politics the article is quite a good  summary.What always needs to be remembered -Russia is not a democracy -there is no democratic process.Putin and his kleptocrats only intent is their personal enrichment and maintaining control --regardless of the cost to ordinary Russians.
What is of significance is that these protests are persisting-- and growing wider.
Quote
"As Russia anticipates the election of Putin to a fourth term as president in 2018, it faces a new time of troubles. The problems of economic decline, weak political processes, and international tensions are familiar and the fault lines are increasingly clear. If the collapse of the Soviet Union was unimaginable in 1991, what of the collapse of the Russian Federation today without a change in trajectory?"



Russia’s coming Time of Troubles

As Russia approaches its 2018 presidential election, dissent in Russia has taken an ominous turn. A wide-spread truckers’ strike against road tolls pits the working class against the oligarchs. An unexpectedly large “youth protest” against corruption in March pits the young against the last post-WWII generation of the Soviet Union as well as their parents who suffered through the 1991 breakup of the Soviet Union. And, a housing protest in Moscow pits ordinary Russians against their local government. What happens to Moscow’s plans for a smooth election if dissent metastasizes into opposition?

http://euromaidanpress.com/2017/05/22/russias-coming-time-of-troubles/

[msmob]

JayH

When were you last in Russia ?

I only ask as while I detected a growing disconnect between the ruling elite and the population - I did not feel a change was imminent and there is still a sense of resignation.

On Sunday night's on the First Channel - the week's new is dissected by a guy who 'tells it how it is' and it is not news it is a editorial opinion - but people watch it.  This week - naturally - it was the bizarre new laws that Ukraine had introduced - an own goal of spectacular proportion.

In summary, I get the impression that nothing will change. I cannot see how it can - such is the utter control and ability to stop the rise of new political parties through legal means.



 

[msmob]

The reactions to the protests across the nation are interesting

Govt - took out Navalny before he could attend the demonstration in Moscow - cutting off electricity and internet access - then jailing him for 30 days for organising an illegal demonstration

Media - that controlled by the govt -  concentrated on portraying VVP celebrating Russia day

Someone I know :  'liked' an article suggesting 'revolution' in Russia has brought 'nothing but good' and 'we need stability'..

Someone else I know : shared an article on facebook covering the protests showing a  muscular guy holding a Russian flag, with a t-shirt "СТОП ХУ#ЛО!!!"   ( help needed to understand)  Comments varying from  "well done" to him being arrested for selling state secrets...

[deccie]

JayH

When were you last in Russia ?

I only ask as while I detected a growing disconnect between the ruling elite and the population - I did not feel a change was imminent and there is still a sense of resignation.



In summary, I get the impression that nothing will change. I cannot see how it can - such is the utter control and ability to stop the rise of new political parties through legal means.

I agree with your view.
My wife explained it this way. Russians are scared to change the government because they think the new guys will just steal more.
It's not an invalid line of thought either. It certainly happened in Omsk when the mayor was changed. Heck, he even stole from school kids.

It's also pretty obvious the elites have no interest in furthering a Russian middle class..