Russia Returns to its Anti Democratic Past

[Boethius]

Mendy posted recently about walking and talking at what he assumed was a safer place, out of earshot (incidentally, Mendy, my FIL, God rest his soul, never said anything in the city, anywhere, as he believed many buildings had listening devices installed.  I assume these days, no place is truly 100% "spy free" if a state has one under surveillance).


Here is an article on the coincidence of opposition figures who have died in mysterious circumstances in Russia.  Oddly, government critics in the "hotbed of fascism" aka Ukraine, are not concerned about being shot to death while taking an after dinner stroll, nor ingesting poison when enjoying a meal.


Note the end of the article (re listening devices).


http://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/putins-russia-dont-walk-dont-eat-and-dont-drink

[Boethius]

In "fascist" Ukraine, one soldier was killed yesterday.  That, together with those wounded, is widely reported in the Nazi like Ukrainian press. 


Meanwhile, in that bastion of democracy known as Russia, it is a federal crime to report the death of any Russian soldier.

[JayH]

The contrast between the regimes ought to give anyone with an ounce of common sense a major clue of the realities of the situation.
In Ukraine- the necessity for security reasons to tighten the freedom of the information even slightly was debated openly in Ukraine across all forms of media.
Access to the war front is not being denied to journalists-in fact they are assisted to see for themselves.
Ukraine has little to fear from the truth and who see it.
On the other hand-the Kremlin continues to pump out as much disinformation as possible -the intent to create confusion and avoid being seen as responsible  for thousands of deaths in Ukraine- and the humanitarian crisis the Russian invasion has created.
In summary-- Russia is attempting to deny the truth and create it's own version of it! the emphathis on the word "create' !

[Muzh]

Mendy posted recently about walking and talking at what he assumed was a safer place, out of earshot (incidentally, Mendy, my FIL, God rest his soul, never said anything in the city, anywhere, as he believed many buildings had listening devices installed.  I assume these days, no place is truly 100% "spy free" if a state has one under surveillance).


Here is an article on the coincidence of opposition figures who have died in mysterious circumstances in Russia.  Oddly, government critics in the "hotbed of fascism" aka Ukraine, are not concerned about being shot to death while taking an after dinner stroll, nor ingesting poison when enjoying a meal, as long as it is not with a Russian envoy.


Note the end of the article (re listening devices).


http://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/putins-russia-dont-walk-dont-eat-and-dont-drink

There, FTFY.

[Muzh]

In "fascist" Ukraine, one soldier was killed yesterday.  That, together with those wounded, is widely reported in the Nazi like Ukrainian press. 


Meanwhile, in that bastion of democracy known as Russia, it is a federal crime to report the death of any Russian soldier.

Hear the crickets' response to your post?


Where's FT, Natural, Steamer, Stuart, et.al.?

[The Natural]

Mendy posted recently about walking and talking at what he assumed was a safer place, out of earshot (incidentally, Mendy, my FIL, God rest his soul, never said anything in the city, anywhere, as he believed many buildings had listening devices installed.  I assume these days, no place is truly 100% "spy free" if a state has one under surveillance).


Here is an article on the coincidence of opposition figures who have died in mysterious circumstances in Russia.  Oddly, government critics in the "hotbed of fascism" aka Ukraine, are not concerned about being shot to death while taking an after dinner stroll, nor ingesting poison when enjoying a meal.

I see you have Your own set of conspiracy theories, haha.

[Boethius]

Did the victims shoot or poison themselves?

[mendeleyev]

It was the person to whom I spoke that suggested out location, much of which was walking along a lake. While walking to the lake area we drank tea in one cafe, then moved to another for some blini, precisely for the reasons you mention, Bo.

To add just a little more understanding to a separate incident to which I alluded earlier, I do not consider it a coincidence that when I returned from Amsterdam two weeks ago, that the person who (by surprise to me) met my flight at 2am was supposedly connected to the Interior Ministry. We actually had a somewhat pleasant drive around Moscow for two hours (once my nerves calmed), during which time I was encouraged to moderate my tone, and spend more time reporting on the arts and culture, as we drove to various locations of historic interest on a photo project I'm developing; then he dropped me off at a train station at 4am with the admonition to "trust no one here."

I've had lots of interesting experience in many countries, but never something like that happen before.

[cc3]

It was the person to whom I spoke that suggested out location, much of which was walking along a lake. While walking to the lake area we drank tea in one cafe, then moved to another for some blini, precisely for the reasons you mention, Bo.

To add just a little more understanding to a separate incident to which I alluded earlier, I do not consider it a coincidence that when I returned from Amsterdam two weeks ago, that the person who (by surprise to me) met my flight at 2am was supposedly connected to the Interior Ministry. We actually had a somewhat pleasant drive around Moscow for two hours (once my nerves calmed), during which time I was encouraged to moderate my tone, and spend more time reporting on the arts and culture, as we drove to various locations of historic interest on a photo project I'm developing; then he dropped me off at a train station at 4am with the admonition to "trust no one here."

I've had lots of interesting experience in many countries, but never something like that happen before.

Is it time to seriously contemplate exiting that increasingly autocratic and even toxic location for safer environments for you and your family? You would be highly welcome to continue your work from the friendly, Russian speaking venues of Kyiv, Kharkiv, or even Lviv (my future stepdaughter just graduated from a public Russian language secondary school here, so...zero prejudice against Russian speakers in the supposed cradle of Ukrainian fascism).

[mendeleyev]

cc3, that is a good question. In speaking with other professional foreign members of media, my experience is not altogether unique. As this point I believe it to be an across the board effort to intimidate and sway.

The journalists for which I have the most immediate concern are those who are Russian citizens. It would be an international incident if some foreign journalist was injured, or worse. But sadly, there is a history of oppression, even to death, and that is why Journalists Without Borders considers Russia to be a toxic environment for Russian journalists who stray from official viewpoints in reporting.

[cc3]

Good luck and God be with you and your family.

[mendeleyev]

Bo:

Meanwhile, in that bastion of democracy known as Russia, it is a federal crime to report the death of any Russian soldier.

Democracy is a four letter word today across Russia. The term has become a symbol of anti-Americanism, and to a great degree Canadians and Brits are lumped in with that attitude.

Several years ago, Mr. Putin introduced the concept of "managed democracy" into the national vocabulary when he began to abolish direct citizen election of regional leaders, and instead began to appoint those by presidential decree. The concept was that the direct democracy was not good for Russia, and thus it needed to be managed and controlled by the Kremlin.

Today, there is no talk of democracy in Russia, even that of so-called "managed" democracy. At least for now, the concept is dead.

[mendeleyev]

cc3, thank you.

[2tallbill]

Russian state TV reporter fired after criticising Vladimir Putin
Konstantin Goldenzweig says he is ashamed of taking part in Kremlin 'propaganda madness'

read all about it here
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/vladimir-putin/11678629/Russian-state-TV-reporter-fired-after-criticising-Vladimir-Putin.html

[The Natural]

I was just thinking about it the other day; that I hope for the future of Russia's sake, that they keep a Close eye on anti-Russian individuals, foreign and domestic, that work day and night to do their bit to get Russia Down to the Level it was in in the 90's.

We all know that western states monitor possible enemies of the state, why should not Russia do it when they are much more prone to being undermined by Foreign funded agents, whether they be Russian Nationals or Foreign? They'd be fools not to watch this carefully and I am every day more satisfied to see that the People in charge in Moscow are no fools. They have for the past years been very patient and perhaps even a little naive about the intentions of their western "partners", but I feel that stage has passed.

[Muzh]

I was just thinking about it the other day; that I hope for the future of Russia's sake, that they keep a Close eye on anti-Russian individuals, foreign and domestic, that work day and night to do their bit to get Russia Down to the Level it was in in the 90's.

We all know that western states monitor possible enemies of the state, why should not Russia do it when they are much more prone to being undermined by Foreign funded agents, whether they be Russian Nationals or Foreign? They'd be fools not to watch this carefully and I am every day more satisfied to see that the People in charge in Moscow are no fools. They have for the past years been very patient and perhaps even a little naive about the intentions of their western "partners", but I feel that stage has passed.

Get Russia Down??


LMFAO


They have been subterranean for the last 10 years.

[The Natural]

Get Russia Down??


LMFAO


They have been subterranean for the last 10 years.

Good to see you're paying attention, mate 

[Boethius]

I was just thinking about it the other day; that I hope for the future of Russia's sake, that they keep a Close eye on anti-Russian individuals, foreign and domestic, that work day and night to do their bit to get Russia Down to the Level it was in in the 90's.

We all know that western states monitor possible enemies of the state, why should not Russia do it when they are much more prone to being undermined by Foreign funded agents, whether they be Russian Nationals or Foreign? They'd be fools not to watch this carefully and I am every day more satisfied to see that the People in charge in Moscow are no fools. They have for the past years been very patient and perhaps even a little naive about the intentions of their western "partners", but I feel that stage has passed.

As an immature democracy, I can't disagree with you more strongly on this matter.

Let's take a few examples.  Noam Chomsky.  Permanent critic of the United States.  He may be monitored.  But he can write whatever he wishes, it gets published, and there is no threat in the United States of some governor deciding to rub him out on an after dinner walk, or poisoning his food, or shooting him in the doorway of his home.

Compare that to the fates of Nemtsov, Kara-Murza, or Magnitsky.

The fact you can even make such a statement suggests the paucity of your knowledge on this issue.

[The Natural]

None of the Deaths you mentioned is proved to be the workings of Kremlin. But I Guess we don't need proof of anything we oppose in the west anymore, that seems to be the New rule, politically motivated speculations served as "truth". Seems to me just another conspiracy theory.

[Muzh]

None of the Deaths you mentioned is proved to be the workings of Kremlin. But I Guess we don't need proof of anything we oppose in the west anymore, that seems to be the New rule, politically motivated speculations served as "truth". Seems to me just another conspiracy theory.

You are correct. It was the Ukrainian Nazis who crucified babies. They were so mean that this poor woman kept moving from place to place and changing her name whenever she was interviewed by RT hoping to escape the Ukrainian Nazis.

[Boethius]

None of the Deaths you mentioned is proved to be the workings of Kremlin. But I Guess we don't need proof of anything we oppose in the west anymore, that seems to be the New rule, politically motivated speculations served as "truth". Seems to me just another conspiracy theory.

I didn't state they were the work of the Kremlin.  But they certainly were the work of those in government. 

[The Natural]

I didn't state they were the work of the Kremlin.  But they certainly were the work of those in government.

Isn't that the same?

[Boethius]

No, it isn't.  Nemstov was killed by Chechens, no doubt on orders of Kadyrov.  He is a Putin darling, but he isn't in the Kremlin.

Magnitsky was beaten to death by police in a Russian jail.

Kara-Murza was poisoned because of his work as an outspoken critic of anti democratic actions by the Russian government.  Given that, who else would have an interest in poisoning him?

[The Natural]

No, it isn't.  Nemstov was killed by Chechens, no doubt on orders of Kadyrov.  He is a Putin darling, but he isn't in the Kremlin.

Magnitsky was beaten to death by police in a Russian jail.

Kara-Murza was poisoned because of his work as an outspoken critic of anti democratic actions by the Russian government.  Given that, who else would have an interest in poisoning him?

So, because this Kadyrov ("no doubts", any proof?) which is, allegedly, a "darling" of Putin, that makes it seem like you are blaming.... Putin.

The other Things is nothing more than theories, again, conspiratory theories.

[mendeleyev]

Natural:

which is, allegedly, a "darling" of Putin,

Oops, your ignorance is in full view. The two are pals, quite known and they do not hide it. You really should read up and get out more often. Ignorance is not your best suit.