A mouse, which tried to give born to a mountain.

Sensation! Mr.Medvedev told us about what we all need. We need energy saving light, broadband Internet access, and time zones borders should be changed, that the time difference between Moscow and Vladivostok became less than 7 hours. It will be modernization. If you early did not know, what does it mean, now you know. One of my Moscow colleagues, Ej.ru observer Aleksandr Golts named it “the public act of birth of a mouse”, meaning well-known phrase about the mountain, which gave birth to a mouse. However, when Mr.Medvedev worked in the St.-Petersburg mayor office as assistant of Vice-mayor Vladimir Putin, his colleagues named him between themselves: “little grey mouse”.

Medvedev disagrees

Dmitry Medvedev disagrees with European criticism of the wartime role of Soviet dictator Josef Stalin. Russian president has told, addressing to the Serbian parliament members, some forces in the West are seeking to revise history to achieve political goals and it is a clear hint at former Soviet eastern European allies which have now joined NATO, Reuters informs.

Serbs do not need to be told whose the right cause was. You courageously fought the Nazis, but such resistance was not offered everywhere. Some states not only backed Nazis, but also fought on their side, some chose collaboration, methodically helping the Hitler’s military machine delivering resources. <…> No one can dare idealizing the Stalin’s regime. But it was not the Soviet Union that started the war.

It is very interesting, what about he told. Who did “methodically help the Hitler’s military machine delivering resources“? Whether Mr. Medvedev forgot that the Soviet resources were delivering to the Nazi Germany until June, 22 1941, until the day of Nazi attack. Which country “chose collaboration“, having divided Poland in September 1939 and having occupied the Baltic countries a year later? What country started the war on Finland in 1939 according the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact? Whether it was not the Soviet Union?

TV-news under full control

Russian TV channels REN-TV and Peterburg – 5th channel will not produce the own news programs next year. The channels will only broadcast news programs by state owned TV company Russia Today, the newspaper Kommersnat announced on Friday. So we lost the last non-statecontrolled TV-news.

Give them a finger, they will bite off the hand

The Washington Post characterized the policy of Obama’s administration concerning Russia as “amateurishness, wrapped in naivete, inside credulity”. Barack Оbама has refused from antimissile systems in the Eastern Europe. What he have received back? Russia, as foreign minister Sergey Lavrov said, anyway will not support sanctions against Iran. Obama’s decision was declared in Russia as the great victory of its diplomacy. But when Russia feels itself as the winner, its appetite grows more and more. So be not surprised, if Russian tanks will go to Georgia again.

By the way, Russian TV channel announced this week a series of program about native Russians, living in Europe and USA, such as Hollywood actor Anton Yelchin, this year Eurovision winner Alexander Rybak and others. The name of the series: “Russke, kotorykh ne boyatsya” (something like: Russians, who do not inspire fear). It’s symptomatically, isn’t it? It means they understand that Russians mostly really inspire fear in the West.

Anna Politkovskaya – 3 years later

Anna Politkovskaya, journalist, was killed by unknown on October, 7, 2006

Who killed Anna Politkovskaya? It is the unanswered question. Three years after her death we don’t know, who paid $2 millions as one of witnesses informed during the process in Moscow Military court. Vladimir Putin said three years ago that her death has delivered Russia more harm, than she herself, being alive. Mr. President said very cynically, but, in fact, truly. Not so many people outside Russia knew Anna when she was alive, and less had read her articles and her books, in particular the book about Putin’s Russia. I guess Mr. Putin had read it. And I guess he could be very angry for it. The book opened such reality, which he and his closest ring wanted to cover by dark shadow. But even if he had read the book, he had no reasons to kill Anna. Being not so stupid he should understand, this book is not so dangerous for his regime until nobody read it. Could you imagine how angry he was and what words he said, addressed to major or lieutenant colonel of Federal Security Service, who organized murder by assistance of his semi-criminal subordinates. Yes, I do believe, Putin did not ask to kill Anna literally. Putin could say once only, that this journalist is his enemy and would be better if she keeps silence, but somebody in uniform has understood it as the guide to action.  Putin created the system, in which security services lieutenant colonels were able to do it, understanding that will get thanks but never will lost their positions. This unknown man probably did it by hands of three Chechen, Makhmudov brothers, who were arrested later and went to the court, or by hands of other people, it does not matter. Maybe this man is already colonel or even general now.

It is a version only not more. We have not all information. But looking on the process, we see, this version looks like truth. The Putin’s system implies, that for achieving a purpose all facilities, even lawless, are good. The Putin’s system allows break the laws, pursue people, as Alexander Podrabinek and even kill. This system was created by Putin, but not Yeltsin or some oligarchs. In such system no one man or woman in Russia can feel themselves in defense if they are outside the system and more, if they criticize the system.

Mikhail Kasyanov without Vladimir Putin

Russian ex-prime minister Mikhail Kasyanov has presented on this Monday his book “Without Putin”. The book was published by “Novaya Gazeta” and consists of dialogs between M.Kasyanov and well-known journalist Yevgeni Kiselev.  Grani.ru publishes a fragment of the book.

Yevgeny Kiselyov (Y.K.): How could you characterize your political platform?

Мikhail Kasyanov (M.К.): As liberal-conservative, but mostly liberal.

Y.К.: How many political parties should be in Russia?

М.К.: Maybe five, but maybe a hundred, so many, how people need for expressions of their political interests. It citizens should define, but not the ministry of Justice or somebody else.

Y.K.: Who of present foreign politicians are more attractive for you?

М.К.: German ex-prime minister Helmut Kohl, ex-prime minister of Sweden, now foreign minister Karl Bildt and ex-prime minister of Denmark, now NATO Secretary General Andreas Fogh Rasmussen.

Y.К.: Is it important for you, is politician atheist or religious?

М.К.: I estimate politicians by other criteria: adherence to principles, honesty, readiness for dialogue and the compromise.

Y.К.: What do you think about death penalty in Russia. Should it be cancelled completely?

М.К.: Of course and as soon as possible.

Y.К.: Could woman be head of the state in Russia?

М.К.: Why not? I see nothing extraordinary here. There are enough clever and professional women who even more professional than men. However, in present political system in Russia it is impossible.

Y.К.: What do you think about Lenin’s body?

М.К.: He should be buried.

Y.К.: Which the first foreign capital city you would visit if you was head of the state?

М.К.: Of course Kiev. We should restore communications with our nearest partner, crashed in many respects by fault of present heads of Russia.

Y.К.: What do you think about lustration?

М.К.: Three years ago I thought it unacceptable. Today it is obvious, that does not matter who has come to power after Putin, it will be very complicate for him to be kept from this measure. I consider possible, but in the limited scale. Concerning only those persons, who really purposely broke human rights.

Y.К.: What is main defect of present political system in Russia?

М.К.: The main defect is that we can not change political persons by normal way, by elections, even if they are compromised. It is not only the main defect but it is our main problem.

Y.К.: Is politics dirty business anyway?

М.К.: No, if politics more public and competition, so there is less dirty.

Y.К.: What do you want to wish our democratic opposition?

М.К.: I wish more responsibility and self-irony.

Y.К.: What would you want to change in you, if could start your life again?

М.К.: Nothing.

It looks like a text of pre-election poster. Mikhail Kasyanov, it seems, will try to take part in the presidential elections 2012 once again, but the result will be the same, as in 2008 when he has not been registered. More likely this book is some kind of a reminder. He reminds that such political person still alive and still hopes in occasion to play the same role that Boris Yeltsin has played in 1989 – 1990, when he left communist party for opposition and then has risen from opposition to the top of power. Has Kasyanov such chance? In present political situation in Russia, he has not. If only the situation will not change itself before the next presidential election campaign will start.

Journalist persecuted by pro-Kremlin activists over internet article

Journalist and human right activist Aleksandr Pordabinek and his family have been subjected to intimidiation for his article in opposition internet edition Yezhednevny Zhurnal. Last week he published an article about the “Anti-Soviet” Grill House in Moscow. This Grill House, opened a few month ago, this September had to change its name under local authority pressure. The article was a rather harsh response to Soviet veterans who had taken offence over the restaurant’s name.

Podrabinek’s article angered the pro-Kremlin movement Nashi. In a statement on its website, the Nashi said: “From now on, the Nashi movement will do everything to split this person’s life in two halves: before and after the article.”

Podrabinek’s wife Alla believes that the Nashi have announced open season on him. She told Ekho Moskvy radio:

Aleksandr has published an open letter in Yezhednevnyy Zhurnal to Soviet pensioners in response to their moves to close the Anti-Soviet Grill House. This was quite a harsh letter but it was not against all Great Patriotic War veterans but only against individuals who had organized all this. After this, an open and hideous hunt has been started in the Internet by the Nashi movement. A huge number of people are pouring out dirt and threats. They complain that he insulted all Great Patriotic War veterans. There are tonnes of commentaries; all of them are total hideous filth. Yesterday all day they tried to get into the flat. A large number of couriers appeared who wanted to give urgent documents to my husband. All this is terribly unpleasant.

Five Nashi activists got into the Novaya Gazeta building looking for Podrabinek on 25 September, Ekho Moskvy radio reported. They did not find him but they tried to learn about his whereabouts from the Novaya Gazeta deputy editor-in-chief, Ekho Moskvy radio reported. On this Monday a number of the pro-Kremlin movement activists appeared near apartment block were journalist lives. As A.Podrabinek wrote on his blog on Tuesday, he has been compelled remove for a while to another place and limit all his contacts, being afraid for his safety.

One of the “Nashi” movement leader Gleb Kraynik said Interfax news agency, that his organization did not suit any actions at the house of the journalist and has not been threatening Podrabinek or anybody else, nor will it be.  But he added:

However, we warn him that if Mr Podrabinek does not apologize to veterans, his life would be much more comfortable somewhere else, in Estonia for instance, where state policies coincide with pro-Nazi views which he likes so much.

Later Tuesday “Nashi” leader Nikita Borovikov confirmed Interfax news agency, they would picket Podrabinek’s Moscow’s home. He informed also, the movement will achieve through court Podrabinek’s apologies.

Sources: Echo of Moscow, Reuters, Newsru.com, Grani.ru, Ej.ru

10 Years of Putin

by Yevgeny Kiselyov

The Moscow Times, Friday, August 07, 2009

Russians love to celebrate anniversaries, especially “jubilee anniversaries” — that is, those that are marked by round numbers (10 years, 20 years, 30 years, etc.)

But there is one 10-year anniversary on Sunday that leaves little room for celebration. On Aug. 9, 1999, then-President Boris Yeltsin, who at that point was physically exhausted, weak and easily manipulated, made what was probably the greatest mistake of his political career: He named a new government led by the little-known Vladimir Putin.

More important, Yeltsin said he would like to see Putin as his successor after the March 2000 presidential election. Shortly after Putin took office as president in May 2000, he wasted little time rolling back virtually all of the political reforms that Yeltsin had worked so hard to achieve throughout his political career.

There is no doubt that Putin’s 10-year anniversary will be met by lavish praise from all directions. Recall the nauseating groveling toward Putin in 2007, when he turned 55 years old, from politicians, celebrities and one particularly servile film director who made the overly sentimental film, “55,” which went on and on about Putin’s epochal political legacy.

To his “credit,” Putin has built a powerful personality cult around himself thanks in large part to the state-controlled television that endlessly portrays him in a favorable light under all circumstances. Recall how state television covered Putin’s recent trip to Siberia and the Far East. The entire country watched with bated breath as the intrepid prime minister went to the bottom of Lake Baikal in a deep-sea Mir-2 submarine. They gasped with affection as the country’s noble protector of all animals on Earth placed a satellite tracking tag on a Beluga whale named Dasha in the Sea of Okhotsk. They were delighted to see their larger-than-life national leader take a one-day vacation to the godforsaken Tuva region, where he went rafting down a mountain river.

But behind that glamorous television image, high popularity ratings and personality cult stands a deplorable track record. During Putin’s years in power, the country lost a complete decade. Russia missed a golden opportunity to use an extended period of high oil prices to modernize the country both politically and economically. Now as we near the end of the first decade of the 21st century, Russia remains mired in the past century. The country’s economy, including its federal budget, continues to be over-dependent on revenue from oil and other raw materials exports. Eighteen years after the collapse of the Soviet Union, it still lacks a modern communications infrastructure. In addition, there is an appalling shortage of high-quality roads — including the so-called highway between Moscow and St. Petersburg — as well as modern train stations and airports.

In reality, the Russian economy began to grow rapidly before Putin’s rise, when the price of oil was about $15 per barrel. This growth started in earnest in 1999, after the ruble was devaluated following the 1998 default. But in the thick of Putin’s presidency, when oil prices approached $100 per barrel, exceeding even the boldest forecasts, the rate of economic growth year on year actually began to slow. Meanwhile, economic growth in similarly oil-rich Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan during the same period was two to three times higher.

Putin dedicated practically all of his early years as president to the war in Chechnya, the struggle with a few obstreperous and overly ambitious oligarchs, construction of his power vertical, the placement of loyal insiders in key government posts and instituting governmental control over the country’s largest media outlets.

Economic reforms that included the creation of the stabilization fund, the adoption of a new Land Code and new labor laws as well as the reform of natural monopolies were all begun under now-disgraced former Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov. After his ouster, the reforms ground to a halt and a new course was set toward building Putin’s state capitalism.

In domestic politics, Putin turned away from democratic procedures in favor of authoritarianism. Year after year, Russia found itself in the bottom of the global rankings as one of the most corrupt and least democratic countries.

The second Chechen war, from which Putin began his reign, has become a de facto defeat for Russia. The republic has been transformed into President Ramzan Kadyrov’s personal fiefdom and enjoys an independence that first Chechen president, Dzhokhar Dudayev, or its third president, Aslan Maskhadov, could only dream of. Today, Chechnya lives according to its own unwritten laws, while Russia contributes to the charade with endless cash infusions from the federal budget.

The result of Putin’s foreign policy for the past 10 years looks just as depressing. Moscow’s attempts to wield its “energy weapon” in relations with the West has only forced the European Union to reform its own gas market by looking for alternative energy supplies, including the Nabucco pipeline.

Any hope for a reset in U.S.-Russian relations as Moscow envisioned it — that is, Russia helps the United States with the war in Afghanistan in exchange for the United States giving up its battle to extend NATO membership to Ukraine and Georgia — has not panned out. The recent visits to Kiev and Tbilisi by U.S. Vice President Joe Biden made it very clear that Washington is not willing to turn its back on those two countries.

It is difficult to name a single country with which Russia has experienced improved relations over the last 10 years. Even Belarussian President Alexander Lukashenko, traditionally Moscow’s closest ally, has begun turning away from Russia and toward the West.

With the economic crisis gaining steam, the Kremlin has just two options: It can either tighten the screws even further, or it can gradually begin to liberalize from the top down. It would be nice to believe the authorities would choose the second path. Regrettably, Russian history has shown that every time the country’s leaders were placed in this situation, they have always opted to tighten the screws, despite the fact that the situation always worsened as a result.

And now, when the possibility of a new war with Georgia hanging in the air, it reminds me of Russia’s “quick and easily winnable war” with Japan from 1904-05. Tsar Nicholas II started the war under the slogan that it would save Russia from revolution. But after Russia’s embarrassing defeat in the war, revolution is exactly what it got — both in 1905 and 1917.

Yevgeny Kiselyov is a political analyst and hosts a political talk show on Ekho Moskvy radio.

Good morning Mr. Berezovsky

Boris Berezovsky, if you know him, woke up last week. He said, answering the questions by Ukrainian “Novaya” (New) newspaper, that “Russia became extremely aggressive state, with completely disorganized army which hardly solves military problems. At the same time the United States became the absolute impotent, and I even do not talk about the Europe.” Very interesting and how timely you said it. Mr.Berezovsky, where you were last August or better to say, where you were in July 1999 when traveled to Biarritz to persuade Vladimir Putin to become Boris Yeltsin’s successor?

The man, who has led Mr. Putin to the power, shortly after it become exile when could not divide this power with him, already lives in London for a long time. Once he told me an interesting story. As he said, when he has transferred Putin the offer to become the prime minister, and in the short term Yeltsin’s successor, Putin answered: “I do not wish to be the prime minister. I wish to be as you”. Otherwise, Putin wished to be very rich person who operates politicians, staying himself behind curtain.

Victory Day

I do not like the Russian Victory Day – May, 9. I am sorry, but it is the truth. Every year I should celebrate not mine holiday. Not mine, because I was not there. I have no attitude to this war. I was not there and could not, been born 20 years after. But all around celebrate it, as though were on that war as though they have won this war. Of course, for those who there were, also who was at war, it is really the Victory Day. But all others, the majority of inhabitants of present Russia, they as well as I have no attitude to this war. What do they celebrate? It looks like somebody unknown invited me to his birthday party. I am not familiar with any of guests, but should have fun together with all of them. For mine and subsequent generations this day should be Remembrance Day. But in Russia it is tradition.