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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region Forums"They're carefully enunciating the word clusterf*ck"
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Nate Sibley
@NateSibley
This by @faridaily_ is a fascinating read on how Russias elites are reacting to Putins warand what it reveals about the shape of his regime.
faridaily.substack.com
"Theyre carefully enunciating the word clusterf*ck"
How Russian officials and members of parliament really feel about Putins decision to send troops to Ukraine
6:00 AM · Mar 6, 2022
https://faridaily.substack.com/p/theyre-carefully-enunciating-the?s=r
Conducting sudden, top-secret special operations is the main pattern of Russian President Vladimir Putins behavior. As a former chekist [security official], he always wants to catch everyone off-guard, in order to frighten them and to impress on them that he can do whatever he wants. We witnessed this once again during the emergency meeting of the Security Council three days before the war. The stammering of foreign intelligence head Sergei Naryshkin, the confusion of deputy Kremlin administration head Dmitry Kozak, and the worried face of Moscow mayor Sergei Sobyanin were evidence enough. The most influential people in Russia sat before Putin like schoolchildren before a teacher who had suddenly announced an exam. And this meeting wasnt even about a war they were only discussing the recognition of the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk peoples republics.
By the outbreak of the war, the Russian political space had been wiped clean to the extent that is possible. In the depths of their souls, officials and legilsators may disagree with the decisions of their leaders but only in the depths of their souls. There are very few left who can contradict him out loud, directly to his face.
The official comments high-ranking officials are making during the war are uniform and echo what President Putin said when the war was declared: "Russia was left with no other choice," "our army is liberating the Ukrainian people from the oppression of nationalists," and so on.
In reality, the attitude toward the war within the corridors of power is ambiguous. I came to this conclusion after speaking with several members of parliament and officials at various levels. Many of them are discouraged, frightened, and are making apocalyptic forecasts. Andrei Kostin, [head of the largely state-owned VTB Bank], is "in mourning." Some Duma members are thinking of giving up their seats. Two days before Putin announced the start of the "special operation," one of my most in-the-know friends thought that it wouldnt come to war, because war wouldn't benefit anybody. I see that officials, deputies, and even journalists at government outlets who have left their posts are relieved that they no longer have anything to do with this, and are speaking out against the war.
*snip*
CentralMass
(15,265 posts)HUAJIAO
(2,362 posts)just get up, walk down to putin and kill him !!!!
Done !
HUAJIAO
(2,362 posts)maxsolomon
(32,992 posts)A glimpse inside Russia's power structure.
The telling detail is that Putin actually believes that Zelenskyy is a coke addict. Maybe he's DONE coke (who hasn't?), but he sure doesn't look or act like an addict.
EndlessWire
(6,377 posts)Some people function better on coke, but sooner or later it will get you. Zelensky certainly doesn't look or act like a coke addict. That is lame propaganda from a guy who has existed on psych ops. Anything to discredit another guy who is making Russia look silly.
maxsolomon
(32,992 posts)I should know better than to make flippant generalizations here. I could have said "Everyone Like Kittens" and there'd be a DUer that would be an vehement exception.
EndlessWire
(6,377 posts)Chellee
(2,086 posts)"In the depths of their souls, officials and legilsators may disagree with the decisions of their leaders but only in the depths of their souls. There are very few left who can contradict him out loud, directly to his face."
Sound like anyone you know?