Three Current Political Anecdotes Capture Spirit of Russia Today

Paul Goble

            Staunton, April 5 – Every two weeks, Maxim publishes a collection of what it describes as the best of the anecdotes and jokes Russians are telling. Many of them reflect the universal human condition. But some speak directly to what Russia today is like. Three in the current list meet that test (maximonline.ru/humor/made-in-web/_article/esche-luchshih-anekdotov-marta/):

·         A Moscow TV host reports: “The prime minister has declared that people must not suffer from rising gas prices. The Duma has already begun work on drafting a law on responsibility for suffering from rising gas prices.”

·         A Russian pilot announces: “Respected passengers,, you are landing at the Nazarbayev Airport in the city of Nursultan. Outside the temperature is 20 nursultans; the rate of exchange is 1375 nursultans to the dollar. We wish you a pleasant visit in the capital of the Republic of Nazarbayev.”

·         And from the regions: “Having learned how much money Russia has spent in Crimea over the last five years, the residents of Tver Oblast have decided to hold a referendum about becoming part of Russia.”