Making Disintegration of Russia a Major Goal Counter-Productive for the Opposition, Gallyamov Says

Paul Goble

            Staunton, Mar. 2 – Even those who believe that the Russian Federation is an empire and should be subject to decolonialization need to recognize that making that their chief goal is counter-productive because the Kremlin will use their aspirations to mobilize Russians against such an outcome, Abbas Gallyamov says.

            The former Putin speechwriter who is now a frequent critic of the Kremlin leader says that he is making that argument not because he “loves the ‘single and indivisible’” Russia so much but simply because he knows “HOW one needs to act to win political campaigns.” Making statements your opponents can easily use against you isn’t one of them.

            Those opposed to Putin must recognize that he and his regime are weakening and that the two are on the way to a defeat comparable in extent to the one Hitler’s Germany suffered in 1945 because the Russian people are turned off by Putin’s policies and his war (echofm.online/opinions/v-povestku-dolzhna-vstat-demokratizacziya-a-ne-razval-strany).

            His supporters are beginning “to drop out of politics” in ever greater numbers, Gallyamov says; and it is critically important that no one do anything that will draw them back in. Talk about the disintegration of Russia is one way to do that, and that in turn will deprive Russian liberals of what could be an historic opportunity to transform the country.

            “Everyone knows that ‘the road to hell is paved with good intentions,’” he continues. “They know but for some reason as soon as things get serious, they immediately forget. And plans about destroying Russia are precisely such intentions,” good in themselves but counterproductive in the extreme.

            “It isn’t enough to fight the authoritarian regime wholeheartedly,” Gallyamov says. “One must do so in a smart way.” Because that is the case, the agenda of Putin’s opponents should be “democratization” and “not the collapse of the country.” If that way is chosen, Putin’s opponents will win a majority; if not, they never will.

            Putin and his ilk understand this which is why Putin and Medvedev have jumped on the issue of the disintegration of Russia in recent days. They know it is a winner with their past supporters and the best possible way to win them back and keep themselves and their regime in power.