Putin Says ‘We have Begun to Live Better’ but Russian People Ask: ‘Does That Include Us?’

Paul Goble

            Staunton, Oct. 6 – Speaking at the Valdai Club meeting, Vladimir Putin said that “we have begun to live better.” Russians are certain that this is the case for the Kremlin leader and his entourage. What they are not at all certain about is whether that “we” includes the Russian people as well.

            This is only one of the anecdotes Moscow journalist Tatyana Pushkaryova has published in her latest collection (publizist.ru/blogs/107374/46911/-). Among the best of the rest are the following:

·       Putin says it can train all its own experts but does his best to destroy the schools that might in fact provide such training.

·       Putin says it is hard to work with the elites in the West because they are always changing, not like in Russia where continuity is the rule.

·       If Americans want to buy a dollar, they’ll know have to find 100 rubles. Given that Russia has all of those, it is going to be hard. Checkmate for Russia!

·       Russian air defenses have now shot down another Su-35. To be sure it is a Russian plane but at least it proves the air defense forces can do something.

·       The Kremlin says that Prigozhin’s plane was blown up by a hand grenade that one of the passengers had. An amazing and uniquely Russian weapon that managed to blow off the wing of the plane.

·       In Russia, it is very difficult to tell what time it is, at least as far as years are concerned.

·       Adam Kadyrov will have to beat five more people before he can become a Hero of Russia. Fortunately, these people are now being sent to Grozny.

·       Russian officials now say that Ukrainian authorities are selling children’s organs to the Coca Cola Company. That’s outrageous and unnecessary as it would be simpler and more humane to drone such children as some Russian commanders have suggested.