KPRF has Found a Formula to Criticize Putin without Naming Him that Recalls what Milyukov Did in 1916, Gallyamov Says

Paul Goble

            Staunton, June 12 – The KPRF has come up with “a formula which allows them to criticize the authorities vigorously while formally maintaining ‘a patriotic stance,’” Abbas Gallyamov says. All they have to do is mention some unfulfilled presidential orders and avoid calling for an immediate end to the war in Ukraine.

            That is because, the former Putin speechwriter and now Putin critic argues, “after 26 years of undivided rule, any criticism of the system in general reflects poorly on Putin personally” (t.me/abbasgallyamovpolitics/10616 reposted at echofm.online/opinions/posle-26-let-bezrazdelnogo-vlastvovaniya-lyubaya-kritika-sistemy-byot-po-putinu).

            While this may not win the KPRF votes, such an approach is far from “harmless” as far as Putin is concerned given that “any criticism of the system reflects poorly on him,” Gallyamov continues. ‘The good Tsar, bad boyars’ formula stopped working long ago because everyone knows that the Tsar personally selected and appointed these ‘boyars.’”

            What happened at the end of imperial times is suggestive, Gallyamov says. When Pavel Milyukov gave his famous “is this stupidity or is this treason?” the liberal Russian leader “formally directed his grievances at the ministers rather than the Emperor, but everyone understood” who was the real target. “Three months later, Nicholas himself was overthrown.”