Moscow Elites Share Commitment of Their Western Counterparts Not to Have Their Children Grow Up in Russia, Russians Say

Paul Goble

            Staunton, June 18 – There are many ways for Russians to show their anger at those who rule them. One the best because one of the safest, at least most of the time, is to come up with anecdotes that capture realities the Kremlin and its supporters would prefer for Russians to ignore.

            The comment about what Russian and Western elites share repeated in the title above is a classic example of such an anecdote, and it is the best of the ones Moscow journalist Tatyana Pushkaryova offers in her latest collection (publizist.ru/blogs/107374/43207/-). Among the best of the rest are the following:  

·       Russian officials have been complaining about the EU offering Ukraine a path to membership because Russians think they should be a member of a group they publicly despise but in practice want to be part of. They are like the man who chased a girl for three days in order to be able to tell her how indifferent they are to her.

 ·       German Gref says Russia’s economy will return to its 2021 level in about ten years “if nothing is done.” But if he continues to do what he is doing, the economy won’t recover for 30 years.

 ·       Putin says that investing at home is safer than investing abroad, but some, like Ziyaudin Magomedov who has invested heavily at home, has been sitting in a prison cell for four years. Under Putin, it turns out, it may be safe at home but it is even safer in prison.

 ·       Russian propagandists celebrated Joe Biden’s falling off a bike as “our greatest achievement.” Unfortunately, all this proves is that Russia doesn’t have any really significant achievements yet.

 ·       To show up the liberal opposition, patriotic officials plan to attend a rally carrying signs declaring “corruption is our future,” “hands off my yacht,” and “I’m a patriot: I steal only in Russia.”