Russia Archives

President Bush Continues to Disappoint on Russia

Filed under: Russia

If one hoped that U.S. President George W. Bush would have reconsidered his initially appalling stance on the anti-democratic Putin regime (Bush infamously "looked into the eyes" of Putin and found him trustworthy), one was sorely disappointed in recent days as the Bush administration has taken a much-deserved bashing in the media over its betrayal of the struggle for democracy in Russia.

First, the Boston Globe issued a stinging editorial lambasting Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's recent trip to Moscow for failing to attempt any serious confrontation over democracy issues and focusing obsessively on fence mending. Although Rice did conduct a few low-profile meetings with democracy advocates and made an appearance on maverick radio station Echo of Moscow, always a thorn in the Kremlin's side, Rice said nothing of real significance on the program, much less did she confront Putin over Russia's outrageous conduct towards Estonia or take up the invitation of the Wall Street Journal to confront the Kremlin publicly over its harassment of leading human rights attorney Katerina Moskalenko, who represents Garry Kasparov and, as we have previously reported, is facing politically motivated disbarrment proceedings. Her limp posture couldn't have more starkly contrasted with the in-your-face attitude of German Chancellor Angel Merkel, who challenged Putin directly, in his presence, over the supression of the "Other Russia" movement. Scenting blood in the water, the Daily Kos jumped on the bandwagon.

{Read about the other jackboot dropping after the jump}

·May 20, 2007 1:26 PM

A daring woman in Putin's Russia

Filed under: Russia

Ms Karinna Moskalenko one of Russia most dignified human rights lawyer said, "It isn't necessary to put all the businessmen in jail. It is necessary to jail the richest, the most independent, the most well-connected. It isn't necessary to kill all the journalists. Just kill the most outstanding, the bravest, and the others will get the message. Nobody is untouchable."

This is a piece worth reading.

Manuela Paraipan · May 15, 2007 8:48 AM

Yeltsin's Mixed Legacy

Filed under: Europe ~ Russia

Yeltsin dying seems pretty irrelevant to me, but it's one of those news days where not too much is going on. Now that the Anna Nicole Smith affairs is over and done with, the media must be breathing a sigh of relief that Yeltsin died. He was an extremely important world political figure as Russia transitioned from communism. Truthfully, one can only guess to what people will remember of him. I suppose the first thing I think of is vodka, but that's because he didn't affect me much.

Talking he did during his times seems like a waste of time, though. It's well-documented. If you want to know more about his era, read The Oligarchs, which I'd say is a fantastic intro to the era.

His effect on that past of the '90s is much less important than talking about present of today. Outside of shock therapy and all the moves that were intended to promote a democratic and capitalist society, the two moves that he personally made that have the most impact today are the strengthening of the presidency and his selection of Vladimir Putin to succeed him. Facing a communist revolt early in his career, Yeltsin constantly sought to take away power from the Duma so that he could maintain power over the direction of the country. This may have seemed like the right thing to do to erode the power of the communists, but overall it has led to a super-presidency that, in the hands of Vladimir Putin, is neither democratic nor as he intended. I guess that's what I'll remember the most about him.

MC · April 23, 2007 5:00 PM

Police State, or Why The West Can't Help Russia

Filed under: Europe ~ Russia

Ilya Somin wrote a good summary of the opposition protests that occurred in Russia this weekend, in which Gary Kasparov was temporarily arrested (along with hundreds of others, who were also beaten), taking place in both Moscow and St. Petersburg. Somin is certainly right to say that it's hard to be optimistic about the country's near-term political future given who is running it, but the statement before it reeks of optimism: "Hopefully, there will be enough of an international outcry to persuade Putin to desist and force him to tread more cautiously in the future."

MC · April 16, 2007 3:15 PM

Saturday Morning Captioning

Filed under: Europe ~ Russia

Opposition leader and chess grandmaster Garry Kasparov, along with 170 other activists, were rounded up by Russian security forces before a planned peaceful protest today. But more than just rough-handling, I think the police might get sued for sexual harassment. Here's why...

... any good caption ideas? Post in the comments!

MC · April 14, 2007 7:26 AM

Plotting The Wrong Russian Revolution

Filed under: Europe ~ Russia

Big bad billionaire Boris Berezovsky declared to the Guardian that he is "plotting a new Russian revolution," saying that force is the only way to remove Putin from office and change the regime of ex-KGB officers. His latest is that he's bankrolling members of the Russian political elite in an attempt to cause a split. He's made statements like this before, and it's always hilarious because Pootie Poot's cronies go bonkers.

His criticisms of Putin's regime, that he's rolling back democracy and that it may only be possible to remove his regime through force, are ideas and options that should be weighed and considered -- especially the first. But when it comes to violence, some character assassination is in order.

Boris Berezovsky and his ilk, along with Putin, are just two sides of the same corrupt coin. He spent a great part of the 90s buying up the country at bargain barrel prices using his own connections in the government, leaving the country in ravages while he profited. Berezovsky, at one point, was Russia just as Putin is now. Since he was sent into exile, he has been using words such as "democracy" like he owns them. But contrary to what he says, democracy isn't just political elites -- him and Putin -- being able to fight like dogs for power. It certainly isn't a slogan to be thrown around to gain Western support.

All in all, he's just another billionaire slimeball whose very actions led to the rise of a person like Putin. There are plenty of people who are actually in Russia, risking imprisonment and police baton beatings, who are fighting for democracy there. Chess grandmaster Garry Kasparov, ex-prime minister Kasyanov, and a host of others are trying to put together a feasible democratic opposition at this very moment. Others, like Anna Politkovskaya, actually died trying to bring about a democratic Russia.

In other words, Berezovsky can shove it.

MC · April 13, 2007 9:18 AM

K-I-S-S-I-N-G

Filed under: Europe ~ Russia

Is President Bush giving Russian war criminals too much, er, lip service? Kim Zigfeld takes issue with it, as it appears that our Commander-in-Chief met with a Russian war criminal in the Oval Office without even really knowing who he is. Definitely not the way to speak out for human rights. It's our latest Publius feature article, so check it out here!

MC · April 6, 2007 8:18 PM

Government: Stay Away From Estonia

Filed under: Europe ~ Russia

Is there a terrorist threat against its major cities? Do mass rallies and civil war rue the day? Good old chaos and anarchy?

Who knows?

In case you're wondering, it's not the American or European governments that have issued such an order. It's the Russian government, of course. True to its bullying nature -- especially against the Baltics! -- First Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov has told citizens that they should shun Estonia. The real reason is because Estonia plans to take down an old, irrelevant WWII monument that the people widely regard as a symbol of the beginning of Soviet occupation. Yes, those crazy Estonians are going to tear down a statue! First it's a statue, then the entire Russian Federation!

How ironic that as the Estonians prepare to take down a symbol of Soviet oppression, the Russians react by basically calling for a boycott on Estonian tourism and goods. How perfectly predictable! Big bad Russia's ego gets bruised by baby Estonia and, failing to reconcile with its own history, throws a temper tantrum.

MC · April 3, 2007 12:39 PM

Putintime In Review

Filed under: Europe ~ Russia

Russia contributor Kim Zigfeld takes a look at Russia since Putin gained power, year by year, month by month, and ends with a scary conclusion.

MC · April 1, 2007 9:43 PM

Hiding the face of [Russian] fascism

Filed under: Europe ~ Russia

Before the Winter Olympics of 1936, Hitler did a bang-up job on Berlin. He had to hide all of the work he had carefully been constructing from the world for a few weeks so that none would be the wiser about his plans to exterminate the Jews and conquer Europe. Anti-Jewish propaganda that had once covered the city was completely covered up, pro-Aryan and racist remarks in the media were halted, and undesirables were swept up and kept in camps. In other words, unless an individual knew better, the anyone visiting Berlin would have had no idea by simply looking around that Germany was a fascist power on the path to world war.

Sean Guillory reports that the pro-presidential, nationalist, perhaps even fascist youth group Nashi ("ours") has been blocked on the internet. Not for users in Russia itself, for the rest of the world.

Andy Young of Siberian Light replies that, "There can't seriously be anyone in the Nashi organisation who thinks that doing this will actually reduce the negative coverage they receive outside of Russia, can there?" I think the point is to do exactly that. While people may be able to criticize the fact that they can no longer see what's going on, the fact that they cannot see it prevents them from monitoring the development of the group's ideology. This step most assuredly reveals that Russia's youth politics and its politics in general are going the way of a once-dead ideology based on race elevation and power.

MC · March 28, 2007 8:41 PM