A senior banker is "in mourning." Some members of parliament are thinking of giving up their seats. A translation of Farida Rustamova's insider report.
Imagine writing an article on the views of US officials on American policy in Yemen. No doubt you could find off-the-record views that aiding and abetting the slaughter of 900,000 civilians in 7 years is a bad idea, but to then extrapolate those views to push the conclusion that the Biden administration isn't broadly supported in Yemen would earn you a C- grade in freshman critical reasoning 101. Rustamova is a notorious anti-Putin hardliner. Some of her work is excellent, but these kinds of reports are not scopes into the full landscape of the Russian leadership class. The objectives of a neutral Ukraine and liberation of east republics have nearly universal support not only among Russian leadership but of the entire country.
Exactly. If you think this is all about Putin, then you don't understand Russian politics or Russian security policy. The Russian leadership have tried for years to broker a deal to avoid this moment, but were fully aware that a military option was on the table. A de facto NATO-ized Ukraine, the threat that Ukraine would become a nuclear power, and continuous shelling of the Eastern republics were all red lines. It's incredible that America doesn't understand what a "red line" means. But the Russians were very serious.
But how do 190,000 troops and equipment get deployed on an 'exercise' which becomes a 'special military operation' that then becomes a full invasion force? This is worse that Afghanistan 1979. A great deal of planning was needed to support an invasion of this scale. Gathering and moving all those resources demanded months of planning by a large group of people. US signals seemed to picking up evidence of these plans. The lack of alarm bells within the Russian institutions is really very odd. Exercises over by the 20th was the line, how many people in Russian knew this was not the case? This was an invasion planned in secret where the constitutions protections were not applied and Russian kept in the dark. The bombing of Kyiv, Kharkiv, Mariupol, Kherson, and many others each needed detailed planning. Was none of this made apparent to any committee in the Russian Parliament? (For the record, the illegal war in Iraq means we cannot preach but you hope the lessons learned from this and other wrong doing would prevent another human catastrophe.)
It would be just and dandy were one of either the west's governments and/or billionaires to offer a substantial bounty -- something on the order of ten million or more dollars -- for the delivery of Vladimir Putin's body, dead or alive, to one of the NATO countries that used to be dominated or controlled by the USSR.
Please keep up the good work and stay safe. Remember that Putin will not be happy with anyone who speaks out against him. Send him a message tell him there’s a Canadian farm boy over here who wants to take him for a little drive 🤬🤬
How is it that sitting here in Denver watching the fake news I knew Putin was going to attack and these people didn't? It was just as easy to figure they'd wait until after the Olympics.
Because the idea of launching a WWII-style war vs a country the size of Texas (and with more people than CA) with 200K troops is so insanely idiotic (as we are seeing), no one could believe it, and Putin and bullied, blustered, and bluffed plenty of times before.
Amazing contribution to this awesome article… Your contribution is to call out the verbiage here? That’s what you took away and then took the time to post?! This post is more informative than any other out there on the ongoing war where people are literally dying. But yeah, again, thank you for sharing your immense wisdom “HorsesNMarathons.”
very interesting, thank you for translating this
Thanks for this, very interesting insight into how the Russian elite are reacting to the war. Good luck to Farida!
Brilliant translation. Thanks for taking the time. The views are most illuminating.
Thank you for translating this excellent insight by Farida. 🇺🇦
Thank you!!!
Comprehensive, deep look at Russia today. Thank you.
Imagine writing an article on the views of US officials on American policy in Yemen. No doubt you could find off-the-record views that aiding and abetting the slaughter of 900,000 civilians in 7 years is a bad idea, but to then extrapolate those views to push the conclusion that the Biden administration isn't broadly supported in Yemen would earn you a C- grade in freshman critical reasoning 101. Rustamova is a notorious anti-Putin hardliner. Some of her work is excellent, but these kinds of reports are not scopes into the full landscape of the Russian leadership class. The objectives of a neutral Ukraine and liberation of east republics have nearly universal support not only among Russian leadership but of the entire country.
Exactly. If you think this is all about Putin, then you don't understand Russian politics or Russian security policy. The Russian leadership have tried for years to broker a deal to avoid this moment, but were fully aware that a military option was on the table. A de facto NATO-ized Ukraine, the threat that Ukraine would become a nuclear power, and continuous shelling of the Eastern republics were all red lines. It's incredible that America doesn't understand what a "red line" means. But the Russians were very serious.
Yeah its funny she quotes a "senior banker" as if senior bankers in the USA are on board with every American policy.
But how do 190,000 troops and equipment get deployed on an 'exercise' which becomes a 'special military operation' that then becomes a full invasion force? This is worse that Afghanistan 1979. A great deal of planning was needed to support an invasion of this scale. Gathering and moving all those resources demanded months of planning by a large group of people. US signals seemed to picking up evidence of these plans. The lack of alarm bells within the Russian institutions is really very odd. Exercises over by the 20th was the line, how many people in Russian knew this was not the case? This was an invasion planned in secret where the constitutions protections were not applied and Russian kept in the dark. The bombing of Kyiv, Kharkiv, Mariupol, Kherson, and many others each needed detailed planning. Was none of this made apparent to any committee in the Russian Parliament? (For the record, the illegal war in Iraq means we cannot preach but you hope the lessons learned from this and other wrong doing would prevent another human catastrophe.)
Fascinating. A rare insight into Vladimir Putin’s Russia. Thank you.
It would be just and dandy were one of either the west's governments and/or billionaires to offer a substantial bounty -- something on the order of ten million or more dollars -- for the delivery of Vladimir Putin's body, dead or alive, to one of the NATO countries that used to be dominated or controlled by the USSR.
This confitm that the war is Putins war!
Please keep up the good work and stay safe. Remember that Putin will not be happy with anyone who speaks out against him. Send him a message tell him there’s a Canadian farm boy over here who wants to take him for a little drive 🤬🤬
Spacibo Ilya. Please keep writing to inform us, my heart goes out to all the Russian people and Ukrainians. Warm regards from Australia
Zzzz…. Nobody stands up to Putin - it must get very boring…
How is it that sitting here in Denver watching the fake news I knew Putin was going to attack and these people didn't? It was just as easy to figure they'd wait until after the Olympics.
Because the idea of launching a WWII-style war vs a country the size of Texas (and with more people than CA) with 200K troops is so insanely idiotic (as we are seeing), no one could believe it, and Putin and bullied, blustered, and bluffed plenty of times before.
“Super-well-connected?” Please, write as though you’re an adult and not a 14 y/o little girl.
Amazing contribution to this awesome article… Your contribution is to call out the verbiage here? That’s what you took away and then took the time to post?! This post is more informative than any other out there on the ongoing war where people are literally dying. But yeah, again, thank you for sharing your immense wisdom “HorsesNMarathons.”
it's not an "awesome" article. It's filled with hearsay and rumor.
Please, write as though YOU’RE an adult and not some jerk hiding behind a keyboard trolling people who do work you’re not even remotely qualified for.