Russia

  • Russia’s mania is to set its sights on us

    We’re not an obvious enemy to the Russian elite, and so their antipathy toward us is derived out of their extensive study of themselves and the differences they’ve got with other people. They also like to believe we haven’t influenced a single thing about modern Russia, and that historically, they have a strong line of successive thought. They also feel satisfied that attempts to do so before have only led to the Russification of the individual and assimilation of the person into their way of life.

    Alexander Dugin is a case in point for the argument that philosophers of that heritage have little more to say once they’ve got a grip of the Russian way of seeing things, and also saying it in a characteristic way. Dugin, for example, laments the history of the West as if it’s layered sediment, showing only the passage of time and the violence caked within. In a recent post to Substack, he thinks along these lines as he says religion cracked under the pressure of a form of secularism that made it give way.

    “The Christianity in the West is just a phantom pain. It was obliterated long long ago with the Modernity based on the materialist science, atheism, individualism, democracy and capitalism. The Modernity has transformed the West into non-Christian anti- Christian civilisation.

    [-] The U.S. is in the hand of cruel madman. EU is the junta of deranged pervert globalists. Pro-Western leaders are clowns, crazy and pathetic maniacs. The collective portrait of the actual West is really total disaster. Nothing attractive. Repulsive. And the future promises worse.”

    – Alexander Dugin/Substack

    His opinion matches the position of many in his own country’s academic elite who hold their state of affairs to be an assortment of riches and ours as constantly lost to time itself. We need their perspective, and could even benefit from their sense of nostalgia, if only we could breathe the same air as they. The buildup of the same thing into something even more is of course a confusion of the present reality, but Dugin and his graduates are satisfied they don’t need to go anywhere, and are settled in thinking in this way.

  • America and Russia challenge each other on new lines

    The ascent of Artemis II into deep space brings back the old challenge that existed between the two competing world powers that never saw eye to eye.

    It’s the extent to which things matter and the sacrifices involved in doing it.

    In recent years many nations have entered a much more advanced space race, leading to a diversification in such competing fields of endeavour as these, and yet there’s a niggling suspicion it’s still true that you can’t teach old dogs new tricks.

    America is a leader of the free world and behind technology uses it can ship to other countries, as well as use to their maximum advantage.

    By example, space travel is not so much a frontier now as a forte that it can hold up as an example of its can do attitude.

    Russia, meanwhile, is stockpiling its power by launching out on missions it alone identifies and defines, muzzling attempts at diplomacy to challenge peace anywhere it chooses to.

    This bolsters its feelings of pride, notching up kudos points at home for the journey, at least.

    But the stakes are high, and such divergent paths are not easy to put together. The determination of what either does next is in psychic territory as far as respective plans are, but there has been a long road to this point.

    There are hints to some successes, either way, but these mean little if they cannot be vocalised and used to ultimate advantage.

    America and Russia come together over these such things, however, and in years to come it will be clear what new advantage there is. The results may be the precursor to the same times as before.

  • Putin sees the weakness in his own countrymen

    President Putin of Russia is a formidable leader because he has it all worked out. His predecessors did not, and Russia suffered periodic bouts of a loss of services because of it. He has offered continuity, but this is why his war confused his own people at first.

    A war now is seen as a break in transmission. It’s a skirmish, no matter the size of it. Therefore, the people of Russia at high levels question the need for any type of war, but this is his trick also. Putin knows that decisive movements create mystique.

    The current Ukraine-Russia war is a rebuke on the weaknesses Putin sees in his own military arrangements. This is a big theme in Russian life at the moment. The scrutiny of one’s own willingness to fight creates a fulcrum in itself. It’s hard to resist a desire to prove it now.

    The reluctance to war and to secure the State in other ways is believed to have led Putin to declare this outbreak. Ukraine suffers the assault of a nation trying to work out its own differences, and such fallout has led to the selfish combat that casts confusion over Russian affairs because Ukraine was at peace with itself before it.

    The loss of life is now stacking up on the Russian side, though, and Russians have to reckon with a demand to be more serious. The intellectual impasse is only broken by clever work. This is the political machinery that upholds Moscow’s control over everything. It’s this effort that signals the end, or a return of the region to peace.

  • Death powers the worst of Russian endeavour

    The loss of over one million lives in Russia’s war with Ukraine is the result of a cruel war machine that ordinary Russians are churned out by to calculate a future policy of aggression toward the rest of the world in the future.

    This reality is missing on the ground in places like Moscow, where old stories are still turned around as being the stuff of the physics of life – or how it all works.

    The youth mentality is dark, bitter, and brutal in many of the places further out from the centres of power and intrigue. They suffer nights of depression, as maybe they too will become a casualty of Putin’s war with a foreign field.

    The impact on the economy is a helpful tool sometimes to work it out, but the sorry tales that are the latest intercession for ceasefire are the real substance for debate.

  • Russia is readying for a final barrage at Kyiv

    The Russian assault on Kyiv is nearing its end, according to experts on the matter. It’s likely the forces of Russia will be removed and settled back into their organisation in Russian life, and society.

    It means Ukraine will be relieved of its hard efforts to resist a brutal assault against its democratic institutions by Russia, and from pressure on its broadly respectful international standing.

    Yet until the final whistle is blown it will not see the end of the fighting that has come to mark a bleak time in Russia’s relations in the region, and with the rest of the world.

  • Putin wants all out-war, but Ukraine can save the day

    As Putin launched his invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, it was thought that it would result in the annexation of some territories to the State of Russia as a way of placating the admittedly more powerful adversary. It would result only in pro-Russian areas ceding ‘back’ to a Moscow-based rule as a sort of homage, while Ukraine regained itself as a much smaller player on the world stage, also minus some regions it could have held onto.

    It’s thought that this is how Putin sees things, and possibly many others across the world. His perspective is that Russian ‘might’ eclipses the West, and that a return of people’s as it were would show it. It would prove in one go that Russia is better than Ukraine – and that Europe better take notice of it.

    President Putin speaks about the start of his country’s war against Ukraine, stating it’s a matter of life and death.

    The trouble is that Russia has stages to its progress, as it has shown in other ways. While many have dreamed of global domination, its place is to worship the position that one can hold in this way. It’s not necessary to subjugate the world. The only important duty is to hold it in possession as a form of influence, or in a de facto treaty with it.

    The end of the Ukraine conflict in such a way is not a settlement of the matter at all. An increase of power for Moscow – as it would be – could only result in a further bitter confrontation with Europe, and then still further measures. It’s the only reality. Russia seeks now to build itself up into a force much similar to America or indeed China, to rule over Europe as a parent.

    It’s an early start of a renewed push by Moscow elites to gain a better advantage over Europe, to see what it can do and to flex its muscles in more modern ways. The challenge is formiddable, but Europe can overcome it – if it takes it seriously, that is. The chances of that are not good, considering the divided nature of even NATO-style diplomacy, but if Ukraine keeps it under control, the future may be different.

  • Putin shares Russian success – but only its potential

    The Russian output is slanted to its own benefit and it’s common for leaders to extoll the advances of the State as the Soviet Union before it did the same elsewhere. There’s a conscious awareness that it must speak well for itself, or few will refuse the opportunity to talk it down or see it out of the room.

    President Putin speaks to Russian justices about the update to technology underway in Russian courts (Credit: Diplomatrutube/YouTube).

    Putin is a reveller in such politics. He often looks to the positives in the future and he isn’t guilty of bringing up the negatives, like a stagnating economy, for example. This is part of his Presidential approach, but it also leads off what’s expected of him by Moscow’s leadership. He’s an ardent backer of his homeland.

    The problem is that his words are more pointed toward potentials. His country doesn’t show outwardly the real state of affairs. It’s embarrassed by grim realities in some parts, shocked by breakdowns in others, and disturbed by the fallout of disagreements in still more.

  • Russia restate the negligence is ours

    The issue of poisoning in the UK has become a hot topic for Russian officials and diplomats.

    It’s not easy for the State of Russia to bridge a divide that is kept there by UK authorities because of a lack of professional activity in the offices in London here – the only place from which work can be retrieved.

    A Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokeswoman speaking on behalf of Russia about the UK.

    The laziness of some staff is starting to show on the international stage and it causes ire in some – and not a small amount of humour for others – in Russia for those in its leadership.

    The fact is if UK public servants are not willing to work in London properly then UK matters will be left undone and it will cause a level of destabilisation in affairs and also breaks in working relations.

    It’s now obvious UK citizens are particularly adverse to work and also don’t believe in doing it properly.

  • Morale in Russia is a problematic feature

    The increasing death toll for Russia in its invasion of Ukraine is surely proving to be a reason for a cold reception for the war in Moscow and in other parts of Russia too. A report by Defence Intelligence has now suggested that Russia has lost over 1.2 million soldiers.

    It’s starting to look like a fruitless attempt at a takeover of Kyiv and a new imperial Russia is looking less and less likely now. A question is if Russia will give up at the word of its President, and if Putin is willing because the chance of victory looks slim.

  • Russia can’t touch our nuclear deterrent

    The fact of Russia wanting to question the nuclear deterrent of the UK is a long running argument that is calm but can lead to acrimony sometimes. It depends on who’s involved because Russia worries and some of our representatives are not good at talking to other people.

    The existence of a nuclear deterrent is unquestionable because of the provision of advantages that it gives and other states know about this because they can look at it. This brings up and out the questions over use and not over existence.

    Andrey Vladimirovich Kelin speaking about the UK nuclear deterrent in Russian (Credit: Russian Embassy in London/YouTube).

    The Russia ambassador is entitled to ask questions about the UK and in fact authorities here welcome it because it gives a chance to respond fairly and in good time. However, it doesn’t lead to more than talking about the technology itself because Russia knows a lot about it.

    The inherent fact about nuclear technology in the context of a deterrent is that it’s safe. It seeks to protect itself and this is the main reason for a rising threat or for an outward confrontation. This is how it acts as a deterrent – as experts often have to state here in the UK.

  • Russia invokes old war rhetoric

    Russia is seeking to capitalise on market exposure by saying such things to Ukraine that are not worthy of hearing inside the country. The statements of leaders are derogatory to a country that knows what democracy is – and believes in it.

    Russian nationals purportedly transporting a suspect in the shooting of Vladimir Alexeyez at an apartment (Source: Kremlin_Russian/Telegram).

    In saying so, even President Putin runs the risks of sounding like a pariah that is so because he lacks focus or purpose. The implications of such statements aren’t factual. They don’t have a direct regard to the law and can’t be used for it.

    The recent shooting of a Spy Chief in Russia highlights the case that tensions are flaring. It’s possible that inflammatory rhetoric has a role to play in it. This is not certain, but such a belief may underscore the notion that words have power.

  • Russia’s aggression is historic in character, but not in nature

    The belief that the Russian army is barbaric today is built up on the prior involvement of Wagner which had elements that were described as being plainly illegal by international observers before the war.

    The offset of Wagner as a military contribution has not dampened the spirits of Russia for a military victory in Ukraine. In fact it’s left to more native forces to pursue the end goal that is still in mind.

    Videos of Russian aggression – posted in 2022 – that shows limited use of powerful weapons. (Source: russia_ukraine7/Telegram).

    The use of some types of technology has come across in media reports so far and available footage on social media also shows the same uses of these. However, it’s not certain if Russia is going to use its more powerful weaponry.

    The hallmarks of a real war are there but Russia has yet to deal heavy blows that would make Ukraine think again about its chances. It may be a tactic or it may be failures at home that are causing this to be so. The way forward is uncertain. 

  • Putin believes in firmness, but Ukraine wavers

    The problem with diplomacy now is that Ukraine and Russia are sworn to disagree at all levels and on all points. These are even distinctive in the ways their respective leaders spar off with each other in less staged environs.

    The belief of most of the Russian leadership is that their President is a firm and stoical guardian of their peace and security, and any agreement has to fall in line with this almost sacred duty.

    The limitation in Ukraine by comparison is that such a bombastic military establishment doesn’t concede so easily, and its public representatives struggle to accept any moves toward peace.

    This may be appear to be a contradictory state of affairs, but clever minded students of both have found equally respectable ways to the top, and there is a semblance of balance between them that makes up a peaceful coalition.

    It’s the perspective used to define a settlement that allows two sides to coexist apart from a mutually assured destruction in the short term or over many conflicts. However, this is a theory of the outside and it doesn’t always seem so.

  • Caught: Spy “mole“

    In an exclusive for Conservative News Site, a Spy “mole” so-called who acts as a high-level Intelligence mole for a Russia-based University department has now been spotted on location in the UK.

    A suspect
    A suspect alleged of acting as a Spy “mole” seen here preparing herself for further activity in Parliament, in central London.

    It’s believed her presence is hostile to UK citizens due to her mission to disrupt citizen communications to influence Parliamentary work, specifically in relation to the duties that MP’s have here.

    Sinister intent

    The combination of her status and intent is considered to be ‘new’ to some experts, as well as the fact it’s a University that’s believed to have sponsored her effort.

    It means that it’s also taken on a mode of infiltration, and may have included attempts at sabotage that would have affected academic institutions in the UK.

    The disastrous influence hostile State actors have had in the UK are minimal compared to her endeavours here to prevent key information from being of representative value in the process of democracy.

  • Russia’s PR handling is an exercise in whispers

    The Russian weaponisation of media statements is another practicality in the State’s way of guiding and controlling events. The usual method is employed across the territory to maintain a united message as order around the world is torn apart in its nationalistic imagination.

    An example of an “X” post that is now indicative of Russia’s position as a hostile neighbour in a region that it wants to dominate.

    The President starts it off by calling the leader of Ukraine a “Nazi” and this catcall is repeated by officials at high and low levels, but it’s only the start of their effort to demonise their enemy. Underneath each start point given to them from the Kremlin’s cheat sheet are their own additions based on their antipathy.

    This is the cascading nature of hostility in Europe’s only closed State, a standoff ‘partner’ in human affairs that doesn’t engage properly and only politely refuses at certain times. It’s a combative stance that has caused trouble repeatedly and still pertains to be the problem. This is the type of fight that Ukraine has on its mind as it struggles now to survive.