Ask Tamonten

E-V13 wrote:I see. Thanks for the answer.

You are welcome.
Mostly the real answer is the combination of both I've given:
Treacherous Western elite is to blame... and the large chunk of Russian elite of the time - those who considered themselves to be a part of the same Western elite and imitated them. Often even the supposedly autocratic Tsar was virtually powerless against views almost everyone in his court shared.

Recently I stumbled over this quite funny article:

"Why Kremlin fears shaman Gabyshev"

or "Can Russian secret services read human's subconscious? Historic spoke out"

http://www.msn.com/cs-cz/zpravy/zahraniční/ruské-tajné-služby-umí-číst-lidské-podvědomí-historik-promluvil/ar-AAI3FN1?ocid=spartandhp

The article doesn't make much sense, it quotes The Moscow Times and analysis of historic named Pavel Aptekar.

Overall it claims that secret services and Russian leaders take seriously occultic practices and this is why they fear selfproclaimed "shaman", who is now under arrest.

I noted this story reminded by some Russian sources that I follow, usually it was source of fun.

I find it quite bizzare that western media, and their local branches, give obvious importance to such funny story.

What's your opinion regarding this?

KneelB4Zod! wrote:Recently I stumbled over this quite funny article:

"Why Kremlin fears shaman Gabyshev"

or "Can Russian secret services read human's subconscious? Historic spoke out"

http://www.msn.com/cs-cz/zpravy/zahraniční/ruské-tajné-služby-umí-číst-lidské-podvědomí-historik-promluvil/ar-AAI3FN1?ocid=spartandhp

The article doesn't make much sense, it quotes The Moscow Times and analysis of historic named Pavel Aptekar.

Overall it claims that secret services and Russian leaders take seriously occultic practices and this is why they fear selfproclaimed "shaman", who is now under arrest.

I noted this story reminded by some Russian sources that I follow, usually it was source of fun.

I find it quite bizzare that western media, and their local branches, give obvious importance to such funny story.

What's your opinion regarding this?

I'll quote Gasparyan on the matter:

"The heroes we deserve nowadays are people who stopped taking the pills prescribed by the psychiatrist. Please return me to the past when there was a normal future ahead."

I'm not a materialist or anything obviously. And government ought to watch closely into anything - even something that looks like complete nonsense - as long as it endangers public order. But this case is just plainly stupid. Even more stupid is the attention BBC and other Western media pays to it. They are just searching for anything against Putin already. Be it criminals (like Sinitsa) or this freak. If tomorrow some natural disaster occurs - they'll still blame Putin and Russia. Even if it's a supernova in some faraway galaxy. Just like they've already blamed Russia for Ukrainegate.

Did you noticed latest news about the super-secret Russian military unit that is behind destabilization of the whole Europe, Tam?

What's your take on this? Without giving it more a few minutes of reading I consider it as yet another bizzare media stunt spred in order to blame failures of western neo-liberal elites on someone else (well, who else than Russia).
The fact that Belingcat is now the main source for the major corporate media outlets speaks for itself...

KneelB4Zod! wrote:Did you noticed latest news about the super-secret Russian military unit that is behind destabilization of the whole Europe, Tam?

What's your take on this? Without giving it more a few minutes of reading I consider it as yet another bizzare media stunt spred in order to blame failures of western neo-liberal elites on someone else (well, who else than Russia).
The fact that Belingcat is now the main source for the major corporate media outlets speaks for itself...

Top Secret Russian Unit Seeks to Destabilize Europe, Security Officials Say

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/08/world/europe/unit-29155-russia-gru.html

Russia has a dedicated spy unit to destabilize Europe, Western officials claim https://t.co/8DoydQBbjW via @intelNewsOrg

— johnhand (@johnhand9) October 11, 2019

KneelB4Zod! wrote:Did you noticed latest news about the super-secret Russian military unit that is behind destabilization of the whole Europe, Tam?

What's your take on this? Without giving it more a few minutes of reading I consider it as yet another bizzare media stunt spred in order to blame failures of western neo-liberal elites on someone else (well, who else than Russia).
The fact that Belingcat is now the main source for the major corporate media outlets speaks for itself...

Once again, I'll quote Gasparyan...



Here's the transcript:

Code:

0: 00: 26.940,0: 00: 28.940
Genossen

0: 00: 29.340,0: 00: 31.340
Hell-oh!

0: 00: 31.920,0: 00: 40.380
There is an authoritative publication called The New York Times.

0: 00: 42.040,0: 00: 46.660
Old school one. And so, it stated that in Russia

0: 00: 48.010.0: 00: 50.010
was discovered an elite unit

0: 00: 50.199,0: 00: 52.199
of Main Intelligence Directorate

0: 00: 52.720,0: 00: 58.379
(we will not be petty and won't argue that such an organization has long been gone - it doesn’t matter)

0: 00: 59.379,0: 01: 01.239
which holds

0: 01: 01.239,0: 01: 03.989
coordinated campaign to destabilize

0: 01: 04.900,0: 01: 06.900
Europe.

0: 01: 07.150,0: 01: 09.150
So it has a number

0: 01: 10.320,0: 01: 12.780
29155

0: 01: 12.900,0: 01: 17.600
and is related to the change of the ruling circles (now attention!) in Moldova,

0: 01: 18.850,0: 01: 21.000
poisoning bulgarian businessman

0: 01: 21.700,0: 01: 23.780
Emelyan Gebrev,

0: 01: 23.940,0: 01: 29.540
attempted coup d'etat in Montenegro and the poisoning of the Skripals in British Salisbury.

0: 01: 31.180,0: 01: 36.220
Well, I don’t know whan who thinks, but I like absolutely nothing here.

0: 01: 36.640,0: 01: 40.180
First, why does the number not have three sixes?

0: 01: 43.000,0: 01: 47.120
Well, it’s quite obvious that if we are the infernal Mordor,

0: 01: 47.760,0: 01: 51.860
That elite special unit of the Main Intelligence Directorate,

0: 01: 51.920,0: 01: 54.000
which is known to not exist,

0: 01: 54.400,0: 01: 58.760
just must have Number of the Beast.

0: 01: 59.380,0: 02: 01.380
At least in the beginning.

0: 02: 02.380,0: 02: 04.240
Let's go further.

0: 02: 04.240,0: 02: 10.320
In relation to the change of ruling circles in Moldova,

0: 02: 10.720,0: 02: 12.250
believe me,

0: 02: 12.600,0: 02: 17.060
as a persona non grata in this republic, who had already served four and a half years as such,

0: 02: 17.580,0: 02: 21.380
it’s not necessary to maintain an elite unit

0: 02: 21.460,0: 02: 27.660
Of the Main Intelligence Directorate with the number 666, but you just had to bring maney to Plohish (Plahatnyuk)

0: 02: 29.460,0: 02: 32.980
That's all! Plohish would have done all the rest.

0: 02: 34.240,0: 02: 36.130
Let's move on.

0: 02: 36.130,0: 02: 38.680
Attempted coup in Montenegro ...

0: 02: 39.180,0: 02: 44.080
Well, I don’t know. Maybe, of course, the New York Times measures everything from the American experience,

0: 02: 44.280,0: 02: 48.760
who organize coups d'etat, which never lead to positive results,

0: 02: 49.020,0: 02: 53.920
but believe me, in the experience of the Soviet Union

0: 02: 54.200,0: 03: 00.220
in principle, the first stage there were of course negative coups d'etat,

0: 03: 00.300,0: 03: 02.540
but then everything worked out as it should.

0: 03: 04.040,0: 03: 08.380
Well, compare just the storming of Amin’s palace

0: 03: 10.100,0: 03: 16.200
With this groaning and sweating of Americans in Iraq, for example.

0: 03: 16.500,0: 03: 21.700
Well, it's clear where the elite really works, and where there are

0: 03: 23.020,0: 03: 24.380
Alabamans and Texans.

0: 03: 25.340,0: 03: 26.660
Let's go further.

0: 03: 27.600,0: 03: 29.820
The poisoning of the Skripals family.

0: 03: 30.280,0: 03: 36.020
By the way, this topic quickly disappeared from the media agenda.

0: 03: 36.300,0: 03: 40.420
Well, that is, it was - and it is not.

0: 03: 40.880,0: 03: 45.280
We don’t know if Julia Skripal gave birth at night ...

0: 03: 46.540,0: 03: 51.420
Well, she was taken to the hospital in April, her tracks have since been lost.

0: 03: 53.400,0: 03: 56.420
It is unknown, maybe the child has already been baptized.

0: 03: 56.680,0: 04: 00.980
Maybe he already learned to say something.

0: 04: 01.240,0: 04: 03.180
"Glory to the Kremlin," for example.

0: 04: 03.440,0: 04: 05.700
Here. Everything is still a mystery.

0: 04: 06.580,0: 04: 08.380
We also don’t know who dad is.

0: 04: 08.880,0: 04: 15.280
Maybe this is the same poisoned policeman who miraculously survived and became a dad with Julia Skripal?

0: 04: 16.200,0: 04: 21.540
We also do not know what Mister Skripal does.

0: 04: 23.160,0: 04: 28.560
We do not know anything after the story with the third poisoner collapsed.

0: 04: 29.060,0: 04: 30.860
In Bulgaria, by the way.

0: 04: 31.760,0: 04: 38.900
And therefore, so that we do not ask idiotic questions, please, the Bulgarian businessman Emelyan Gebrev is introduced.

0: 04: 39.520,0: 04: 41.820
Wonderful, huh?

0: 04: 43.700,0: 04: 51.460
At the same time, the New York Times claims that the unit has been operating for at least ten years, but it was discovered recently.

0: 04: 52.700,0: 04: 58.300
Well, let’s notice to ourselves that if it means “more recently”, is Skripal’s case,

0: 04: 59.900,0: 05: 03.920
Well, I have to say that, in principle, if they carefully read the source:

0: 05: 05.700,0: 05: 12.280
films about James Bond, that is, the works of Jan Fleming, they would have discovered traces of this unit much earlier ...

0: 05: 13.200,0: 05: 18.220
In general, if they would talk to the emigrants of that old wave,

0: 05: 18.260,0: 05: 22.380
they could tell you a lot about KGB

0: 05: 23.320,0: 05: 26.400
and about NKhVD.

0: 05: 27.320,0: 05: 30.160
But, by the way, nobody used such abbreviations then ...

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The Chekists are the only definition to which all this was given.

0: 05: 37.440,0: 05: 43.540
I could understand when this nonsense would be published back in 1929

0: 05: 44.240,0: 05: 46.240
in the newspaper, I don't know,

0: 05: 46.720,0: 05: 50.100
"Females of Bordeaux," for example.

0: 05: 51.480,0: 05: 59.360
Or, "Nørberg Librarians," in the yearbook.

0: 05: 59.700,0: 06: 01.840
But when the New York Times writes it ...

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in 2019 - I’m sorry.

0: 06: 04.980,0: 06: 11.220
You know, I’m always offended by human dementia, human stupidity.

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Because you look around: how many smart, worthy people ...

0: 06: 18.040,0: 06: 22.600
Then you open the comments and think: Lord, this is some kind of surrealism.

0: 06: 23.060,0: 06: 26.480
"Two worlds - two Shapiros." In the literal sense of the word.

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After all, the same people do it - probably, right?

0: 06: 30.200,0: 06: 35.080
Which you see on the street, somewhere else ...

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But when they write something, it becomes ugly.

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And on the basis of their nonsense, in many ways, the New York Times composes such articles.

0: 06: 46.760,0: 06: 47.260
But.

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They also indicated the address.

0: 06: 53.560,0: 06: 59.240
The top-secret department, about the existence of which until recently no one knew, turns out to be located at headquarters

0: 06: 59.680,0: 07: 05.260
of 161st training center for special service in the east of Moscow.

0: 07: 08.220,0: 07: 09.560
Oh wow!

0: 07: 09.960,0: 07: 15.840
But that is, we simply do not have the capital of our country, but some kind of continuous training ground.

0: 07: 16.160,0: 07: 22.160
If you listen to these - here I go out and there's everywhere:

0: 07: 22.660,0: 07: 31.320
Explosion packages, shooting, hostages taken - all these people have to train somewhere - but there is nothing.

0: 07: 32.720,0: 07: 38.140
Young mothers with children, Polina Igorevna runs around to the doctors,

0: 07: 40.760,0: 07: 45.069
Lyuban abbeys - that is, the movement is moving - Igor buys drones,

0: 07: 45.560,0: 07: 50.560
RP drinks coffee - I don’t see all this, but maybe I live in the wrong Moscow?

0: 07: 51.440,0: 07: 57.420
But for some reason among my friends, too, no one ever falls into this epicenter of endless military exercises.

0: 07: 58.540,0: 08: 04.900
Or are they just lodging here, and training takes place where? In the basement of Skripals or what?

0: 08: 05.640,0: 08: 08.440
Or in Montenegro? No, in Moldova?

0: 08: 09.260,0: 08: 11.260
Such a poligon country.

0: 08: 12.080,0: 08: 15.600
But I understand of course that an ordinary American

0: 08: 16.360,0: 08: 21.100
knows nothing at all about life, which determines the consciousness of Russians - he can listen to this bullshit

0: 08: 22.940,0: 08: 25.420
They can wonderfully tell them all of this.

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But when you get dozens of comments in the morning

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- you haven’t even managed to write about it in the Telegram yet,

0: 08: 34.760,0: 08: 40.030
but you already get a comment about this, the question arises: well, maybe that's enough

0: 08: 40.789,0: 08: 46.929
Well, maybe you'll remember the times of your own childhood there - I’m talking about my generation - you all read the Crocodile magazine,

0: 08: 47.960,0: 08: 55.629
well, these crazy ideas were there, they were published there, well, then they laughed at it - what you are

0: 08: 56.480,0: 09: 00.340
in 2019, you repeat - this whole nonsense.

0: 09: 00.940,0: 09: 05.160
So I really do not understand. Then it goes back there

0: 09: 05.900,0: 09: 08.980
like some kind of feedback.

0: 09: 10.160,0: 09: 12.160
Anyway here

0: 09: 12.740,0: 09: 14.150
whatever

0: 09: 14.400,0: 09: 17.960
of all this, you know, I remembered while driving here,

0: 09: 18.880,0: 09: 26.240
and looked around if there'll be shooting or something, I remembered how once Comrade Stalin said that today we are all Chekists

0: 09: 27.580,0: 09: 32.660
maybe we should also say: today we are all (what is the number here, huh?)

0: 09: 33.760,0: 09: 37.800
today we are all number 29155.

0: 09: 37.880,0: 09: 45.220
There are 142 million of us - and let them calm down already. Well, the truth is, it’s easier for them and for us -

0: 09: 45.680,0: 09: 47.680
and we will live in harmony.

0: 09: 48.920,0: 09: 50.920
That's all,

0: 09: 51.500,0: 09: 58.720
subscribe to Telegram - and mine, first of all, of course, bargaining is inappropriate here.

0: 09: 59.780,0: 10: 02.480
Subscribe to the channel, click the bell,

0: 10: 02.860,0: 10: 06.080
like, write comments,

0: 10: 06.080,0: 10: 10.920
send donates - over there Igor is now calculating the amount that arrived

0: 10: 11.360,0: 10: 16.040
lately - shows that there's nothing - I knew that - bye until next time.

Good evening, Tam. Can you share some key points regarding Butina's return to Russia? I was surprised she's back home already. Are there some informations regarding her detention in the US available? I did not follow the situation very closely but I noticed that there were some hints related to torture or other misuse of force.

KneelB4Zod! wrote:Good evening, Tam. Can you share some key points regarding Butina's return to Russia? I was surprised she's back home already. Are there some informations regarding her detention in the US available? I did not follow the situation very closely but I noticed that there were some hints related to torture or other misuse of force.

Well, she had a deal with investigation and was sentenced to a year and a few months I think?
Mostly, it's a mixed thing: on the one side it's good she's back, but since she made a confession (whether it was false or not) it's hard to perceive her as some kind of hero. Also, she's a very controversial person even before that. I'd say, she were more of pro-American agent in Russia then vice versa since she was lobbying for civilian small arms here.
Regarding torture though... I don't think it's the case. Just a very rude handling (I dare to say not even intended - just because of Western propaganda any Russian will be handled in the same way) and a lot of single incarceration (mostly because it's both hard to ensure her well being due to the same propaganda and due to the fear she'll indoctrinate some cellmates into pro-Russian sentiments; i.e. a LOT of paranoia).

Hallo Tamomten, perhaps you are interested in this story from a German investigative journalist:

The failed disarmament summit in Paris, illegal nuclear weapons tests by the USA in Patagonia and Adolf Eichmann

Russian Foreign Ministry releases documents - News from May 1960 - Part 1


https://www.zodlikeproductions.net/t26p450-in-other-news#56236

There is no right to historical truth - News from May 1960 - Part 2


https://www.zodlikeproductions.net/t26p450-in-other-news#56682

.......................

There will come more parts.

Putin says Communists oppose proposed Russian constitutional changes because they want to re-establish one-party dictatorship
https://www.rt.com/russia/491887-putin-communists-oppose-constitution-changes/

So, Zod, you've asked me to come by. Are there any specific questions you'd like me to answer?

That's just that the level of anti-Russian propaganda has reached anti-North Korea level by now and I don't think that direct confrontation is too far ahead and is avoidable. The end is near and so on.

Tamonten wrote:So, Zod, you've asked me to come by. Are there any specific questions you'd like me to answer?

That's just that the level of anti-Russian propaganda has reached anti-North Korea level by now and I don't think that direct confrontation is too far ahead and is avoidable. The end is near and so on.

Thank you for coming back. I know you have your own projects to work on so I'll be quick. But it won't be easy. At first, what's your general view of COVID-19 and what kind of restriictions were imposed in Russia? I've seen videos from Crimea or other resorts in Russia with no social distancing bullshit at all. How does it works?

Well, I can't say I'm doing anything useful these days. Mostly playing ESO, actually. Taking most of it while it still lasts, I guess?

Well, it's a real virus. Completely new one - with not-quite-understood mechanics. Which is not as dangerous as it was first thought, but potentially even more dangerous - if there'll be a bit (just a bit!) more deadly mutation.

Considering restrictions and so on - they are imposed and retracted in a special way in Russia. Not the complete lockdown to force the virus to die out, but partly-working ones to make it's spread steady and slow. The point is to make as many people as possible contract it and gain immunity in the controlled environment. The main factor here is not the total number of sick people or even death count, but how many people can be simultaneously hospitalized.
Videos you've seen are probably from the time when most limitations were lifted... and you should also note that southern regions of Russia generally and Crimea especially are more lax in such things.

Tamonten wrote:Well, I can't say I'm doing anything useful these days. Mostly playing ESO, actually. Taking most of it while it still lasts, I guess?

Well, it's a real virus. Completely new one - with not-quite-understood mechanics. Which is not as dangerous as it was first thought, but potentially even more dangerous - if there'll be a bit (just a bit!) more deadly mutation.

Considering restrictions and so on - they are imposed and retracted in a special way in Russia. Not the complete lockdown to force the virus to die out, but partly-working ones to make it's spread steady and slow. The point is to make as many people as possible contract it and gain immunity in the controlled environment. The main factor here is not the total number of sick people or even death count, but how many people can be simultaneously hospitalized.
Videos you've seen are probably from the time when most limitations were lifted... and you should also note that southern regions of Russia generally and Crimea especially are more lax in such things.

Well, so we can agree that it's not a plague. In my opinion most of restrictions are meaningless and help nothing then...

But, well, how about Navalny? It was a sad show of badly managed psy-op. You know, the guy, 40 years old or so...always with kids on photos. He looks like pedophile...



But what about Novichok?

Navalny's case is precisely the one I'm calling "anti-North Korea-style" propaganda.
Putin is poisoning opposition leaders with chemical weapons! Kim Jong Un executing his generals using anti-aircraft guns!
To me it sounds pretty much the same. Makes me think a lot what's really is happening in NK. For now I refuse to even consider any information from there, because, apparently we know nothing.

Novichok? What Novichok? Even if he was really poisoned with organophosphates, they are a part of many fertilizers and medicines.
Among the first theories that emerged right after he collapsed are - either bad homemade alcoholic drink or a mix of it with some medicines. Preliminary diagnosis of Russian doctors was some diabetic condition.
But mostly:
1) He was under prohibition to leave Moscow because of upcoming trial. Why he was even in Siberia?
2) Ultimately, trial was postponed because of the incident and there's no news if it will be resumed at all.

Hello Tamonten, long time no read from you.

In Germany, some people have the feeling that the "case" of Nawalny is taking place mostly in the German MSM. Except for the dedicated russophobic US fans who believe Nawalny is a very dangerous opponent of Putin. Many others don't believe he got poisoned and think it was staged.

What worries the others is that this process is actually driving a final wedge between Russia and Western Europe. I suspect that most Germans do not have a clear opinion about Russia, then there is a rather small minority who are against Russia, mainly because you get constantly talked into fear here. The others are urgently in favour of improving relations with Russia and for this BS propaganda to stop at last. 

The 75 years of indoctrination against Russia were not so very successful.

I wonder (others also have concerns) when the Russians (not only the government) will get fed up with this moronic Germany.

Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)

Well, you can see from my disappearance and general indifference that many already consider it as a lost case. It's also the general consensus in official and semi-official media.

Considering Novichok, it's a wonderous thing actually. Deadly chemical weapon / poison, from which no actual target has ever died. The only supposed direct victim is some passerby woman in Britain I think? That's some "Ninja Turtles" villain style failed "superweapon to conquer humanity".
The whole of it is another case of classical Russophrenia.

Tamonten wrote:Navalny's case is precisely the one I'm calling "anti-North Korea-style" propaganda.
Putin is poisoning opposition leaders with chemical weapons! Kim Jong Un executing his generals using anti-aircraft guns!
To me it sounds pretty much the same. Makes me think a lot what's really is happening in NK. For now I refuse to even consider any information from there, because, apparently we know nothing.

Novichok? What Novichok? Even if he was really poisoned with organophosphates, they are a part of many fertilizers and medicines.
Among the first theories that emerged right after he collapsed are - either bad homemade alcoholic drink or a mix of it with some medicines. Preliminary diagnosis of Russian doctors was some diabetic condition.
But mostly:
1) He was under prohibition to leave Moscow because of upcoming trial. Why he was even in Siberia?
2) Ultimately, trial was postponed because of the incident and there's no news if it will be resumed at all.

Yes, I noted that and it's quite interesting because after Navalny recovered he thanked to doctor, who "saved his life"...:

Dances_with_Bears
@bears_with
·
4h
Kai-Uwe Eckardt is the Berlin doctor thanked yesterday by Alexei Navalny for his “incredible job”.  Navalny will not explain what Eckhardt, an expert on diabetes and kidney transplant, did to treat ”Novichok poisoning”. https://researchgate.net/profile/Kai_Uwe_Eckardt

If anyone has actually saved his life - it were people in Omsk hospital, who stabilized his condition. Well, not that anyone actually expected Navalny to be thankful to anything or anyone Russian, heh.

Tamonten wrote:If anyone has actually saved his life - it were people in Omsk hospital, who stabilized his condition. Well, not that anyone actually expected Navalny to be thankful to anything or anyone Russian, heh.

Yeah, that's right.

Btw what do you think about possible relation with Nord Stream 2 project? It was pretty obvious that Germeny is not willing to drop this regardless many US threats and blackmailings. Now it's not that sure.
It's not out of the realm of possibility the whole incident was planned in exactly this way, as a tool against disobeying Germans.

Here is an example of the desperate attempts to counter the madness of German MSMs, if necessary with satirical exaggeration:

https://www.cashkurs.com/demokratieplattform/beitrag/narkotisieren-statt-informieren/

" Narcotization instead of information
...
Intercession with St. Nawalny
They should have, but they didn't. For the political-media complex of the European "value West", it was more important to list the Nawalny pose in many acts and to cultivate anti-Russian enemy images. 

Be with us, Nawalny! Stand with us against your evil compatriots! You pillar saint, who is the "leader of the opposition" against Putin and who even swallows an attack with a Novichok water bottle like nothing, the deadliest nerve poison from the dark Kremlin!

You brave champion of democracy, who now even wants your underwear from Siberia, guaranteed to be Novichok-starched, back when you entered the stupidest modern history of the lying baron von Münchhausen there! Didn't you graciously notice how Heiko put himself out for you? He even summoned the Russian ambassador Sergei Netschajew!
...

Note from the authors:
Our contributions are freely available, provided that they are published for non-commercial purposes. We do not write for a fee, but against the "media mass idiocy" (in memoriam Peter Scholl-Latour). The texts are documented by the association "Ständige Publikumskonferenz öffentlich-rechtlicher Medien e.V.": https://publikumskonferenz.de/blog".

Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)

Note why now and why this variety Novichok:

https://www.heise.de/tp/features/Der-Spiegel-Merkel-soll-Nawalny-in-einer-geheimen-Aktion-besucht-haben-4914001.html

"Der Spiegel": Merkel allegedly visited Nawalny in a "secret action

If this is the case, one must assume that there is a high level of political interest in the Nawalny case
...
At least in the Skripal case, the public part of the OPCW report spoke only of a "toxic chemical" identical to the one identified by the British military laboratory at Porton Down. This described the chemical as a nerve toxin from the Novichok group, which the OPCW did not adopt. It is still not known which one it was, but it is thought that it could be A234, which has been on the OPCW list with other Novichok groups since June this year. The director of the military laboratory stated at the time that it was impossible to say where the Novichok came from, he could only assure that it did not come from his well-secured laboratory.

One could speculate that the attack on Nawalny was carried out by whomever shortly after the amended list came into force, because there is a time window until 2 October. Then the OPCW must be notified where small quantities of the listed Novichok compounds are or will be produced and used for research purposes. From 2021 inspections should be possible. It will be interesting to see whether the OPCW publishes the information".

Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)

Hi Tamonten. I got a question about Russian attitude towards ex-communist, eastern European nations. This Russian vlogger says that Russians hate ex soviet nations because they chose West instead of them. Something along these lines and that only European nation Russians don't have a beef with are Finns. How much truth there is in what he's saying. I got to mention this guy is declared progressive and idiolizes West.
https://youtu.be/06ebiTLENWo

Matjaz wrote:Hi Tamonten. I got a question about Russian attitude towards ex-communist, eastern European nations. This Russian vlogger says that Russians hate ex soviet nations because they chose West instead of them. Something along these lines and that only European nation Russians don't have a beef with are Finns. How much truth there is in what he's saying. I got to mention this guy is declared progressive and idiolizes West.
https://youtu.be/06ebiTLENWo

"Hate" is too strong of a word.
Mostly it's about choice of civilization, I guess? It's hard to explain it briefly, but West-European ("Roman") and East-European ("Byzantian") civilizations are very different. I don't believe that many people expressing such emotions understand it themselves, but abandoning one and trying to become a part of another is seen as some kind of betrayal.
Though, I can't really place the blame here, since Russia was trying to become a part of West-European civilization repeatedly in iterations through history - since Peter the Great, Alexander I and II, Lenin, and, finally, in 90s. It's pretty hard to steadily follow a leader that constantly changes his course - even if you want too.
I'd say, everything will become really clear and stable when elites themselves stop to change the course all the time.

And considering East European countries... They are and always were in-between. Either under one influence or another. Such political and ideological "shizophrenia" actually is very harmful for society. Hence Ukrainian and Polish xenophobia etc.

Tamonten wrote:

Matjaz wrote:Hi Tamonten. I got a question about Russian attitude towards ex-communist, eastern European nations. This Russian vlogger says that Russians hate ex soviet nations because they chose West instead of them. Something along these lines and that only European nation Russians don't have a beef with are Finns. How much truth there is in what he's saying. I got to mention this guy is declared progressive and idiolizes West.
https://youtu.be/06ebiTLENWo

"Hate" is too strong of a word.
Mostly it's about choice of civilization, I guess? It's hard to explain it briefly, but West-European ("Roman") and East-European ("Byzantian") civilizations are very different. I don't believe that many people expressing such emotions understand it themselves, but abandoning one and trying to become a part of another is seen as some kind of betrayal.
Though, I can't really place the blame here, since Russia was trying to become a part of West-European civilization repeatedly in iterations through history - since Peter the Great, Alexander I and II, Lenin, and, finally, in 90s. It's pretty hard to steadily follow a leader that constantly changes his course - even if you want too.
I'd say, everything will become really clear and stable when elites themselves stop to change the course all the time.

And considering East European countries... They are and always were in-between. Either under one influence or another. Such political and ideological "shizophrenia" actually is very harmful for society. Hence Ukrainian and Polish xenophobia etc.

I agree with the bolded part 100%.

Its same in my country if I think about it.  Slovenians are very confused and for the most part we declare ourselves to belong to Holy Roman empire civilization which we were always part of comparing to Byzantine and Ottoman influences Croats and southerners had. Our politicians and journalists for the most part want to ignore even our Slavic origin. It is not talked and discussed about although everyone agrees we are Slavs. We are named as ones as well, so nobody denies it, everyone just ignores it. Our historians acknowledge our Slavic roots but in general Slovenes are proud on being one of the germanised, Slavic tribes. And if I'm honest you can spot the difference in culture easy and quick if you compare Macedonian, Serbian with Slovenian. Most here agree these differences are prevailing cause of Byzantine and Ottoman rule southerners were subjugated to.

Thanks for answer.  

I'd say the whole "blood relation" thing is a bit (to say it mildly) overblown. Ethnical background means something only if it concedes with civilizational one.
Take Prussia for example - some say was the most "German Germany" out there - a core of 2nd Reich, Bismark's hometown. But, ethnically, were not people there mostly germanized Slavs too?
Another case are "three Russias" - White, Small and Great. First one was under mild Polish influence, but mostly independent. Second - under strong Polish and some Turk influence. Third one - a distant frontier of Mongol empire. Which division lasted for 3 to 5 centuries. And now, even after two centuries in the same state they are still different.
Genetics are real. But in case of human society true genetics are not biological, but ideological (religious, language, worldview) one. I'd say, ideology is a genome of civilization.

BTW, associate professor at my class on Russian and Byzantine cultural and religious history - and also my academic adviser for my Master's degree has Paleolog as his surname. Being the real descendant of Paleologos - not the branch which left Byzantine after empire's fall, but from one that remained in Constantinople for several centuries after that. He has a lot to say about ethnical nationalism and what it does to the people - and peoples...
https://www.mgpu.ru/personal/paleolog-maksim-vladimirovich/

I see you're around. Lemme ask you about Armenia then. I'm (again) quite disappointed with poor response from Kremlin. I know there were color revolution linked protests some time ago in Armenia (you know, Russian occupants go home etc.) but stiill, even Yerevan was subjected of attacks and there's little to none reaction from Russia. What's your take on this?

KneelB4Zod! wrote:I see you're around. Lemme ask you about Armenia then. I'm (again) quite disappointed with poor response from Kremlin. I know there were color revolution linked protests some time ago in Armenia (you know, Russian occupants go home etc.) but stiill, even Yerevan was subjected of attacks and there's little to none reaction from Russia. What's your take on this?

Very simple.
There's a war out there for 30+ years now. With all the military propaganda at the both sides. And the only way for it to really stop - is a Russian General Governor (preferably, stationed in Tiphlis - i.e. Tbilisi), as it was back in 19th century. Any other solution is only temporary and is not worth efforts.
Armenia may be a part of Collective Defense treaty - but they do not actually recognize Karabakh themselves, nor they claim it's a part of their territory. And they are not asking for military assistance thorough any official channels. Why should Russia take more initiative than Armenians themselves?

As for practical issues - I believe there are peace talks in Moscow right now in progress. For 11 or so hours now.

Tamonten wrote:

KneelB4Zod! wrote:I see you're around. Lemme ask you about Armenia then. I'm (again) quite disappointed with poor response from Kremlin. I know there were color revolution linked protests some time ago in Armenia (you know, Russian occupants go home etc.) but stiill, even Yerevan was subjected of attacks and there's little to none reaction from Russia. What's your take on this?

Very simple.
There's a war out there for 30+ years now. With all the military propaganda at the both sides. And the only way for it to really stop - is a Russian General Governor (preferably, stationed in Tiphlis - i.e. Tbilisi), as it was back in 19th century. Any other solution is only temporary and is not worth efforts.
Armenia may be a part of Collective Defense treaty - but they do not actually recognize Karabakh themselves, nor they claim it's a part of their territory. And they are not asking for military assistance thorough any official channels. Why should Russia take more initiative than Armenians themselves?

As for practical issues - I believe there are peace talks in Moscow right now in progress. For 11 or so hours now.

Well, we all know it's not Azeri war, it's Turkish war. Turks brought jihadis from ME, Turks are main backers of the conflict. Curisously together with Israel. Recently Turks even pulled Afghani Taliban into the conflict as reports say Erdogan reached Hekmatyar (again):

Rumors that Erdogan reached out to Hekmatyar for recruitment of #HEI and other Afghan volunteers for war in #NagornoKarabakh @AamajN reported that story also. Significant if true https://t.co/8NusEVexrR

— Dr. Drexluddin Khan Spiveyzai (@RisboLensky) October 9, 2020

And you know who freed Hekmatyar, right?

Gulbuddin Hekmatyar - Afghani warlord known as "Butcher of Kabul", formerly designated as global terrorist by the US government, who was pardoned and allowed to return to Afghanistan from exile, with large armored column and official honors, under watch of NATO and US backed puppet regime, is now presidential candidate for this year's presidential election in Afghanistan?

Hekmatyar's return:






Former Afghan warlord Hekmatyar enters presidential race

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-afghanistan-election/former-afghan-warlord-hekmatyar-enters-presidential-race-idUSKCN1PD0DU