So I went to Moscow last week. Learned lots of things, among them the depth of my unwarranted prejudices, as the city felt much more familiar than I'd have guessed. On the bridge where Nemtsov was shot, there was a sea of flowers. The more experienced travellers to Russia who were with us were shocked at the extent of the open protest, and it seemed that so were many of the citizens passing by. This is right next to the Red Square, and the outpouring of support for the opposition seemed quite unique. Many of the signs among the flowers presented plays with words. This was the most common slogan: Net slov, which means simply 'no words'. Whoever found the red pen did come up with some words, however: "You can't shoot everyone". This one plays with his first name. BOPNC is "Boris", but adding the b in the end softens the end of the word and transforms it into an imperative: "Fight!" And this one, of course, plays with another recent international slogan. This one just says "Propaganda kills." The flowers just go on and on along the whole bridge... ...right up to this juxtaposition of the Russian flag with what might be both a Russian bear, and at once a teddy left on a grave by mourners.
At a time when Putin is dialing back the clock to the age of oppression, warmongering and totalitarianism, is it any wonder there is unrest amongst the people? The rhetoric that is fed to us in the West is of Putin as some big universal Russian hero, but that simply isn't true.
Yes, he remains popular in some quarters, but more and more are likely fed up with the obvious disaster he has created. I've been following a parallel story, that he may be quite ill. Apparently he has not been seen in public in about three weeks. That used to me a change of government was coming. We can only hope so.
I don't know anything about that, but according to the Wall Street Journal, he hasn't been seen in public since March 5. http://www.wsj.com/articles/vladimir-putins-public-absence-stirs-russian-clamor-1426250376
Which is last week, not three weeks. Trust me, he's fine. Remember the nonsense over Kim Jong Un vanishing for a month?
I would guess he's keeping a somewhat lower profile because not all the people he might interact with can be trusted not to try an avenge Nemtsov, especially if Putin was behind the murder, or he's got rogue elements knocking off political figures. Either one could be have his security operating at an elevated threat level.
Not as much as many may think - his use of oppression and media control should tell you that he's not that beloved, otherwise the media machine wouldn't be ratcheting back to the bad old days. Russia is a bad spot economically, and whilst Putin has certainly been having fun - Angela Merkel has rolled on her back for him, and he's certainly seen what cats he find to drop amongst NATO pigeons - that can only last so long. When you run out of money, all those friends you've bought may not turn out to be so friendly anymore.
As Chup says, it's been a week. The curious thing has been the bullshit coming out of the Kremlin to say he's well, they've been pushing photos and wrote up of meetings that are days old as current. Whether it's just to tweak paranoia, or actually covering up he's had a bout of ill health, time will tell.
I know that there is are sorts of corruption involved but his party do get a very big majority in elections, and I don't think that they are directly rigged, so it's fair to say that he is very popular.
LOL. How did I know our resident Chavista would swoop in to defend him! Didn't read El Chups link did you?
I have nothing but contempt for Putin. How is observing that he's reasonably popular a defense of him? El Chup's link is about his not being seen in public, which is indeed a mystery but unrelated to that.
That was my link. chup's link argues that he isn't popular because if people knew about his shenanigans, he wouldn't be. But in my opinion, they don't, so they see the chest thumping and naked bear wrestling and admire the guy. Hence, yes, he's popular among the ill informed masses.
Not only does he control all media, but he has either co-opted, jailed, or killed all viable opposition candidates while leaving the crazy and/or weak candidates alone to provide a contrast. "Do you really want THIS over me?!?!" But Russia does go the motions of having elections and is a thorn to the US so to Rick everything is cool. See also his defense of Chavez.
Bullshit. It is decidedly not cool. I've already said so, and let me say it again - Putin is a cunt. In addition and despite their elections, the Russian political system is effectively an autocracy and both their domestic and foreign policy is highly repugnant. Since you already know I'm not defending any of this, I can only conclude that you're arbitrarily assigning me a position that you're spoiling for a fight with.
Just to be clear I am agreeing with the statements Anc made about Putin and not the parts about Rick.
There's no contradiction between Putin being an ass-hole who controls the media and rigs elections, and Putin being popular in his country. Both can be true. That's quite unfortunate, but it's a reality. More so in a country where a popular ruler is not necessarily one that is well liked, but one that is accepted as a ruler. Remember Russia never had a democratic time to compare -- they've gone from Czars through Comissars and Secretaries to oligarchs and despotic 'Presidents'.
