Without hope

There were a lot of people at Anna's funeral. There were almost no young people. And – as far as I could feel – there was no time for anger. There was despair. And let’s be honest – fear. Many people, like me.

“Patriots” (it is clear, by the way, that no matter who the five killers were who were hunting for one woman - special forces veterans, the “brown underground” or even some people from Kadyrov’s entourage, they all also proudly call themselves “patriots” ) can rejoice. But, of course, I’m not talking about patriotic murderers, but about peaceful citizens of Russia who support the Patriotic Forces. So the patriots can triumph. Pro-Western liberalism in the Russian Federation has been destroyed as a political force, trampled, burned, scattered to the wind. There are still nature reserves left that are ridiculous to even talk about - “Echo”, the ghosts of SPS/Yabloko, other hedgehogs...

The authorities have “shaken off their feet” the liberal infection, and the general electorate has always been immune to it. The victory of the patriotic forces is complete! True, the ideological winners show their joy in their own way: with new and old curses addressed to their defeated enemies, who, it turns out, are still miraculously preventing them from “building Russia.”

Specific plans for “arrangement” - other than further suppression, physical and psychological, of the hated “Western traitors” and the Georgians who have joined them - are not reported. Apparently, the time has not come yet - after all, Putin has been ruling for only 7 years... Well, everything is just beginning. But we see WHAT begins. Raw material exports + absolute corruption + xenophobia within the country + imperial whims outside the country = Revival of Russia.

There was a chance in 1991. The old system didn’t just collapse, but it broke. There was a moment of confusion, a moment when the old nomenclature shifted, the new one did not settle down... Something new could be assembled from the same cubes. Russia with a different fate.

What has gathered is what has gathered. As in the famous joke: “No matter how hard you try, these parts only produce a Kalashnikov assault rifle.” Apparently, this is the ideological code, these are the historical chromosomes, these are the psychological archetypes of Russia. Lieutenant Colonel GB on the throne - boasting about “greatness” - threats to foreigners “outside” and “inside” - dreams of “reviving the Empire there” and scolding “they’ve come in large numbers here”...

This is what Russia really chooses. And there’s no point in pointing at “falsification.” No falsification. The elections are not of local government, but of Fate. This is how the people and the bureaucracy determine their destiny. Well, they're all adults. We will do as we wish. So, as our neighbors say - SO!

I'm lucky. I witnessed an almost pure experiment: “Russia chooses its own destiny.” I chose it voluntarily. Chose - for a long time.

In many ways, we liberals are the architects of our own happiness. The stupidity, meanness, cowardice, and self-interest of many liberal journalists and liberal bureaucrats is well known. By these parameters, they (we) are fully worthy of their “patriotic winners.” But the difference is that they (we) are strangers to Russia (regardless of nationality), and they are our own (also regardless of it, although they divide each other on this basis. But this is already their problem). Like this…

But today, on the day of the funeral of the fearless Anna, who gave her life for this country, it is a sin to talk about 99.9% of cowardly and greedy liberals.

Today I want to remember the poems that Tyutchev dedicated to Anna 180 years ago.

O victims of reckless thought,

Maybe you hoped

That your blood will become scarce,

To melt the eternal pole!

Barely, smoking, she sparkled

On the centuries-old mass of ice,

The iron winter has died -

And there were no traces left.

Very sad. Very scary. There is no consolation. And no hope.

P.S. But still, a trace of Anna will remain.