New Putin

Vladimir Putin conducted another nationwide “straight line”. More recently, this informational occasion would seem boring and banal. But not now. In 2014, we saw something completely new that we were not used to before.

Putin communicates with journalists after the "direct line". Gostiny Dvor, Moscow, April 17, 2014/Photo: Pavel Golovkin/AP/East News

The "straight line" was clearly focused on export. As special improved "Lada" of the Soviet era. Putin spoke not so much with Russia as with the West (USA, the European Union) and Ukraine. More precisely, the people of Ukraine. To whom he wanted to explain: “Come to me, Banderte” (C). Under my power, it will be much better and easier for you than with your immature, restless and unpromising independence. The West was said: the global political initiative now belongs to me, let's come from this, because it is now not given another.

Actually, the export character of the “Direct Line” also explains the surroundings of the event. There were no frantic propagandists of the “Russian spring” type in the hall, for example, Alexander Prokhanov or Sergey Kurginyan. It turned out, however, Dmitry Kiselev, but for the sake of the sovereign he fell under European sanctions, and it was impossible not to invite him. In general, there was no fuel patriotic hysteria. Prominent artists - from Yuri Bashmet to Karen Shakhnazarov - were designed to show that the latest course support the cultural cream of society, and not only one continuous provincial cattle, as some think. The presence of Irina Khakamada and Irina Prokhorova, the nominal critics of the Kremlin, who was even allowed to ask soft questions, emphasized: Putin's Russia is not as scary as it might seem on the Russian TV. And Putin himself, whatever one may say and how the real ruler is a truly local ruler, is the only European in the country.

Putin gave his people only crumbs from the lamb straight table. This time, generous individual gifts were not handed out. A wheelchair user, fifteen years waiting for an apartment, the president spoke about the responsibility of the authorities of at different levels. A joke about an expensive Russian who does not need a car, because he does not have a road, generally sounded frankly unspoken. In the genre "Sorry, escaped."

New Putin

We somehow did not notice, but the president clearly changed in Russia. The Old Putin of the 2000 model was replaced by a new, 2013-2014 release. The pristine Putin came to power as a guarantor of the elite convention of the 1990s. His main task was to cover the elites from the people who hate them. Explaining the people that we are moving in the right direction, therefore we do not need to ask unnecessary questions about reprivatization, rampage against the oligarchs, etc. The vital interests of the elites formed as a whole from 1993 to 1999 - with the amendment to the coming of the Putin generation already in the zero - he considered them to be fully. He behaved quite conventionally on an international scale. The primordial Putin was a Westernik, although for populist purposes and often in anti -Western rhetoric. He did not hide what he would like and could bring Russia to NATO. The first to express condolences to America about the attacks on September 11, 2001. He achieved early repaying Russia of external debt, although even the government of Mikhail Kasyanov was against it. (Who in the modern world extinguishes debts, and even ahead of schedule?!) Batches from Georgia (Batumi, Akhalkalaki) brought out. A little even touchingly made a speech in the Bundesrat in German to gain the additional favor of a multiplied audience. He was furious friends with Gerhard Schröder and Jacques Shirak. And so on. For many years, Putin was more likely a European inhabitant on the Russian throne than the anointed of God - in fact and by self -awareness.

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There is only Putin himself and a story that he includes seven -mini steps

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The current Putin is completely different. He (Ms. Hakamad, which many, but not me, criticize this statement) really felt like a winner. With a capital letter. And since the destiny of the winner is loneliness, this feeling overtook V.V. in full. There is no one. In addition to himself and ensuring his legitimacy of the people, swarming somewhere at the bottom of reality. There are no elites - he for too long and disinterestedly guaranteed their interests in order to now look back at who will fall under Western sanctions and who do not. There is no West who has tried for so many years, in accordance with Putin’s logic, to humiliate and deceive the Russian ruler - now the Euro -Atlantic world from the object of special respect has turned into a stall, designed to listen to the Kremlin star. There is only Putin himself and a story that he includes seven -mimic steps. Everything that is less than history is no longer very interested. Moreover, having made himself a gallery slave, a hostage of difficult presidential duties, Putin seems to have come to terms at some point with a rejection of simple human joys, a banal desire to live for himself. He humbled himself, but did not forgive the humanity of this voluntary-renovative refusal.

In this sense, a little Stalin spirit hung over the “straight line”. Not in the sense of readiness for mass repressions - repression is not needed pragmatically, everything is already normal - but in terms of self -awareness of the great dictator. The discussion of the Russians, who is red on the world and death, is very noteworthy. Translated from Putinsky, this means: if I order, my people will die for me. And he will not ask why it is time to die. This is a kind of remake of the famous Stalinist toast for the patience of the Russian people, uttered at the Kremlin reception on May 24, 1945.

Previously, it was noticeable on “direct lines” and similar events how much Putin is burdened by publicity, hidden nervous, expects some kind of catch, despite the obvious debugging of the “question-answer” system. Now it all has gone. The owner of the Kremlin knows that there is no human council for him. Neither within the country, nor beyond its borders. “Who will surpass me? Who will be equal to me? The deed of all people is like a shadow in a crazy dream ... And here I am alone, I am delighted with great, ”as Valery Bryusov said the Assyrian Assargadon.

Live broadcast against the background of the embankment of Sevastopol. Moscow, April 17, 2014 /Photo: Alexey Druzhinin /ITAR-TASS

A thirst for revenge

Putin made it clear that his most important driving motive for today is offense to the West. Thirst for revenge to the West.

He did everything that they wanted from him, but he was not considered to be a man. Putin directly said: trust finally collapsed after drama in Libya (2011). When Russia did not perform in the UN Security Council against the regime of a zone closed for flights, hoping that the West will calm the country. Instead, as V.V. was inclined to believe, a uniform lawlessness was made, which included reprisal against Muammar Gaddafi with special cynicism.

Another important detail is Edward Snowden. It is no coincidence that he, like a fugitive lying on the informational day, was allowed to ask the leader frankly stupid (Senator J. McCain) the question of whether Russia controls all kinds of human negotiations. Apparently, the version is confirmed according to which Mr. Snowden really deeply plowed Mr. Putin, bringing in 2013 to the attention of the latter, that the United States is listening to everything, including private and delicate negotiations of the Russian president himself. No wonder Putin recalled the microphone, with the help of which the ex-prime minister Denmark, and now the outgoing general secretary of NATO, Anders FOG Rasmussen recorded some of their private conversation. And either in a joke, or seriously (the line here is thin), he talked about European politicians who even at home forced to speak in a whisper, because the American satellite writes them totally. It is already clear that the “Snowden’s case” inflicted a serious psycho -trauma to the Russian president, which played an important role in the fundamental Putin's transformation.

The field of revenge

So, the treacherous West must take revenge. So far, the field of revenge is Ukraine. Putin no longer hides that the special forces of the GRU of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation contributed to the free will of the people of the Crimea. Which in the east and southern Ukraine seems to be not yet. However, while I wrote this text, it turned out that the Gereushniki stopped hiding there: they are already posing in front of the cameras, disavowing the formal assurances of the Supreme Commander -in -Chief. So soon it may turn out that Southeast Ukraine sees itself more likely part of Russia than in the current status. On the “Direct Line”, the great dictator clearly outlined his claims to Novorossia-the Russian-speaking regions of present-day Ukraine, which, according to his version, the Bolsheviks are not clear why they were rejected from Russia in the 1920s. The only question is how Putin will receive control over New Russia. Three options: a) through the federalization of Ukraine and the arrangement in six to eight regions of their, fully controlled leadership personnel; b) the creation of buffer quasi -states of the type of "Donetsk Republic"; c) annexation according to the Crimean scenario. The Mineral Geneva Agreements, signed right on the day of the Putin's benefit, should not, in my opinion, deceive anyone: with their help V.V. He condemned time, discharging the situation for several days, and at the same time pretended that the theme of Crimea remained behind the brackets - "the investigation is finished, forget it." Here, by the way, we must recall the official recognition of Transnistria, to which Moscow, very likely, can go already in the near future.

We will become the first and last country of the fourth world

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But also on that V.V. It is unlikely to stop. To distract the patient people from the growing economic collapse - the government forecast of economic growth has already fallen to 0%, what will actually happen, especially taking into account the need to invest huge funds in the attached territories! - Constant external victories are important, consolidating the nation, for which the death and death is red. Putin condemned himself with the logic of a cyclist: you have to constantly pedal, otherwise you will fall. He must go further, further. Why not recognize the independence of Nagorno -Karabakh - especially since influential Armenian diasporas in different countries of the world, including the USA, Canada and France, will be violently missed from this moment? But do not consider completely peaceful, exclusively political methods to seize power in Latvia, where 35% of residents consider Russian native language?

Bear corner

Russia thereby doom itself to isolation from the Euro -Atlantic world, new sanctions, and all that other. But the king of Assargadon no longer worries. How the majority of the country's population should not be disturbed, where 83% of citizens do not have passports, and 70% never rested abroad (including near foreign countries).

There can be many tactical conclusions from all this, but strategic - one. Russia is going to turn into a bear corner of the world, inaccessible to European sunlight. Very large, but bearish. The Petrovsky window into Europe slamms in the face of a global draft. The main law of the bear angle is the taiga, and the prosecutor, respectively, the bear. We will become the first and last country of the fourth world. On the facade of which the favorite Putinskoye will be nailed with crooked gold letters: "Russian World."

We still do not believe it, it all seems to us by fantastic. But Putin, who performs our fate, does not really seem very much fantastic. The sooner we will understand this, the better it will be for everyone.