Alexey Roshchin: “Putin’s officials have no reputation”

“But let’s say that Gendarmerie General Zolotov actually drags Navalny onto the tatami. What is he counting on? Let’s say everything goes according to his plan - that is, he breaks Navalny’s face, breaks his arms and legs, breaks off his kidneys and punctures his sternum; and what “Would it somehow follow from this that Navalny’s accusations are unfounded and the Russian Guard does NOT steal from government food purchases?! But how? Holmes? There is no connection,” writes the social psychologist in LiveJournal .

“A duel doesn’t save you from criminal charges, that’s the problem. It’s strange that the general doesn’t know this. Although the general probably knows something else: he knows that there is no court in Russia, so there is NO WHERE to turn to. Then his challenge is a kind of a gesture of despair: a high-ranking Putin official is aware that no appeal to the court can restore his good name, since simply no one will believe that the court is able to make a decision INDEPENDENT of the desires of this official himself. Such is the trap of a primitive state - a state in which. there is no separation of powers.

This is, in fact, a fact of Russian life: if you hold a high position in the system of the Russian state, then you are a thief by definition, that is, you do not live on your salary and take kickbacks from your subordinates. In any case, this is what EVERYONE thinks about you, in general all the inhabitants of the country. And you don’t have the slightest chance to justify yourself - there is simply no authority that could drop charges of theft, while enjoying public trust.

It’s funny to remember in this regard Navalny’s accusations against Sobyanin during the last elections, in 2013. Sobyanin was accused of giving his many daughters and sons-in-law expensive apartments in the most luxurious buildings in Moscow. 5 years have passed, the apartments are probably with the same daughters, everything has been forgotten, the reputation of a thief did not prevent Sobyanin from being elected again. And there was no need to even challenge Navalny to a duel.

Putin’s officials have no reputation - and they don’t need it.”