Long -awaited but incomplete victory

Leonid Gozman - about what actually means the exchange of political prisoners

Churchill said that the problems generated by victory are even more complex than generated by defeat.

The first of August was a wonderful day. Against the backdrop of mass killings, against the backdrop of daily bombing of Ukraine, arbitrariness, hopelessness - the salvation of beautiful people that were remembered, thought, worried about dozens and hundreds of thousands of citizens of different countries. I am happy for them and for their loved ones.

And sincere gratitude to everyone who made it possible, and regardless of what countries or structures they are of and what was their motivation. In the Talmud (sorry to me, the atheist, that I dare to quote the sacred books) said that the one who saved one life saved all of humanity. They saved 16 lives. Some of those who have now been released would have died in prison.

I am sure that some of those who prepared this exchange are disappointed, as they hoped for more. The names of those who were on the lists are already sounding, but at the last moment for some reason fell out of there. But it never turns out to be everything conceived. And what succeeded is a miracle! Thank you.

The incident is extremely important for millions of our compatriots.

There were no good news for so long; It seemed that they would never be at all. And they suddenly appeared! Life tells us: "Do not give up, nothing has ended yet, it is still possible."

And we, in addition to the existing ones, have new active lobbyists, famous and respected people. All three speaking today at a press conference talked about the need to divide the Putin regime and the people of Russia, that the support of the war is not even close to the level that propaganda is trumpeted. Everyone said that Russia could be - and it will! - A normal country, and what exactly for such a country they will fight. By the way, they have already received for this position: the Imperials, they say, one word - Russians, do not understand anything, they work for Putin, and so on. Good would only be from Ukrainians-they can be understood, but also from their part. But this is expected; I hope that this will not be much upset of none of the released.

Of course, it’s not easy for them now. Not only should you adapt to a new life. There are moral problems. You are here, you were saved, but the rest are there. 16 rescued - this is one, a maximum of one and a half percent of the number of political prisoners in today's Russia. Solzhenitsyn wrote that when he was suddenly cured of cancer, he decided that his life did not belong to him anymore: the Lord retained it in order to fight communism. They probably feel something similar. This is a heavy load. I am sure they will carry him with dignity.

Yes, and we all have no right to forget that yesterday's happy event does not cancel either judicial arbitrariness or torture and violence in prisons, or the fact that our wonderful fearless fellow citizens are in the complete power of their executioners. And every day the system sends new and new people to captivity, who sacrificed their freedom to the freedom of other people and their right to live on Earth, and not die under the blows of our missiles.

The exchange turned out not only because a huge number of people around the world came to demonstrations and pickets, read the names of the captives, talked about them at closed meetings with influential people of the West, but also because the negotiators were able to make the exchange process for leaders of different countries with a game with a non -lwor sum: they are all in winning. Biden and Harris are understandable: elections, there is a chance that on November 5, voters will remember who saved American citizens.

Sholz in a more difficult situation: it was he who had to make the most unobvious decision - to give the killer. But, apparently, there is some kind of benefit for him.

But with Putin it is interesting. Some believe that he went to the liberation of his enemies as part of attempts to achieve negotiations and suspension of war on favorable conditions for himself: I, they say, are not a ghoul at all, you can agree with me. But it seems to me that more likely something else. The mantra of Russian propaganda - “we don’t throw our own” - has, of course, there is nothing to do with the behavior of the Russian Federation in relation to their citizens: on them, which sank at Kursk, which rotting in the trenches sitting without light, do not give a damn. But their own, who are actually their own: special services, spies, hired killers - it is really impossible to quit. Firstly, if you quit this, then where will you find another performer? People should be sure that they will help them out when failing. And secondly, this is a matter of prestige: special services will not respect you if you do not fight for your own. But you rely on them and only on them, you have no other support. Their devotion and support are needed every day, but it is possible that tomorrow it will be even more necessary than today.

With Krasikov for Putin, this was especially acute. Rumors about their long -standing acquaintance, from the nineties. That is, to leave Krasikov Germany also meant the old comrade to betray - and this will not like the numerous FSB. Although pure pragmatics are not excluded: maybe Krasikov knew a lot, but so far he was silent. He is an interesting figure: as an FSB officer, he was twice wanted in connection with the murders of Russian citizens in the Russian territory. Either he worked as a criminal in his free time from the service, or the criminal was an integral part of his professional duties. So Putin had every reason to come and hug him in Vnukovo: this is the prisoners who were not returned to Russia and not the inhabitants of some flooded Orsk. They don't care about them, and this is a combat comrade.

Putin's Russia is waging a war against world civilization, Krasikov - a soldier of this war. Our country wages the war on several fronts at once. In Ukrainian - there are already hundreds of thousands of victims, destroyed cities, millions of refugees. In European and American, supporting pro -fascist parties and extremely right -wing or extremely left -wing politicians. And on the internal, suppressing all living things, driving Russia during the Horde and Ivan the Terrible.

Therefore, those who are opposing the Putin regime today fight not only for their homeland and for their right to remain people, but, like Ukrainian soldiers, cover the whole world.

The exchange that has taken place suggests that the West at least sometimes understands this. Having turned on or agreed to include in the list of ours who have no formal attitude to their countries, Western leaders showed an understanding of the integrity of the war of the war, that people fight the same enemy on Moscow streets or near Donetsk. They recognized our political prisoners of war in this war - the war, which is waged against the West and the whole world.

Firstly, thanks to them for that. And secondly, this understanding gives a chance to freedom for our prisoners. It is necessary to achieve one - and here the voice of the released now will be very important - so that any agreements with Putin include an amnesty for political prisoners and the abolition of repressive legislation. Putin wants agreements, he needs a respite! Let him give it as his mercy and the desire to restore the unity of the country, let him receive his benefits from this - the main thing is that this happens. But only we can convince the West that this is a question not only of humanism, but also the security of Europe and America.

There is another opportunity to continue the exchange process - the inclusion of Ukraine in it. They have our spies and saboteurs, they have pro -Moscow politicians who have committed real crimes and are in prison. And they could be exchanged for our political prisoners. It is clear that it is extremely difficult for the President of Zelensky to do this: a significant part of the Ukrainian society hates us all, not making differences between Putin and his captives, and the soldiers captured by our army must be rescued. But most sitting are now sitting precisely for the support of Ukraine, for an anti -war position. The United States and Germany have already recognized them as its allies. If the leadership of Ukraine decides to go in this direction, this will not only save lives of selfless and courageous people, not only, as I think, will increase respect for Ukraine in the world (although, of course, Ukrainians know better), but will also help when the Putin regime goes into oblivion, restore normal relations between Ukraine and Russia or those states that are formed on its territory. We will remain neighbors, you will not get anywhere from geography.

Well, our internal struggle has long been going on not between left and right, not between supporters of a particular economic policy. It goes between thieves and bloodsuckers, on the one hand, and normal people, on the other. And for a long time, it doesn’t matter to me for a long time what kind of ideology the politician professes - it is important for me what kind of person he is, whether he can believe him.

I listened to the performances of three of the released. I believe each of them!