Three years ago, in the ranks of political emigration there was a more or less homogeneous view of Russia and its foreign policy. But after a while, the eyes of those who left were transformed. People began to splash out their indignation at each other, on the leadership of Ukraine. It got to the point that for someone and Putin’s statements were “quite accurate”.

People lined up in a live chain on the Baltic path near Riga on August 23, 1989 Reuters/Ints Kalnins/Files/Scanpix On the summer evening of August 23, 1989, three small countries showed Supreme Power their number not by columns of the troops, but by the continuous line of human hands and by the radio receivers by crucifixes in three languages ​​- this is how the song protest of the residents of the Baltic was helped to weaken imperial grip and achieve independence.

A few years before the full -scale invasion of Russia to Ukraine, the genre of political comedy arose only that appeared Russian streaming. “Home arrest”, “last minister”, “year of culture”, “dead souls” - critics were perplexed, how and why the state corporations standing behind the platforms allow this sedit work on air.

I. Sixteen days before the big war, I went to the Academy cafe, which is in Moscow, the corner of Malaya and Big Bronny. - You are a Caesar salad with chicken, as usual? - waiter Alexander Lvovich asked me. Why he was with a patronymic, I can’t remember. Strange, by the way, a question. I never ordered Caesar. Not that I did not like. No, it is impossible, so to speak. Simply - did not order. Probably - from an unconsciously growing aversion to the imperial paradigm.