russia-insider--2020-12-27--Empires Fall. Now It's America's Turn, and Russia Will Make It Happen

Russia is allowing the US to overextend before the cauldron collapses around it This article from our archives was first published on RI in June 2018 It ’ s important for bullies to always win .
Because once their weakness is exposed they can no longer be bullies .
Empires don ’ t start out as bullies .
They start out as the reaction to the last Empire which became a bully after embracing hubris over humility .
Empires have to resort to bullying near the end because they are fundamentally weak .
They all over-extend themselves through currency debasement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cultural advantage the society had over the previous Empire .
Donald Trump knows how to bully with the best of them .
I go back and forth about his status as a bully , however .
He is a mercurial figure whose unpredictability is predictable .
I see him more as Loki than the typical bully .
In other words , it ’ s probably fair to say that to Trump bullying is just another tactic .
So , as the head of the U.S. , an Empire in the early stages of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of empire building after the failure of Bretton Woods , Trump will bully his opposition because he knows that an Empire that is not feared is one that will soon be laughed at .
And when that happens , it ’ s game over .
Trump understands that the U.S. can no longer afford to pay for the post-WWII institutional order .
Europe ’ s been rebuilt but the EU is in the process of tearing it down for the sake of globalism .
And Germany is the one benefiting on our dime @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the Empire , regardless of your politics , seeing Trump take it to the G-7 and , in particular , Germany should be welcomed .
Where you should be worried however , is how that same bullying is being turned on Russia and Iran .
In my latest article for Strategic Culture Foundation I remind everyone that none other than Mr. Realpolitik , Henry Kissinger , was advising Trump on Ukraine and Crimea in early 2017 .
And after looking at the way Trump is prosecuting our relationship with Russia it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a stronger influence on Trump than anyone thought .
The Left still screaming about Russia collusion are themselves delusional .
Trump hasn ’ t been secretly doing nice things for Putin behind everyone ’ s back .
There ’ s no coordination of policy between them .
I spent most of 2017 arguing with MAGA folks convinced that Trump and Putin were waging a secret war on the Deep State and the Neocons .
4-D chess arguments abounded .
When the reality was that while Trump and Putin keep in touch to ensure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Russian forces in Syria takes place , that is not evidence that Trump is soft on Russia in any way .
Not provoking a nuclear-armed country is not evidence of collusion , just functional brain cells .
A statement I can ’ t make about most of Trump ’ s critics this week .
This is an operating principle which governed this week ’ s summit between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un as well .
Trump was smart to meet with Kim , who did outmaneuver the U.S. over the past @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It forced the U.S. to the table and Trump , smartly , took the opportunity to save face and choose peace .
The same thing is not on the horizon with Russia today .
The Kremlin has moved on .
It would like a better relationship with Washington but it has no illusions about it happening .
To Putin ’ s credit he has not ruled out speaking with Trump , but as Alistair Crooke points out today , there ’ s little good reason for him doing so .
Trump has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ policy to force Russia to abandon its relationship with China through economic and political aggression that there ’ s little to be gained by chatting about anything other than the weather .
To beat a bully you have to let him over-extend himself .
He has to feel confident of your passivity in the face of his aggression .
That means if you slap him in the face , he turns the other cheek .
If you attack his friends , he doesn ’ t attack you .
For more than a year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out around the world vis a vis Russia in Syria and in Europe .
The attacks are both military , Syria and Ukraine , and financial , the Nordstream 2 pipeline .
I ’ ve detailed all of this at length over the past year .
Putin has taken so many shots to the chin that U.S. / Russian relations bear a great resemblance to the “ Rumble in the Jungle ” where Mohammed Ali let George Foreman punish him for round after round , expending himself in a futile attempt to knock @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s arms felt like lead and his legs like Jello , Ali struck so hard and so fast that he stunned the world .
Russian military strategy is dominated by this type of thinking .
Lure your opponent in .
Create a weak spot and allow him to attack it over and over .
Invite the chaos .
Allow him to think he is winning .
So here ’ s where we are today : • If Trump is successful in getting Germany to cower before his sanctions regime that will , in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ financially and socially .
• That may yet lead to a formal withdrawal of IRGC Quds forces from Syria .
Yet another win .
• But , it will only happen if the U.S. leaves the border crossing at Al-Tanf .
Small pirce to pay .
• Germany ’ s government is on increasingly shaky grounds as AfD are making her life miserable in the Bundestag and her partner Horst Seehofer of the CSU , as Interior Minister is openly defying her over migrant policy .
• The U.S. negotiates a deal with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ undermine Russia ’ s relationship with Erdogan , keeping the Turks in Syria to complicate peace talks .
• Military conflict in Ukraine likely in the next few weeks with the UAF attacking the Donbass and an incident in the Sea of Azov .
• This supports a failing Poroshenko government in trouble before the election and sucker Putin into direct support which can justify more sanctions and keeping the EU on board because of “ Russian Aggression ” and “ Not supporting the Minsk process.
” • Trump is openly tying sanctions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pipeline in brazen mafia-style negotiating tactics further complicating Merkel ’ s life .
• Five more Russian companies were sanctioned this week over ‘ cyber attacks.
’ • He ’ s openly threatening major multinationals who do business in the U.S. for being a part of Nordstream 2 .
I think you get the point .
I could go on for another page or two .
The point is that this is classic bullying behavior .
Trump is pot-committed , as poker-players say , to this policy .
Once you start with sanctions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stop .
It ’ s go all the way or have your bluff called .
With Europe Trump holds aces .
They are dependent on the U.S. and their weakness will be the U.S. ’ s gain over the next year or two .
Europe ’ s sovereign debt crisis will explode and the U.S. will see massive foreign in-flows .
It ’ ll be a massive win but it won ’ t be the win .
And in winning over Europe it sets him up for the big loss ; the fight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
His gambit with Russia and Iran becoming an all-or-nothing proposition .
Trump has just about pushed all-in .
Russia/Iran/China ’ s passivity has emboldened him .
The fecklessness of the Obama administration creating dumpster fires in Ukraine and Syria , however , handed him bad cards and a dwindling stack .
He hasn ’ t won a hand in the Middle East yet .
Sure he ’ s made headlines but Putin , Rouhani , Nasrallah and Assad have won all the skirmishes that matter .
Any wins Trump has gotten were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ framework for a deal has always been the same .
And no amount of Kissinger-style complications were going to change them .
Iran no more wants to stay in Syria than Putin wants to intervene in The Donbass .
So , getting Iran out of Syria is easy .
All Trump has to do is leave .
Israel won ’ t like it , but it won ’ t be their decision .
Putin made that clear to Netanyahu when he visited Moscow .
The Kurds are the ones to make that decision @ @ @ @ @ @ @ openly negotiating with Damascus after Trump backstabbed them over Manbij .
Without the support of the Kurds , the U.S. can not stay in Syria at all .
So , when we reach the showdown hand Trump won ’ t have aces .
And the classic Russian cauldron will collapse in around him .
And losing there will be the end of the U.S. empire abroad .
And the world will rejoice .

Russia is allowing the US to overextend before the cauldron collapses around it
This article from our archives was first published on RI in June 2018
It’s important for bullies to always win. Because once their weakness is exposed they can no longer be bullies.
Empires don’t start out as bullies. They start out as the reaction to the last Empire which became a bully after embracing hubris over humility.
Empires have to resort to bullying near the end because they are fundamentally weak. They all over-extend themselves through currency debasement which, in turn, degrades the cultural advantage the society had over the previous Empire.
Donald Trump knows how to bully with the best of them. I go back and forth about his status as a bully, however. He is a mercurial figure whose unpredictability is predictable.
I see him more as Loki than the typical bully. In other words, it’s probably fair to say that to Trump bullying is just another tactic.
So, as the head of the U.S., an Empire in the early stages of collapse, fundamentally weakened by two generations of empire building after the failure of Bretton Woods, Trump will bully his opposition because he knows that an Empire that is not feared is one that will soon be laughed at.
And when that happens, it’s game over.
Trump understands that the U.S. can no longer afford to pay for the post-WWII institutional order. Europe’s been rebuilt but the EU is in the process of tearing it down for the sake of globalism.
And Germany is the one benefiting on our dime.
So, if you are opposed to the Empire, regardless of your politics, seeing Trump take it to the G-7 and, in particular, Germany should be welcomed.
Where you should be worried however, is how that same bullying is being turned on Russia and Iran. In my latest article for Strategic Culture Foundation I remind everyone that none other than Mr. Realpolitik, Henry Kissinger, was advising Trump on Ukraine and Crimea in early 2017.
And after looking at the way Trump is prosecuting our relationship with Russia it’s clear to me now Kissinger had a stronger influence on Trump than anyone thought.
As the Kremlin Turns
The Left still screaming about Russia collusion are themselves delusional. Trump hasn’t been secretly doing nice things for Putin behind everyone’s back. There’s no coordination of policy between them.
I spent most of 2017 arguing with MAGA folks convinced that Trump and Putin were waging a secret war on the Deep State and the Neocons. 4-D chess arguments abounded.
When the reality was that while Trump and Putin keep in touch to ensure little direct conflict between the U.S. and Russian forces in Syria takes place, that is not evidence that Trump is soft on Russia in any way.
Not provoking a nuclear-armed country is not evidence of collusion, just functional brain cells. A statement I can’t make about most of Trump’s critics this week.
This is an operating principle which governed this week’s summit between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un as well. Trump was smart to meet with Kim, who did outmaneuver the U.S. over the past five years, by achieving nuclear-armed status.
It forced the U.S. to the table and Trump, smartly, took the opportunity to save face and choose peace.
The same thing is not on the horizon with Russia today.
The Kremlin has moved on. It would like a better relationship with Washington but it has no illusions about it happening. To Putin’s credit he has not ruled out speaking with Trump, but as Alistair Crooke points out today, there’s little good reason for him doing so.
Trump has crossed so many lines with his Kissinger-inspired policy to force Russia to abandon its relationship with China through economic and political aggression that there’s little to be gained by chatting about anything other than the weather.
Beware the Cauldron
To beat a bully you have to let him over-extend himself. He has to feel confident of your passivity in the face of his aggression. That means if you slap him in the face, he turns the other cheek.
If you attack his friends, he doesn’t attack you.
For more than a year we’ve seen these things play out around the world vis a vis Russia in Syria and in Europe. The attacks are both military, Syria and Ukraine, and financial, the Nordstream 2 pipeline.
I’ve detailed all of this at length over the past year. Putin has taken so many shots to the chin that U.S. / Russian relations bear a great resemblance to the “Rumble in the Jungle” where Mohammed Ali let George Foreman punish him for round after round, expending himself in a futile attempt to knock Ali out.
And once Foreman’s arms felt like lead and his legs like Jello, Ali struck so hard and so fast that he stunned the world.
Russian military strategy is dominated by this type of thinking. Lure your opponent in. Create a weak spot and allow him to attack it over and over. Invite the chaos. Allow him to think he is winning.
So here’s where we are today:
If Trump is successful in getting Germany to cower before his sanctions regime that will, in turn, put Iran under heavy pressure financially and socially. That may yet lead to a formal withdrawal of IRGC Quds forces from Syria. Yet another win. But, it will only happen if the U.S. leaves the border crossing at Al-Tanf. Small pirce to pay. Germany’s government is on increasingly shaky grounds as AfD are making her life miserable in the Bundestag and her partner Horst Seehofer of the CSU, as Interior Minister is openly defying her over migrant policy. The U.S. negotiates a deal with Turkey to control Manbij, possibly to undermine Russia’s relationship with Erdogan, keeping the Turks in Syria to complicate peace talks. Military conflict in Ukraine likely in the next few weeks with the UAF attacking the Donbass and an incident in the Sea of Azov. This supports a failing Poroshenko government in trouble before the election and sucker Putin into direct support which can justify more sanctions and keeping the EU on board because of “Russian Aggression” and “Not supporting the Minsk process.” Trump is openly tying sanctions and trade normalization with the Nordstream 2 pipeline in brazen mafia-style negotiating tactics further complicating Merkel’s life. Five more Russian companies were sanctioned this week over ‘cyber attacks.’ He’s openly threatening major multinationals who do business in the U.S. for being a part of Nordstream 2.
I think you get the point. I could go on for another page or two.
Closing the Trap
The point is that this is classic bullying behavior. Trump is pot-committed, as poker-players say, to this policy.
Once you start with sanctions and threats, you can’t stop. It’s go all the way or have your bluff called. With Europe Trump holds aces. They are dependent on the U.S. and their weakness will be the U.S.’s gain over the next year or two. Europe’s sovereign debt crisis will explode and the U.S. will see massive foreign in-flows.
It’ll be a massive win but it won’t be the win. And in winning over Europe it sets him up for the big loss; the fight for the Middle East and Eurasian integration.
His gambit with Russia and Iran becoming an all-or-nothing proposition. Trump has just about pushed all-in. Russia/Iran/China’s passivity has emboldened him. The fecklessness of the Obama administration creating dumpster fires in Ukraine and Syria, however, handed him bad cards and a dwindling stack.
He hasn’t won a hand in the Middle East yet. Sure he’s made headlines but Putin, Rouhani, Nasrallah and Assad have won all the skirmishes that matter. Any wins Trump has gotten were easy ones to pick up. The framework for a deal has always been the same. And no amount of Kissinger-style complications were going to change them.
Iran no more wants to stay in Syria than Putin wants to intervene in The Donbass. So, getting Iran out of Syria is easy. All Trump has to do is leave. Israel won’t like it, but it won’t be their decision. Putin made that clear to Netanyahu when he visited Moscow.
The Kurds are the ones to make that decision for Trump, now that they are openly negotiating with Damascus after Trump backstabbed them over Manbij.
Without the support of the Kurds, the U.S. cannot stay in Syria at all.
So, when we reach the showdown hand Trump won’t have aces. And the classic Russian cauldron will collapse in around him. And losing there will be the end of the U.S. empire abroad.
And the world will rejoice.


russia-insider--2020-12-28--Democracy Is Fraud! - We Need Monarchy! - Hugely Popular Russian Priest on Top TV Show (Dmitry Smirn

Democracy Is Fraud! - We Need Monarchy! - Hugely Popular Russian Priest on Top TV Show (Dmitry Smirnov)

This article from our archives was first published on RI in February 2018 Dmitry Smirnov is one of the best known priests in Russia and has a very large following .
He is ubiquitous on television , radio , and YouTube , where his videos frequently get 100s of 1000s of views on his channel .
( Russian only ) .
He is a brilliant public speaker and excellent at debate , known for his sharp wit and quick comebacks .
He is especially loved for his sermons , which are all on his YouTube channel , and is by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He is a leading Russian anti-abortion activist , very outspoken in his criticism of LGBT , and an advocate of home-schooling .
He heads the Russian Church 's Committee for Family , Motherhood , and Children , and loudly insists that Russians start having large families of four or more children , or else they will be overrun by Moslems .
You can see all of the article we have published about him here .
His website has links to his audio podcasts and all his media appearances .
Father Dmitry speaks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and elsewhere , about the fact that to succeed , Russia must return to monarchy , and that democracy is a hoax that only favors the wealthy .
This is a great example of him doing so in a 10 minute discussion on the nation 's leading political talk show - 'Evening with Vladimir Soloviev ' .
( The host , Soloviev , is Jewish ) .
Note that the audience applauds him at almost every sentence , which is not typical on this show .
What Smirnov says is extremely interesting , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the transcript below .
He believes that hereditary monarchy is problematic , and that monarchs should be elected , as in the Byzantine empire .
- You speak a lot about politics .
You always mention that you 're against democracy and support a constitutional monarchy .
What makes democracy so vicious ?
- I completely agree with Churchill : Democracy is the worst .
The very wording is deceiving .
Democracy ?
The elections are won by the one whose campaign was the most expensive .
( applause ) Democracy was invented @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and no opportunity to get into power , only money .
They took a word from ancient Greece .
But Ancient Greece had a different kind of democracy .
You had to own property , be a well-respected citizen , have a family , and so on and so forth .
Can one… - So only the worthy and famous got into power ?
- The most worthy .
The glorious ones .
The ones who earned a name .
It 's just wrong .
A homeless alcoholic has a single vote .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ also has a single vote .
An old officer who rose to the rank of General and a green recruit who ca n't tie his own shoes properly .
Everybody has a single vote .
Is that what you call democracy ?
It 's fraud !
( applause ) - But that 's what democracy is like .
What 's so bad about democracy ?
Could you suggest another option ?
- Democracy allows some people to shamelessly and insolently manipulate others .
( applause ) - The USA is often used as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 're doing just fine .
- `` Fine '' is a broad term .
I would n't want to be doing `` just fine '' in the USA even if somebody paid me ten million dollars .
( applause ) - Well , I do n't think anybody would do that .
Why though ?
Many Americans believe in God and go to church on Sunday much more frequently than Russians do .
What 's wrong ?
- Many of those `` believers '' go to sects instead of churches .
It 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Their foreign policy and the fact that they print money for the whole world allow them to create better conditions for their citizens .
That 's clear .
( applause ) Their wages and retirement benefits seem higher if we compare the bare figures .
But when the government controls your every step and you have zero rights in your society , it weighs you down .
- What rights do they lack that we have ?
You mean we 've got so many rights and they 've got zero ?
We 're @ @ @ @ @ @ @ perfect .
- Well , my American friends ...
Most of them are of Russian origin .
They whisper even inside their own cars .
And you and I can openly discuss anything live on TV .
- That 's true , even though whispering in one 's own car sounds a bit odd… - I 've seen it with my own eyes .
And it did n't happen just once .
- Father Dmitry , some people require psychiatric care .
It 's quite popular in the US .
- Some of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( applause ) - That 's true .
Ok , so which path should Russia choose then ?
People who 've just tuned in might think : `` Wow , what are they suggesting here ?
?
What about our roots ? ''
- I 'm not suggesting anything to anyone .
Some people , including Vladimir Solovyov , ask me what I think… - ... what I 'd do .
And I tell them .
- What would you do for Russia ?
Which path would you choose ?
- Monarchy , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ monarchy .
It 's in our blood .
The Russian people who built this country , who built all spheres of our outstanding culture , did it under a monarchy .
The end of monarchy symbolized the beginning of the dark days that started in 1917 and wreaked havoc upon our country .
Our lifestyle was destroyed , our freedom of travel restricted .
Families with multiple children became uncommon .
The class system was eliminated starting from its core - the peasants , who were the most pious Christians .
Now , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for 900 years are either barren or covered in forests .
( applause ) - Everything is ruined .
Everything created by the Soviets has ground to a halt , is not working anymore..
Sometimes , my occupation makes me travel across the country .
It looks as if an army marched through the place yesterday .
The country looks like it suffered either another Siege of Stalingrad or an invasion by Genghis Khan .
( applause ) .
- But did n't your beloved tsars lead Russia to a catastrophe ?
Did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the Orthodox Church ?
Did n't your tsars bring about the events of 1917 that led to the collapse of the House of Romanov ?
- Their mistake was that they were not decisive enough.. Somebody , please , forgive this old man , I forget the name , said that if a few thousand people had been hanged there would have been no revolution for the next 100 years .
Imagine , a man comes to your house holding two knives and starts stabbing your family .
How would you respond @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But Peter the Great was quite decisive : hundreds were executed .
- He was raised in the German enclave .
He borrowed a lot from Holland and the other countries he visited .
Being a Russian person whose heart and mind are always open , he was mesmerized by clarity , order , skill , and so on .
He thought that his strong will , charisma , and title would allow him to make Russia a European country .
He did a lot of harm , including making the Church one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ us .
But the essence of the Church remained the same .
Moreover , he was heavily influenced by Mitrofan , the archbishop of Voronezh .
Peter respected him and he managed to soften Peter ’ s harsh temper .
At the beginning of his reign , Peter personally executed some soldiers .
He felt his executioner was n't up for the task .
`` Give me the axe , '' he said .
However , reaching the end of his life he became rather serious… - Was he saying : `` Chop @ @ @ @ @ @ @ - Well , kind of .
Anyway , he became much less brutal .
- Once again , monarchy does n't seem to be an ideal option .
- You see , a monarch does n't have to be born into a royal family .
A monarch should be elected .
- So we get something like the Roman Empire ?
- Yes .
You see , all people are sinful - We pray : `` May thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven . ''
But if all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ eventually collapse .
The system must be adjusted .
However , people should n't suffocate their leader with a pillow when they want to change them .
They should be elected legally by the parliament , electors , and so on .
Wealth should n't be the determining factor when choosing the electors .
- Yes , their worthiness , and this should reflect their contribution to society , for example , perhaps they were brilliant scientists , or excellent government ministers - Ok , so whom should we elect to be our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Let the people decide .

Dmitry Smirnov is one of the best known priests in Russia and has a very large following. He is ubiquitous on television, radio, and YouTube, where his videos frequently get 100s of 1000s of views on his channel. (Russian only).
He is a brilliant public speaker and excellent at debate, known for his sharp wit and quick comebacks. He is especially loved for his sermons, which are all on his YouTube channel, and is by far the most popular preacher in Russia.
He is a leading Russian anti-abortion activist, very outspoken in his criticism of LGBT, and an advocate of home-schooling. He heads the Russian Church's Committee for Family, Motherhood, and Children, and loudly insists that Russians start having large families of four or more children, or else they will be overrun by Moslems.
You can see all of the article we have published about him here. His website has links to his audio podcasts and all his media appearances.
Father Dmitry speaks frequently to the public in his sermons and elsewhere, about the fact that to succeed, Russia must return to monarchy, and that democracy is a hoax that only favors the wealthy.
This is a great example of him doing so in a 10 minute discussion on the nation's leading political talk show - 'Evening with Vladimir Soloviev'. (The host, Soloviev, is Jewish).
Note that the audience applauds him at almost every sentence, which is not typical on this show.
What Smirnov says is extremely interesting, well worth listening to, or scanning the transcript below. He believes that hereditary monarchy is problematic, and that monarchs should be elected, as in the Byzantine empire.
Transcript:
- I completely agree with Churchill: Democracy is the worst. The very wording is deceiving. Democracy? The elections are won by the one whose campaign was the most expensive. (applause) Democracy was invented by the people who had no titles and no opportunity to get into power, only money. They took a word from ancient Greece. But Ancient Greece had a different kind of democracy. You had to own property, be a well-respected citizen, have a family, and so on and so forth. Can one…
- You speak a lot about politics. You always mention that you're against democracy and support a constitutional monarchy. What makes democracy so vicious?
- So only the worthy and famous got into power?
- The most worthy. The glorious ones. The ones who earned a name. It's just wrong. A homeless alcoholic has a single vote. The principal of the Moscow State University also has a single vote. An old officer who rose to the rank of General and a green recruit who can't tie his own shoes properly. Everybody has a single vote. Is that what you call democracy? It's fraud! (applause)
- But that's what democracy is like. What's so bad about democracy? Could you suggest another option?
- Democracy allows some people to shamelessly and insolently manipulate others. (applause)
- The USA is often used as an example of true democracy. They're doing just fine.
- "Fine" is a broad term. I wouldn't want to be doing "just fine" in the USA even if somebody paid me ten million dollars. (applause)
- Well, I don't think anybody would do that. Why though? Many Americans believe in God and go to church on Sunday much more frequently than Russians do. What's wrong?
- Many of those "believers" go to sects instead of churches. It's important to bear that in mind. Their foreign policy and the fact that they print money for the whole world allow them to create better conditions for their citizens. That's clear. (applause)
Their wages and retirement benefits seem higher if we compare the bare figures. But when the government controls your every step and you have zero rights in your society, it weighs you down.
- What rights do they lack that we have? You mean we've got so many rights and they've got zero? We're comparing the real states which aren't perfect.
- Well, my American friends... Most of them are of Russian origin. They whisper even inside their own cars. And you and I can openly discuss anything live on TV.
- That's true, even though whispering in one's own car sounds a bit odd…
- I've seen it with my own eyes. And it didn't happen just once.
- Father Dmitry, some people require psychiatric care. It's quite popular in the US.
- Some of our people require it as well. (applause)
- That's true. Ok, so which path should Russia choose then? People who've just tuned in might think: "Wow, what are they suggesting here?? What about our roots?"
- I'm not suggesting anything to anyone.
Thats too bad.
Some people, including Vladimir Solovyov, ask me what I think…
- That's right.
- ...what I'd do. And I tell them.
- What would you do for Russia? Which path would you choose?
- Monarchy, of course. We've always had monarchy. It's in our blood. The Russian people who built this country, who built all spheres of our outstanding culture, did it under a monarchy. The end of monarchy symbolized the beginning of the dark days that started in 1917 and wreaked havoc upon our country.
Our lifestyle was destroyed, our freedom of travel restricted. Families with multiple children became uncommon. The class system was eliminated starting from its core - the peasants, who were the most pious Christians. Now, the fields that our ancestors had worked for 900 years are either barren or covered in forests. (applause)
- It's a tragedy.
- Everything is ruined. Everything created by the Soviets has ground to a halt, is not working anymore.. Sometimes, my occupation makes me travel across the country. It looks as if an army marched through the place yesterday. The country looks like it suffered either another Siege of Stalingrad or an invasion by Genghis Khan. (applause).
- But didn't your beloved tsars lead Russia to a catastrophe? Didn't Peter the Great do great harm to the Orthodox Church? Didn't your tsars bring about the events of 1917 that led to the collapse of the House of Romanov?
- Their mistake was that they were not decisive enough.. Somebody, please, forgive this old man, I forget the name, said that if a few thousand people had been hanged there would have been no revolution for the next 100 years.
- A nice Christian approach.
- Yep.
Imagine, a man comes to your house holding two knives and starts stabbing your family. How would you respond?
- With a bullet.
- Good, God bless you. You're a true Christian, Vladimir. (applause)
- You don't say. But Peter the Great was quite decisive: hundreds were executed.
- He was raised in the German enclave. He borrowed a lot from Holland and the other countries he visited. Being a Russian person whose heart and mind are always open, he was mesmerized by clarity, order, skill, and so on. He thought that his strong will, charisma, and title would allow him to make Russia a European country.
He did a lot of harm, including making the Church one of his Ministries. Yes he harmed us. But the essence of the Church remained the same. Moreover, he was heavily influenced by Mitrofan, the archbishop of Voronezh. Peter respected him and he managed to soften Peter’s harsh temper. At the beginning of his reign, Peter personally executed some soldiers. He felt his executioner wasn't up for the task. "Give me the axe," he said. However, reaching the end of his life he became rather serious…
- Was he saying: "Chop 'em, I'll watch?"
- Well, kind of. Anyway, he became much less brutal.
- Once again, monarchy doesn't seem to be an ideal option.
- You see, a monarch doesn't have to be born into a royal family. A monarch should be elected.
- So we get something like the Roman Empire?
- The Byzantine.
- The Eastern Roman Empire.
- Yes. You see, all people are sinful
- That's true.
- We pray: "May thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven." But if all the logs are rotten the house will eventually collapse. The system must be adjusted. However, people shouldn't suffocate their leader with a pillow when they want to change them. They should be elected legally by the parliament, electors, and so on. Wealth shouldn't be the determining factor when choosing the electors.
- Their worthiness should?
- Yes, their worthiness, and this should reflect their contribution to society, for example, perhaps they were brilliant scientists, or excellent government ministers
- Ok, so whom should we elect to be our monarch?
- I have no idea. Let the people decide.


russia-insider--2020-12-28--Russians' Alcohol Consumption Drops 80% in 7 Years

`` By decision of the Holy Synod in 2014 , the day of the Beheading of St. John the Prophet , Forerunner , and Baptist is deemed the Day of Sobriety , because precisely the mad state of Herod , drunk on wine at his banquet , was the cause of such a frightful order which he gave—to behead the holy prophet . ''
This article from our archives was first published on RI in January 2018 Alcohol consumption has been reduced by 80 % over the past 5-7 years in Russia , Minister of Health Veronika Skvortsova stated at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ today , reports RIA-Novosti .
The Gaidar Forum is an annual event in Moscow hosted by the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration , which brings together economist , Nobel Prize winners , leading professors , and representatives of the Russian and foreign elite to discuss the most acute problems of the day , especially as concerns Russia ’ s position and strategic role in the world .
“ We have managed to reduce the consumption of alcoholic beverages by 80 % per capita… ” Skvortsova stated .
Meanwhile , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has grown by more than 40 % .
” She also noted that smoking among adults has dropped 22 % , and has been reduced thrice over among children and adolescents .
According to a 2012 report from the World Health Organization , the number of Russians who drink several times a week had by then declined to 5 % , and the number who drink several times a month to 33 % .
Russian citizens were found to drink about as much as citizens of Denmark , Great Britain and Croatia .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ key role in reducing the amount of alcohol consumption in the country .
There are more than 500 active anti-alcoholism projects in Russia today under the auspices of the Church .
“ One of the Church ’ s most successful works in the sphere of temperance education is the celebration of the All-Russian Day of Sobriety on September 11 , ” stated Valery Doronkin , head of the Coordinating Center for Combating Alcoholism and Endorsing Sobriety of the Synodal Charity Department .
Special prayers are added to the Litany of Peace and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Sobriety .
His Holiness Patriarch Kirill stated on this day in 2016 : By decision of the Holy Synod in 2014 , the day of the Beheading of St. John the Prophet , Forerunner , and Baptist is deemed the Day of Sobriety , because precisely the mad state of Herod , drunk on wine at his banquet , was the cause of such a frightful order which he gave—to behead the holy prophet .
We know what terrible sufferings drunkenness has brought our people in the past , and which continue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the birth of sick children , people , losing the meaning of life and health , called to the fullness of existence , becoming invalids in youth only because they didn ’ t have enough strength to turn from sinful attractions and stop drinking .
According to the primate , not only the health of the nation , but also “ the very existence of our people and state ” depends upon this question .

"By decision of the Holy Synod in 2014, the day of the Beheading of St. John the Prophet, Forerunner, and Baptist is deemed the Day of Sobriety, because precisely the mad state of Herod, drunk on wine at his banquet, was the cause of such a frightful order which he gave—to behead the holy prophet."
This article from our archives was first published on RI in January 2018
Alcohol consumption has been reduced by 80% over the past 5-7 years in Russia, Minister of Health Veronika Skvortsova stated at a working breakfast during the Gaidar Forum today, reports RIA-Novosti.
The Gaidar Forum is an annual event in Moscow hosted by the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration, which brings together economist, Nobel Prize winners, leading professors, and representatives of the Russian and foreign elite to discuss the most acute problems of the day, especially as concerns Russia’s position and strategic role in the world.
“We have managed to reduce the consumption of alcoholic beverages by 80% per capita…” Skvortsova stated. Meanwhile, “the number actively engaged in sports has grown by more than 40%.”
She also noted that smoking among adults has dropped 22%, and has been reduced thrice over among children and adolescents.
According to a 2012 report from the World Health Organization, the number of Russians who drink several times a week had by then declined to 5%, and the number who drink several times a month to 33%. Russian citizens were found to drink about as much as citizens of Denmark, Great Britain and Croatia.
The Russian Orthodox Church has played a key role in reducing the amount of alcohol consumption in the country. There are more than 500 active anti-alcoholism projects in Russia today under the auspices of the Church.
“One of the Church’s most successful works in the sphere of temperance education is the celebration of the All-Russian Day of Sobriety on September 11,” stated Valery Doronkin, head of the Coordinating Center for Combating Alcoholism and Endorsing Sobriety of the Synodal Charity Department.
Special prayers are added to the Litany of Peace and the Litany of Fervent Supplication on the Day of Sobriety. His Holiness Patriarch Kirill stated on this day in 2016:
By decision of the Holy Synod in 2014, the day of the Beheading of St. John the Prophet, Forerunner, and Baptist is deemed the Day of Sobriety, because precisely the mad state of Herod, drunk on wine at his banquet, was the cause of such a frightful order which he gave—to behead the holy prophet.
We know what terrible sufferings drunkenness has brought our people in the past, and which continue today: the destruction of families, the birth of sick children, people, losing the meaning of life and health, called to the fullness of existence, becoming invalids in youth only because they didn’t have enough strength to turn from sinful attractions and stop drinking.
According to the primate, not only the health of the nation, but also “the very existence of our people and state” depends upon this question.
Source: Orthodox Christianity


russia-insider--2020-12-30--'Start Making Babies Or You'll Be Cleaning Chinese Boots' - Top Russian Priest (Smirnov) to a Dying

'Start Making Babies Or You'll Be Cleaning Chinese Boots' - Top Russian Priest (Smirnov) to a Dying Nation (Video)

A recent discussion of the Russian demographic crisis on Russia 's top talk show .
- People do n't understand that the Church offers them actual salvation because , in 30 years , you 'll be cleaning Chinese boots , and work as taxi drivers just like our nobility did in Paris during a certain historical period .
Our dukes and counts spoke several languages but could n't find a better job .
I could imagine the job those who 'll be lucky to survive will have .
- You 're an optimist .
You have a pretty optimistic worldview @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an informed optimist .
Our population is falling .
We 're approaching another demographic crisis .
Our replacement rate will soon be 1.2-1.3 again .
We 'll be losing a million people per year , despite all calls to resurrect the Russian family .
It should be seven or eight children on an average .
On average !
Mendeleev ( the famous scientist ) , for example , was the 17th child .
That 's how it should be .
Yes , some families may not have kids but we need a high @ @ @ @ @ @ @ survive .
We wo n't even preserve our 140-million population by 2100 .
You see ?
- I 'm sorry , but that 's the truth .
Sometimes , the truth is bitter .
And it 's not just the task of the President .
Every Russian should do his part if he wants his grandkids inherit Russia and not some other state with some other people .
As soon as we grow weak the country will plunge into demonic chaos .
- So one should n't underestimate the role of the Church @ @ @ @ @ @ @ role .
I was reading lectures in the General Staff Academy when a General approached me .
He said : `` Now I see that nobody cares about us except for the Church .
True patriotism is found only inside the church . ''
Because the Church is the guardian of Russian history .

A recent discussion of the Russian demographic crisis on Russia's top talk show.
Transcript below:
TRANSCRIPT
- People don't understand that the Church offers them actual salvation because, in 30 years, you'll be cleaning Chinese boots, and work as taxi drivers just like our nobility did in Paris during a certain historical period. Our dukes and counts spoke several languages but couldn't find a better job. I could imagine the job those who'll be lucky to survive will have.
- You're an optimist. You have a pretty optimistic worldview.
- Well, I’m an informed optimist. Our population is falling. We're approaching another demographic crisis. Our replacement rate will soon be 1.2-1.3 again. We'll be losing a million people per year, despite all calls to resurrect the Russian family. It should be seven or eight children on an average. On average! Mendeleev (the famous scientist), for example, was the 17th child. That's how it should be. Yes, some families may not have kids but we need a high average, otherwise, we won't survive. We won't even preserve our 140-million population by 2100. You see?
- That's quite sad, Father Dmitry.
- I'm sorry, but that's the truth. Sometimes, the truth is bitter. And it's not just the task of the President. Every Russian should do his part if he wants his grandkids inherit Russia and not some other state with some other people. As soon as we grow weak the country will plunge into demonic chaos.
- So one shouldn't underestimate the role of the Church?
- The Church plays a key role. I was reading lectures in the General Staff Academy when a General approached me. He said: "Now I see that nobody cares about us except for the Church. True patriotism is found only inside the church." Because the Church is the guardian of Russian history.


russia-insider--2020-12-30--The West Gets Russia Wrong Because the Media Are Peddling a Pack of Lies

`` ... if you have been visiting Russia periodically , every few years , as I have for many decades , you will have found that it has been changing at breakneck speed . ''
This article from our archives was first published on RI in April 2018 Orlov is one of our favorite essayists on Russia and all sorts of other things .
He moved to the US as a child , and lives in the Boston area .
He is one of the better-known thinkers The New Yorker has dubbed 'The Dystopians ' in an excellent 2009 profile @ @ @ @ @ @ @ another regular contributor to RI ( archive ) .
These theorists believe that modern society is headed for a jarring and painful crack-up .
He is best known for his 2011 book comparing Soviet and American collapse ( he thinks America 's will be worse ) .
He is a prolific author on a wide array of subjects , and you can see his work by searching him on Amazon .
He has a large following on the web , and on Patreon , and we urge you to support him there , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ project is organizing the production of affordable house boats for living on .
He lives on a boat himself .
If you have n't discovered his work yet , please take a look at his archive of articles on RI .
They are a real treasure , full of invaluable insight into both the US and Russia and how they are related .
If you have visited Russia in recent years , Moscow and St. Petersburg especially , but also a lot of the up-and-coming provincial cities , you will have noticed that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ place .
It ’ s a mundane bit of reality that the easier the travel , the more similar will be the place you arrive from to the one you left : trains or taxis to take you to and from airports , ATM machines that spit out local currency , hotels with shiny baubles in the lobby and hot and cold running water in the bathrooms , plenty of places to eat out , including McDonalds and Pizza Hut if you don ’ t like the local cuisine , and free Wi-Fi @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lots of signs in English , the bus stops are announced in both Russian and English , and if you get lost Google Maps will tell you where you are and how to get back to your hotel .
And if you fancy shopping or entertainment , there are scores of shopping and entertainment centers to choose from featuring all of the global brands .
There are still some Russia-specific oddities you might spot : border guards with machine guns on the tarmac as your plane taxis up to the terminal ( the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ; people wearing lots of fur , the better dressed women especially ( you can blame the mostly freezing weather ) .
Some provincial facilities may still look a bit old-fashioned , but many of the big cities are now newer-looking and shinier than a lot of the ones in Europe or the US .
If you talk to the locals , you will find them quite willing to speak their minds and express a wide range of political opinions .
Nobody will be looking over their shoulder and , no , you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to follow you around .
And if you have been visiting Russia periodically , every few years , as I have for many decades , you will have found that it has been changing at breakneck speed .
It was a complete wreck of a place in the early to mid-nineties : dirty , seedy , disorganized , depressed , crime-ridden and generally dangerous .
Service was rude or nonexistent and nothing moved without a bribe or two .
That Russia is now almost completely gone .
Most of the cars on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mostly built in Russian factories .
A continuous building boom has transformed the built-up environment .
But the people have also changed : they are , on the whole , much better behaved and polite , and many are very professional and enthusiastic about their jobs .
In particular , the young people in Russia are distinctly proud of their country and are hopeful about its future .
This raw dynamism is quite striking .
Thus , if you were to go and see for yourself , and took the time to keep @ @ @ @ @ @ @ judge the general trends , you would reach the inevitable conclusion that Russia is a normal country .
Your experiences there would allow you to judge that it is quite rich , rather prosperous , and socially and politically stable .
And yet when you travel back to Europe , the US , Canada , or any of the other countries dominated by Western media companies and consortia , you will be told that Russia is strange , evil , ruled by a ruthless dictator and hell-bent on expanding its territory and threatening @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disconnect , and what is the major impetus to demonize Russia ?
And why isn ’ t there a parallel effort by Russia to demonize the West ?
If you dig a bit deeper , you will find that this demonization relies on a set of lies : • None You may have heard that Russia invaded Georgia in 2008—a blatant act of aggression .
Well , no , on that occasion Georgian troops shelled Russian peacekeepers in neighboring South Ossetia , and Russian troops restored the peace , briefly rolling into Georgia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and quickly withdrawing once the threat to Ossetia had been neutralized .
• None You may have heard that Russia had invaded the Ukraine in 2014 .
Well , again , no , what happened in the Ukraine was that the constitutional government was overthrown in a violent coup , and the newly installed nationalists threatened the rights of the Russian population living in the east of the country .
It had been part of Russia for many centuries , up to less than a hundred years ago , when it was reassigned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lenin .
Russia did offer it help , both political and humanitarian , but well short of invading , and has withheld political recognition .
• None You may have heard that Russia had invaded and annexed Crimea .
But Crimea had been part of Russia from 1783 and ended up as part of the Ukraine when the USSR fell apart ( a transfer of questionable legality ) .
After the unfortunate events of 2014 in Kiev , 97 % of Crimea ’ s residents voted in a referendum to rejoin Russia .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ under an international agreement , successfully kept the peace during this transfer .
• None • You may have heard that Russian troops are in Syria to prop up a ruthless dictator , Bashar al Assad , who uses chemical weapons against his own people .
But the reason Russian troops went into Syria was to fight ISIS ( a.k.a .
the Islamic State or the Caliphate ) .
You see , there were hundreds of thousands of ISIS fighters in Syria .
Something like half of them were from Russia or from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ language was as common within ISIS as Arabic .
The Russians wisely decided that it was safer and cheaper to stamp out this scourge in Syria , rather than wait for it to spread to countries further north and closer to Russia .
Saving Syria from destruction was a welcome side-effect , but the self-interested goal was to be proactive in saving Russian lives .
• None As far as chemical weapons , I would again encourage you to do your own research , but my conclusion is that they were once fashionable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ instance , Winston Churchill was once determined to use them against the Russian Bolsheviks .
But now such terminology is out of favor , and chemical weapons are only useful in provocations , to accuse one ’ s enemies of committing atrocities , to serve as a fake casus belli .
The Syrians in particular voluntarily gave up all of their chemical weapons , and the Americans removed them and destroyed them under an international inspections regime .
The recent fake chemical attack in Syria ’ s Ghouta looks like complete nonsense ... @ @ @ @ @ @ @ propagandistic claims , but this does not deter Western governments and media sources from endlessly repeating them .
That is the essence of propaganda : pick some big lies , repeat them endlessly , and accuse anybody who is willing to contradict them with consorting with the enemy .
Anybody who dares to challenge the propaganda narrative is automatically either a “ Kremlin bot ” or “ Putin ’ s stooge.
” This is , of course , a convenient dodge .
When all sorts of things are going wrong , from lost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to stolen futures of one 's children to weapons systems that do n't work , it is easiest to find a single scapegoat .
For such a huge set of problems , the scapegoat has to be a very large one , and Russia just happens to be the right size .
But what about counterpropaganda ?
Aren ’ t the Russian government and media just as guilty of taking liberties with the truth ?
Once again , I would very much encourage you to do your own research ( for which knowledge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ requirement ) .
I have been a faithful student of Russian media for many years , and I have come to the conclusion that they are almost entirely reactive .
That is , they do respond to the lies thrown in their faces , but they do so with facts and with evidence rather than with even more powerful lies of their own .
You might imagine that perhaps the Russians just love the truth too much , or care too much about the salvation of their souls , but I am far @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more comfortable with a rational explanation for this behavior , rather than an emotional or a spiritual one .
Luckily , there is an obvious one .
As the United States is steadily losing its grip on its affairs , both foreign and domestic , other countries are starting to go their separate ways .
This is both a positive and a potentially very dangerous development .
The positive aspect is that as the US empire fades out , the dramatic financial and trade imbalances that have been allowed to build up over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ US sanctions and military aggression against anyone who dares to defy the primacy of the US dollar , will be allowed to correct themselves .
The negative aspect is that the imperial discipline that has kept multiple international conflicts frozen will no longer be in effect , and things run the risk of becoming dangerously unstuck .
Russia has been in the forefront of the movement to shift the world order from US-dominated unipolarity to multipolarity , and it is interested in having this process proceed smoothly .
What allows countries to resolve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In turn , international law does not have some sort of supranational enforcement mechanism—no country has a monopoly on violence , and countries that transgress do not get sent to jail .
Instead , the entire mechanism relies on everyone ’ s consent to abide by international agreements .
And to reach consent all of the participants have to be able to participate in a single consensual reality—a single set of verifiable facts .
This is why Russian counterpropaganda would be a nonstarter : it would endanger that consensual reality .
As long @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and his various remaining henchmen , bouncing around in their padded cell , spewing forth a torrent of lies ( and a few delusional presidential tweets ) the rest of the world can point and say that that is specifically not what they agree to talk about .
Then they can turn their backs on the madman and hold their own discussions , agree to procedures for verifying facts , negotiate agreements and so on .
But if the entire planet is overrun with lots of little madmen , each concocting their own @ @ @ @ @ @ @ then no such constructive dialogue becomes possible , and the world edges closer to war .
Thus , the safest course of action is to be careful with facts , refuse to repeat propagandistic falsehoods , and wait patiently until the madman in his padded cell runs out of steam , because time is definitely not on his side .

" ... if you have been visiting Russia periodically, every few years, as I have for many decades, you will have found that it has been changing at breakneck speed."
This article from our archives was first published on RI in April 2018
Orlov is one of our favorite essayists on Russia and all sorts of other things. He moved to the US as a child, and lives in the Boston area.
He is one of the better-known thinkers The New Yorker has dubbed 'The Dystopians' in an excellent 2009 profile, along with James Howard Kunstler, another regular contributor to RI (archive). These theorists believe that modern society is headed for a jarring and painful crack-up.
He is best known for his 2011 book comparing Soviet and American collapse (he thinks America's will be worse). He is a prolific author on a wide array of subjects, and you can see his work by searching him on Amazon.
He has a large following on the web, and on Patreon, and we urge you to support him there, as Russia Insider does.
His current project is organizing the production of affordable house boats for living on. He lives on a boat himself.
If you haven't discovered his work yet, please take a look at his archive of articles on RI. They are a real treasure, full of invaluable insight into both the US and Russia and how they are related.
If you have visited Russia in recent years, Moscow and St. Petersburg especially, but also a lot of the up-and-coming provincial cities, you will have noticed that Russia these days is a pretty normal place.
It’s a mundane bit of reality that the easier the travel, the more similar will be the place you arrive from to the one you left: trains or taxis to take you to and from airports, ATM machines that spit out local currency, hotels with shiny baubles in the lobby and hot and cold running water in the bathrooms, plenty of places to eat out, including McDonalds and Pizza Hut if you don’t like the local cuisine, and free Wi-Fi all over the place.
There are lots of signs in English, the bus stops are announced in both Russian and English, and if you get lost Google Maps will tell you where you are and how to get back to your hotel. And if you fancy shopping or entertainment, there are scores of shopping and entertainment centers to choose from featuring all of the global brands.
There are still some Russia-specific oddities you might spot: border guards with machine guns on the tarmac as your plane taxis up to the terminal (the Russians take border security very seriously); people wearing lots of fur, the better dressed women especially (you can blame the mostly freezing weather). Some provincial facilities may still look a bit old-fashioned, but many of the big cities are now newer-looking and shinier than a lot of the ones in Europe or the US.
If you talk to the locals, you will find them quite willing to speak their minds and express a wide range of political opinions. Nobody will be looking over their shoulder and, no, you won’t be assigned a minder to follow you around.
And if you have been visiting Russia periodically, every few years, as I have for many decades, you will have found that it has been changing at breakneck speed. It was a complete wreck of a place in the early to mid-nineties: dirty, seedy, disorganized, depressed, crime-ridden and generally dangerous. Service was rude or nonexistent and nothing moved without a bribe or two.
That Russia is now almost completely gone. Most of the cars on the streets are of foreign brands, although mostly built in Russian factories. A continuous building boom has transformed the built-up environment. But the people have also changed: they are, on the whole, much better behaved and polite, and many are very professional and enthusiastic about their jobs. In particular, the young people in Russia are distinctly proud of their country and are hopeful about its future. This raw dynamism is quite striking.
Thus, if you were to go and see for yourself, and took the time to keep track of developments over time and to judge the general trends, you would reach the inevitable conclusion that Russia is a normal country. Your experiences there would allow you to judge that it is quite rich, rather prosperous, and socially and politically stable.
And yet when you travel back to Europe, the US, Canada, or any of the other countries dominated by Western media companies and consortia, you will be told that Russia is strange, evil, ruled by a ruthless dictator and hell-bent on expanding its territory and threatening its neighbors. Why is there this disconnect, and what is the major impetus to demonize Russia? And why isn’t there a parallel effort by Russia to demonize the West?
If you dig a bit deeper, you will find that this demonization relies on a set of lies:
You may have heard that Russia invaded Georgia in 2008—a blatant act of aggression. Well, no, on that occasion Georgian troops shelled Russian peacekeepers in neighboring South Ossetia, and Russian troops restored the peace, briefly rolling into Georgia in pursuit of retreating Georgian troops, and quickly withdrawing once the threat to Ossetia had been neutralized.
You may have heard that Russia had invaded the Ukraine in 2014. Well, again, no, what happened in the Ukraine was that the constitutional government was overthrown in a violent coup, and the newly installed nationalists threatened the rights of the Russian population living in the east of the country. It had been part of Russia for many centuries, up to less than a hundred years ago, when it was reassigned from Russia to the Ukraine by Vladimir Lenin. Russia did offer it help, both political and humanitarian, but well short of invading, and has withheld political recognition.
Support Russia Insider - Go Ad-Free! You may have heard that Russia had invaded and annexed Crimea. But Crimea had been part of Russia from 1783 and ended up as part of the Ukraine when the USSR fell apart (a transfer of questionable legality). After the unfortunate events of 2014 in Kiev, 97% of Crimea’s residents voted in a referendum to rejoin Russia. Russian troops, already stationed in Crimea under an international agreement, successfully kept the peace during this transfer.
• You may have heard that Russian troops are in Syria to prop up a ruthless dictator, Bashar al Assad, who uses chemical weapons against his own people. But the reason Russian troops went into Syria was to fight ISIS (a.k.a. the Islamic State or the Caliphate). You see, there were hundreds of thousands of ISIS fighters in Syria. Something like half of them were from Russia or from former Soviet republics, and the Russian language was as common within ISIS as Arabic. The Russians wisely decided that it was safer and cheaper to stamp out this scourge in Syria, rather than wait for it to spread to countries further north and closer to Russia. Saving Syria from destruction was a welcome side-effect, but the self-interested goal was to be proactive in saving Russian lives.
As far as chemical weapons, I would again encourage you to do your own research, but my conclusion is that they were once fashionable for “exterminating the brutes.” For instance, Winston Churchill was once determined to use them against the Russian Bolsheviks. But now such terminology is out of favor, and chemical weapons are only useful in provocations, to accuse one’s enemies of committing atrocities, to serve as a fake casus belli. The Syrians in particular voluntarily gave up all of their chemical weapons, and the Americans removed them and destroyed them under an international inspections regime. The recent fake chemical attack in Syria’s Ghouta looks like complete nonsense...
...as do all of the preceding propagandistic claims, but this does not deter Western governments and media sources from endlessly repeating them.
That is the essence of propaganda: pick some big lies, repeat them endlessly, and accuse anybody who is willing to contradict them with consorting with the enemy. Anybody who dares to challenge the propaganda narrative is automatically either a “Kremlin bot” or “Putin’s stooge.” This is, of course, a convenient dodge. When all sorts of things are going wrong, from lost wars to stolen elections to stolen retirements to stolen futures of one's children to weapons systems that don't work, it is easiest to find a single scapegoat. For such a huge set of problems, the scapegoat has to be a very large one, and Russia just happens to be the right size.
But what about counterpropaganda? Aren’t the Russian government and media just as guilty of taking liberties with the truth? Once again, I would very much encourage you to do your own research (for which knowledge of Russian is, unfortunately, a requirement).
I have been a faithful student of Russian media for many years, and I have come to the conclusion that they are almost entirely reactive. That is, they do respond to the lies thrown in their faces, but they do so with facts and with evidence rather than with even more powerful lies of their own. You might imagine that perhaps the Russians just love the truth too much, or care too much about the salvation of their souls, but I am far too cynical for that. I am more comfortable with a rational explanation for this behavior, rather than an emotional or a spiritual one.
Luckily, there is an obvious one. As the United States is steadily losing its grip on its affairs, both foreign and domestic, other countries are starting to go their separate ways. This is both a positive and a potentially very dangerous development. The positive aspect is that as the US empire fades out, the dramatic financial and trade imbalances that have been allowed to build up over decades, protected by the threat of US sanctions and military aggression against anyone who dares to defy the primacy of the US dollar, will be allowed to correct themselves. The negative aspect is that the imperial discipline that has kept multiple international conflicts frozen will no longer be in effect, and things run the risk of becoming dangerously unstuck.
Russia has been in the forefront of the movement to shift the world order from US-dominated unipolarity to multipolarity, and it is interested in having this process proceed smoothly. What allows countries to resolve their differences peacefully is international law. In turn, international law does not have some sort of supranational enforcement mechanism—no country has a monopoly on violence, and countries that transgress do not get sent to jail. Instead, the entire mechanism relies on everyone’s consent to abide by international agreements. And to reach consent all of the participants have to be able to participate in a single consensual reality—a single set of verifiable facts. This is why Russian counterpropaganda would be a nonstarter: it would endanger that consensual reality.
As long as you have a single madman, and his various remaining henchmen, bouncing around in their padded cell, spewing forth a torrent of lies (and a few delusional presidential tweets) the rest of the world can point and say that that is specifically not what they agree to talk about. Then they can turn their backs on the madman and hold their own discussions, agree to procedures for verifying facts, negotiate agreements and so on. But if the entire planet is overrun with lots of little madmen, each concocting their own distorted, delusional version of reality, then no such constructive dialogue becomes possible, and the world edges closer to war.
Thus, the safest course of action is to be careful with facts, refuse to repeat propagandistic falsehoods, and wait patiently until the madman in his padded cell runs out of steam, because time is definitely not on his side.


russia-insider--2020-12-31--Russian Folk Wedding Rituals Are Wonderful, Complex, and Exotic

`` Sometimes at this point a pie with no filling is placed on her head .
This symbolizes her coming childbirth . ''
This article from our archives was first published on RI in August 2018 About the author : For lovers of Russian culture , folklore , and history , Kotar ’ s work is a treasure .
The grandson of White Russian immigrants , the 34 year old is an author of epic fantasy novels inspired by Russian fairy tales .
He is also a deacon of the Russian Orthodox Church , a professional translator , and choir @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jordanville , NY , where he lives .
Here is his bio from his blog , where he writes about many aspects of Russia .
We highly recommend following it and subscribing to his email list to get exclusive material .
He has an excellent Pinterest page , and you can follow him on Facebook .
Here is an archive of his work published on Russia Insider .
Recently , my darling wife and I celebrated our third anniversary .
In the midst of writing long swathes of my second novel about bear-riders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Living Water , I thought it would be nice to take some time off to read about bridal rituals of old Russia .
Some of this is so good that I think I ’ ll have to include another wedding in my second novel .
Here ’ s what I found from a Russian site : How they used to Get Married in old Rus .
The process of matchmaking started with the unexpected arrival of the prospective groom with his entire family at the bride ’ s house .
It was a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ each other and to be seen .
But there ’ s a symbolic moment here as well .
The matchmaking was the point of no return , the point at which the bride and groom entered the ritual space of the preparation for the wedding .
From this moment , the bride was severely limited in movement .
She should not even leave the house of her parents !
If a young girl did leave , it was with her female friends , and even then , only to invite people to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from doing any housework .
It was a kind of death , necessary for her to be reborn as a new person , a member of another family .
Two or three days after the matchmaking , the groom and his close friends arrive at the house of the bride for the official viewing .
The young lady is supposed to show herself off in all her finery , to demonstrate all her abilities .
The young man does the same .
After this , the mother of the groom examines the bride @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , of course , accompanied by songs and ritual wailing ( called prichitanie ) , most often done by the bride ’ s friends .
At this point , the bride can still decide to refuse the groom by simply not coming out for the viewing .
This was the event that finalized the agreement between families .
You could not refuse to get married after this event .
The bride and groom were seated at the table .
Various songs are sung to them .
The bride says nothing , but she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ houses , professional wailing women were paid to do the wailing .
In this case , the bride merely cried and sighed .
The groom also remains quiet and impassive throughout the process .
In old Russia , this was not merely the farewell party for the bride ’ s friends , but a series of rituals .
It was the time for the preparation of her “ beauty ” , some small object that symbolized her life as a single woman .
The “ beauty ” could be a bit of wood @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a wreath , or a shawl .
After the “ beauty ” was prepared , it was burned or given to the bride ’ s closest friend .
Whatever the object was , it was always connected symbolically with hair .
Hair , traditionally , is a kind of personification of a maiden ’ s beauty and self-will .
By burning it , or giving it away , she symbolically loses her maidenhood .
Then she is washed in a steam room ( a metaphor for death and rebirth ) , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bride is led out of the steam room “ neither alive nor dead , ” and in this state she is passed to the groom , though the bride and her friends continue to resist until the last .
Immediately after the wedding , the bride ’ s hair is ritually brushed and plaited .
Instead of a single braid , her hair is plaited into two .
The two braids are tied into a bun on the back of her head , and a special head covering proper to a married woman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ put on her head .
From this moment , only the husband can see the hair of his wife .
To appear with an uncovered head to another man was the same as adultery , while to tear the head covering off a woman ’ s head was a terrible insult .
All this is symbolic of her change of status .
At this point , the bride begins to “ come to life.
” She is given the right to move about freely and to do housework .
When she enters her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ feel out her new space .
6 .
THE AWAKENING OF THE BRIDE A separate ritual was dedicated to the awakening of the bride when she arrives in her new home .
It had two meanings .
For the bride , it meant the return of her “ sight.
” The bride , continuing to come back to life , now sees everything with new eyes .
This is the first time that the bride and the groom both can see the beloved in the other , where before , there was no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this point a pie with no filling is placed on her head .
This symbolizes her coming childbirth .
This pie is then wrapped up and placed in a closed-off room , where the young people at first eat the pie , then spend their first night together .
In some regions , the bridal bed was set up in a barn , which was also associated with the idea of fertility .
The young people then visit the bride ’ s parents .
This is symbolic of the end of the wedding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the bride , who comes now as a guest to her former house , and not for long .
It underlined the irrevocability of all the transformations that occurred during the wedding .
I also found an amazing site where some of the old songs and wails were recorded by old ladies who still remembered the “ way it used to be done.
” Check it out here .

"Sometimes at this point a pie with no filling is placed on her head. This symbolizes her coming childbirth."
This article from our archives was first published on RI in August 2018
About the author: For lovers of Russian culture, folklore, and history, Kotar’s work is a treasure. The grandson of White Russian immigrants, the 34 year old is an author of epic fantasy novels inspired by Russian fairy tales.
He is also a deacon of the Russian Orthodox Church, a professional translator, and choir director at the Holy Trinity Monastery in Jordanville, NY, where he lives. Here is his bio from his blog, where he writes about many aspects of Russia. We highly recommend following it and subscribing to his email list to get exclusive material.
He has an excellent Pinterest page, and you can follow him on Facebook. Here is an archive of his work published on Russia Insider.
Recently, my darling wife and I celebrated our third anniversary. In the midst of writing long swathes of my second novel about bear-riders, seer-birds, legendary battles, and Living Water, I thought it would be nice to take some time off to read about bridal rituals of old Russia.
Some of this is so good that I think I’ll have to include another wedding in my second novel. Here’s what I found from a Russian site: How they used to Get Married in old Rus.
1. THE MATCHMAKING
The process of matchmaking started with the unexpected arrival of the prospective groom with his entire family at the bride’s house. It was a chance for both young people to see each other and to be seen. But there’s a symbolic moment here as well. The matchmaking was the point of no return, the point at which the bride and groom entered the ritual space of the preparation for the wedding.
From this moment, the bride was severely limited in movement. She should not even leave the house of her parents! If a young girl did leave, it was with her female friends, and even then, only to invite people to the wedding. The bride was also forbidden from doing any housework. It was a kind of death, necessary for her to be reborn as a new person, a member of another family.
2. THE VIEWING
Two or three days after the matchmaking, the groom and his close friends arrive at the house of the bride for the official viewing. The young lady is supposed to show herself off in all her finery, to demonstrate all her abilities. The young man does the same. After this, the mother of the groom examines the bride’s dowry. All this is, of course, accompanied by songs and ritual wailing (called prichitanie), most often done by the bride’s friends. At this point, the bride can still decide to refuse the groom by simply not coming out for the viewing.
3. THE ENGAGEMENT
This was the event that finalized the agreement between families. You could not refuse to get married after this event. The bride and groom were seated at the table. Various songs are sung to them. The bride says nothing, but she performs the ritual wail. In some houses, professional wailing women were paid to do the wailing. In this case, the bride merely cried and sighed. The groom also remains quiet and impassive throughout the process.
4. THE FAREWELL PARTY (DEVICHNIK)
In old Russia, this was not merely the farewell party for the bride’s friends, but a series of rituals. It was the time for the preparation of her “beauty”, some small object that symbolized her life as a single woman.
The “beauty” could be a bit of wood decorated by ribbons and bits of cloth, a wreath, or a shawl. After the “beauty” was prepared, it was burned or given to the bride’s closest friend. Whatever the object was, it was always connected symbolically with hair. Hair, traditionally, is a kind of personification of a maiden’s beauty and self-will. By burning it, or giving it away, she symbolically loses her maidenhood.
Then she is washed in a steam room (a metaphor for death and rebirth), and this finishes the farewell party. The bride is led out of the steam room “neither alive nor dead,” and in this state she is passed to the groom, though the bride and her friends continue to resist until the last.
5. BRUSHING THE BRIDE’S HAIR
Immediately after the wedding, the bride’s hair is ritually brushed and plaited. Instead of a single braid, her hair is plaited into two. The two braids are tied into a bun on the back of her head, and a special head covering proper to a married woman (these varied by region) is put on her head.
From this moment, only the husband can see the hair of his wife. To appear with an uncovered head to another man was the same as adultery, while to tear the head covering off a woman’s head was a terrible insult.
All this is symbolic of her change of status. At this point, the bride begins to “come to life.” She is given the right to move about freely and to do housework. When she enters her new home, she immediately begins to feel out her new space.
6. THE AWAKENING OF THE BRIDE
A separate ritual was dedicated to the awakening of the bride when she arrives in her new home. It had two meanings. For the bride, it meant the return of her “sight.” The bride, continuing to come back to life, now sees everything with new eyes. This is the first time that the bride and the groom both can see the beloved in the other, where before, there was no joy in the process.
Sometimes at this point a pie with no filling is placed on her head. This symbolizes her coming childbirth. This pie is then wrapped up and placed in a closed-off room, where the young people at first eat the pie, then spend their first night together. In some regions, the bridal bed was set up in a barn, which was also associated with the idea of fertility.
7. THE FAREWELL
The young people then visit the bride’s parents. This is symbolic of the end of the wedding. The event is especially important for the bride, who comes now as a guest to her former house, and not for long. It underlined the irrevocability of all the transformations that occurred during the wedding.
I also found an amazing site where some of the old songs and wails were recorded by old ladies who still remembered the “way it used to be done.” Check it out here.
Source: Nicholas Kotar


russia-insider--2020-12-31--Beyond Lenin and Dostoyevsky: 4 Unusual Moscow Monuments

This article from our archives was first published on RI in September 2016 Moscow – like every grand city – @ @ @ @ @ .
They are hidden around every corner and the range of distinguished names is incredible @ @ @ @ @ s founder Prince Yury Dolgoruky and the Soviet Union ’ s first leader Vladimir Lenin @ @ @ @ @ writers including Alexander Pushkin , Fyodor Dostoyevsky , Joseph Brodsky and James Joyce .
But @ @ @ @ @ something more extraordinary than a standard Tolstoy or Tchaikovsky statue , check out some unconventional @ @ @ @ @ special video guide .

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russia-insider--2020-01-01--Why Ron Unz's Article About Revisionist WW2 Historian David Irving Is a Must-Read

Irving is a hero , and the word is starting to get out .
This article from our archives was first published on RI in June 2018 Ron Unz ’ s “ The Remarkable Historiography of David Irving ” is a must-read and yet another object lesson for the need to question everything .
Every grand sweeping narrative you take for granted ( e.g.
, “ Winston Churchill is a hero !
” ) must be , to use a favorite phrase of the Left , interrogated .
I must confess I had no idea of the widespread praise Irving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ received from other renowned historians of the first order .
I ’ ve only known the libel that Irving is a ‘ Holocaust denier ’ and a crank .
But Irving ’ s books have received superlative praise from the likes of Hugh Trevor-Roper and Raul Hilberg , among others .
Sir John Keegan , whose opinions of specific Irving theses naturally vacillated , nonetheless wrote that Irving “ knows more than anyone alive about the German side of the Second World War ” , and claimed that Irving ’ s book Hitler @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seeking to understand the war in the round.
” In the Times Literary Supplement , Keegan also wrote that “ Two books in English stand out from the vast literature of the Second World War : Chester Wilmot ’ s The Struggle for Europe , published in 1952 and David Irving ’ s Hitler ’ s War ” .
Also , little did I know that Kevin MacDonald testified at the infamous Irving trial .
Irving has made all of his books available in PDF format ( for free ) at his website @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s tenacious , firsthand investigations and attention to detail : As far as Irving being a ‘ Holocaust denier ’ : Below is an instructive debate between Eric Breindel of The NY Post and the great Christopher Hitchens , who at the time had just written a Vanity Fair piece slamming St. Martin ’ s Press for reneging on David Irving ’ s book contract for a Joseph Goebbels biography .
If nothing else , this video illustrates how the NYC publishing world operates , and why certain books ( e.g.
, @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Together ) do not get published in the U.S .
I only watched the first 15 min of the following , but it stands as a fitting video precursor of Irving ’ s planned autobiography .
His has been a most interesting life :

Irving is a hero, and the word is starting to get out.
This article from our archives was first published on RI in June 2018
Ron Unz’s “The Remarkable Historiography of David Irving” is a must-read and yet another object lesson for the need to question everything. Every grand sweeping narrative you take for granted (e.g., “Winston Churchill is a hero!”) must be, to use a favorite phrase of the Left, interrogated.
I must confess I had no idea of the widespread praise Irving, as a WWII historian, has received from other renowned historians of the first order. I’ve only known the libel that Irving is a ‘Holocaust denier’ and a crank.
But Irving’s books have received superlative praise from the likes of Hugh Trevor-Roper and Raul Hilberg, among others. Sir John Keegan, whose opinions of specific Irving theses naturally vacillated, nonetheless wrote that Irving “knows more than anyone alive about the German side of the Second World War”, and claimed that Irving’s book Hitler’s Warwas “indispensable to anyone seeking to understand the war in the round.” In the Times Literary Supplement, Keegan also wrote that “Two books in English stand out from the vast literature of the Second World War: Chester Wilmot’s The Struggle for Europe, published in 1952 and David Irving’s Hitler’s War”.
Also, little did I know that Kevin MacDonald testified at the infamous Irving trial.
Irving has made all of his books available in PDF format (for free) at his website.
Here is a taste of Irving’s tenacious, firsthand investigations and attention to detail:
As far as Irving being a ‘Holocaust denier’:
Below is an instructive debate between Eric Breindel of The NY Post and the great Christopher Hitchens, who at the time had just written a Vanity Fair piece slamming St. Martin’s Press for reneging on David Irving’s book contract for a Joseph Goebbels biography.
If nothing else, this video illustrates how the NYC publishing world operates, and why certain books (e.g., Alexander Solzhenitsyn’s Two Hundred Years Together) do not get published in the U.S.
I only watched the first 15 min of the following, but it stands as a fitting video precursor of Irving’s planned autobiography. His has been a most interesting life: