Coronation of Putin. "New elite" feat war criminals. Children of Kremlin. What is Putin afraid of?

Coronation of Criminal

The fifth inauguration, also known as the coronation, took place this week in Moscow. It was extremely disappointing that six EU countries—France, Greece, Malta, Cyprus, Hungary, and Slovakia—were present, legitimizing the whole event. How can you declare Russia a state that supports terrorism, and admit that elections were fake while at the same time being present at a legitimizing event? Beats me, but disappointing. I already started praising the U-turn of Emmanuel Macron, and here we go again.

Then again, it was rather a coronation event, with patriarch Kirill calling Putin “your highness” and wishing him to reign “until the end of the days." Russia does not have an official state religion but then again religion has become the state and the state become a religion. Russia derives its identity from the church and "traditional values," with the church endorsing the war and Putin as a "wise leader, sent by God." Not kidding; Kirill did say that. Not only does the Russian Orthodox Church provide ideology and a very good propaganda toolbox, but it is also present on the battlefield. The Russian Ministry of Offence (not to be confused with the Ministry of Defence) reports that the armed forces command over 300 chaplains on the battleground. The nuclear triad has its dedicated saints, and the goal of the church is to expand its network to “be able to bless every soldier on the battleground." So yes, the Russian Orthodox Church is not just any religious organization but a militarized organization taking part in war crimes, from helping to steal Ukrainian children to blessing war criminals.

Putin′s "new elite"

Just to make my point. A few days before the event Russians call "inauguration" Putin was surrounded in May 9th parade by his "new elite", as he refers to the participants of war. And participants of war crimes. Putin was surrounded by his soldiers, identified as participants in war crimes in Butcha while the "Butcher of Butcha" Lieutenant Colonel Azatbek Omurbekov was leading the tank brigade in a parade in Habarovsk.

Yes, the same one that gave orders to "shoot everyone that has phone", shoot the civilians in cars in suburbs of Kyiv and commit mass rapes. And, yes, the same one that was awarded with "Medal of Honor" and letter of gratitude by Russian Orthodox Church.

May the 7th inauguration with EU ambassadors making threats on Western world, May 9th with war criminals and being himself a war criminal. No dissonance really?

What is Putin most afraid of?

The short answer is that Putin is most afraid of colour revolutions. The revolutions will cause people to arise and end the reign of pro-Russian politicians, making Putin lose influence and showing Russians that revolution is possible.

After the Euromaidan and Maidan of Dignity in Ukraine, Putin probably keeps having nightmares about Georgia, and rightfully so. It is Georgia′s turn to stand up against corrupted Putin politicians and fight for their right to belong in the European family, not be forcefully pushed into the "arms of mother Russia.".

For weeks already, Georgians have been in the streets protesting against the pro-Russian leading party of oligarch Ivanishvili, and the pattern is extremely similar to what happened in Ukraine in the winter of 2013–2014. When the president of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovich suddenly refused to sign the EU candidature agreement and shifted to Russia instead, students came to the streets. Ukrainians chose the EU, not Russia, and this is what the ruling party had promised. After the protests turned violent, with police beating up the unarmed protesters, hundreds of thousands came to the streets. Ukrainians do not tolerate violence, and they cannot be broken. While hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians protested against the corrupt regime, pro-Russian Yanukovych brought buses full of paid civil servants and anyone who could be bribed to false government support rallies. When the government tried to adopt the "dictatorship laws" on January 16th, naming foreign agents and banning public protests, the Party of Regions and Janukovichy′s days were counted.

Now replace Ukraine with Georgia and Ivanishvili, and this is exactly the pattern repeating itself. Ruling parties shifting towards Russia instead of Europe, mass protests and use of violence, bribed pro-government support rallies, and the law on "foreign agents". Putin failed to use this page of the textbook, and my heart goes out to all Georgians fighting for their right to choose their own destiny. You are strong. You will make it. Saying it was stubborn half-Ukrainian that was in Maidan and rallied for the world to support it.

Ukrainian drones are enforcing price caps on Russian oil.

I still think it was fake or an exaggeration that some months ago the US prohibited striking Russian oil depots and refineries. It just must be, as it does not make any sense. The more oil refineries are destroyed, the less oil can be refined and more has to be sold on world markets, rather than causing a drop in prices, not an increase. Ukrainian drones appear to? hit Russian depots with the certainty of sunrise. When the sun rises, it is overshadowed by yet another explosion.

As EU and G7 sanctions could not force Russian oil prices to drop to the price cap of 60 dollars, Ukrainian drones came to help.

Russia is not escalating - yet.

How great that Russia has such a brilliant prime minister that there are no votes to object to his renomination in the new government. Yes, I am being ironic. Mihail Mishustin has now presented to Duma his candidates for ministers that have been, no doubt, handpicked by Putin himself. The good news is that looking at the new candidates, there is no escalation in "mobilization and militarization wing." There are no new warhawks, and the previous ones, like Andrey Beloussov, the first deputy prime minister, have been replaced by the more modest one - Denis Manturov. The children of the Kremlin and the governors are taking over, and besides the upgrade of four governors to ministerial posts, the son of Nikolay Patrushev, Chief of Security Council, Dmitry, has been nominated as the Deputy Prime Minister, as well as the son of Putin′s close friend and ally, Juri Kovalchuk Boris will most likely become the chief of the Chamber of Auditors.

There's no information yet on the Minister of Defence's nomination, as it′s a mandate of Putin, but looking at the "happy days" and "chummy looks" of Sergey Shoigu and Putin in Victory Day′s parade, he will probably continue. "The devil you know is better than the devil you don′t", might Putin think. But I still believe in the "new kid in the block," Aleksey Dyumin, governor of Duma. He was kept for something significant.?