"I actually never really understood Dugin’s geopolitics and I doubt anyone does. I think it is easy to denounce Dugin because Dugin is impossible to understand. I too denounce him! Hire an editor!"
So true. And, I'm going to steal this, not only for Dugin, but with "Dugin" replaced by "Heidegger" -- which is appropriate, since Dugin pretends to understand Heidegger as well. One pseud recognizes another. (Back in the 50s, Jung diagnosed Heidegger as a schizophrenic, manifested as graphomania, like the guy in Se7en, and this was long before the 200 volumes of his "Collected Works" appeared).
Very good short and sweet to the point piece here Rurik. Freddie for a gay half Norwegian pretty boy Brit has done rather well for himself getting this scoop. But doubt he can even fully comprehend what you solely are saying. This is as black and white as we've got to your points thus far.
As they're two sides of the same coin maybe they calculated that such a handover would put Putin in a more vulnerable position and perhaps even tip things over the edge in Russia. Better the devil you know after all. Weird to think in many ways the most Russian part of Russia in really Donbass. But the Russian Nationalists coming out of Eastern Ukraine are also a risk to the current status quo for the Kremlin and their esteemed Western colly. So again better they the Russian Nationalist be killed in the Not War and as again you've highlighted it's much more efficient and easy way to take them out then in peace time.
The Not War serves too many purposes for what they want for it to have ended in April 2022. And I reckon they probably just said to Zelensky we'll expose you and all your hidden assets if you don't comply you'll go to jail for a very long time and give the fibre of his character ofc he chose the Not War over a prison sentence or even assignation.
Interesting essay, RS! I always appreciate discussions on the divisions of identity of Ukrainians. It raises important questions to me on what nationalism as an ideology and political project should be. Also, the identity divide in Galician Ukraine and Novorossiya Ukraine really really resembles the situation in Taiwan, the division between non-Hokkien mainlander Taiwanese and the Hokkien localist Taiwanese.
At last, your paragraph on Arestovych being a female witch hunt is hilarious. I dug up your archive to read that early article of yours on this blog. I think it is this one.
I'd open champagne if Arestovych became the President of Ukraine...even though I find it to be a nasty kind of wine, ugh!. Give it to my gals instead. Get them drunk, then celebrate with them, ya know.
Not sure how he gets by with his overtures on what has really happened regarding anything of insider politics in the Ukrainian government, behind the scenes stuff, without the SBU offing him(?). So he's "out-of-country"? He must be. Hopefully not in Moscow, or Saint Petersburg (!), that just got droned.
Sure, Putin wants a truce. What a "truce" is, factually, is a temporary reprieve, a "half-time", if you will, for the exchange of prisoners and collection of the dead and scrapped vehicles from the battlefield without being shot at. A time to regroup, refit and re-arm, bring in the fresh meat...consolidate your positions. Then the politicos can "negotiate" (I truly despise that word!, but...).This would be a "Minsk 3" kind of thing, methinks.
On the verge of a deployment of 90,000 (!) NAFO personnel for the biggest "exercise" since the cold war...I'd keep my eyes on Baltitski/Kaliningrad. A real fortress, indeed, but also a very real reason de tre' for the Russians.
The ability to project raw power and force is the FINAL determinant of all "negotiations"-period. That brings the politicos to the table to sign a piece of worthless paper, meaning nothing but "Give me this, or else"...It's as if Europe is a lady that two guys are after, and fighting over her. And whomever loses has to pay child support (!).
Someone commented that the Donbas was more Russian than all of Russia...From all I've seen, that does seem to be true. Maybe that's why they have been orphaned, the illegitimate child of a long-gone era of the USSR (?). The "bastard son", the prodigal child?
But I truly hate that these brothers will probably never reunite-possibly with a break off of Galicia, but despite that in a "civil" war ( a ridiculous term in of itself-NO WAR is "civil" ), the hatred and distrust and desire for vengeance runs very deep, for a long time...
But I thank you, Rurik, for yet more insight into theses things.
The best hope for peace is a recession in the USA and Europe followed exploding public budget deficits. Our honourable rulers will have to freeze the conflict or sign an outright peace.
A note on the esteemed Western partners.
Esteemed Lady or Gentleman is common honorific form in Central Europe, in most languages. It is equivalent to the Right Honourable Lady or Gentleman style in British English. Lavrov is a diplomat and used to subtleties; something that Rurik overlooks. When he publicly spoke of being lied to by the Western diplomats and leaders, he chose to contrast the adjective esteemed with their behaviour so as to discredit them to the rest of the world. Outright lies are a disaster in terms of diplomatic credibility. For the next decade no-one will take treaties with Western countries earnestly. Western diplomatic assurances or proposals will fall on deaf ears. Rurik pays no heed to such things but 150 countries do.
Western interests will be harmed for a long while by such foolishness; and Lavrov played its part making it known.
"I actually never really understood Dugin’s geopolitics and I doubt anyone does. I think it is easy to denounce Dugin because Dugin is impossible to understand. I too denounce him! Hire an editor!"
So true. And, I'm going to steal this, not only for Dugin, but with "Dugin" replaced by "Heidegger" -- which is appropriate, since Dugin pretends to understand Heidegger as well. One pseud recognizes another. (Back in the 50s, Jung diagnosed Heidegger as a schizophrenic, manifested as graphomania, like the guy in Se7en, and this was long before the 200 volumes of his "Collected Works" appeared).
Very good short and sweet to the point piece here Rurik. Freddie for a gay half Norwegian pretty boy Brit has done rather well for himself getting this scoop. But doubt he can even fully comprehend what you solely are saying. This is as black and white as we've got to your points thus far.
As they're two sides of the same coin maybe they calculated that such a handover would put Putin in a more vulnerable position and perhaps even tip things over the edge in Russia. Better the devil you know after all. Weird to think in many ways the most Russian part of Russia in really Donbass. But the Russian Nationalists coming out of Eastern Ukraine are also a risk to the current status quo for the Kremlin and their esteemed Western colly. So again better they the Russian Nationalist be killed in the Not War and as again you've highlighted it's much more efficient and easy way to take them out then in peace time.
The Not War serves too many purposes for what they want for it to have ended in April 2022. And I reckon they probably just said to Zelensky we'll expose you and all your hidden assets if you don't comply you'll go to jail for a very long time and give the fibre of his character ofc he chose the Not War over a prison sentence or even assignation.
Another great read. If someone from Russia has a name that ends in 'berg' are they likely from the tribe?
almost certainly
Interesting essay, RS! I always appreciate discussions on the divisions of identity of Ukrainians. It raises important questions to me on what nationalism as an ideology and political project should be. Also, the identity divide in Galician Ukraine and Novorossiya Ukraine really really resembles the situation in Taiwan, the division between non-Hokkien mainlander Taiwanese and the Hokkien localist Taiwanese.
At last, your paragraph on Arestovych being a female witch hunt is hilarious. I dug up your archive to read that early article of yours on this blog. I think it is this one.
https://slavlandchronicles.substack.com/p/the-wheat-wives-and-the-global-oligarchy
I'd open champagne if Arestovych became the President of Ukraine...even though I find it to be a nasty kind of wine, ugh!. Give it to my gals instead. Get them drunk, then celebrate with them, ya know.
Not sure how he gets by with his overtures on what has really happened regarding anything of insider politics in the Ukrainian government, behind the scenes stuff, without the SBU offing him(?). So he's "out-of-country"? He must be. Hopefully not in Moscow, or Saint Petersburg (!), that just got droned.
Sure, Putin wants a truce. What a "truce" is, factually, is a temporary reprieve, a "half-time", if you will, for the exchange of prisoners and collection of the dead and scrapped vehicles from the battlefield without being shot at. A time to regroup, refit and re-arm, bring in the fresh meat...consolidate your positions. Then the politicos can "negotiate" (I truly despise that word!, but...).This would be a "Minsk 3" kind of thing, methinks.
On the verge of a deployment of 90,000 (!) NAFO personnel for the biggest "exercise" since the cold war...I'd keep my eyes on Baltitski/Kaliningrad. A real fortress, indeed, but also a very real reason de tre' for the Russians.
The ability to project raw power and force is the FINAL determinant of all "negotiations"-period. That brings the politicos to the table to sign a piece of worthless paper, meaning nothing but "Give me this, or else"...It's as if Europe is a lady that two guys are after, and fighting over her. And whomever loses has to pay child support (!).
Someone commented that the Donbas was more Russian than all of Russia...From all I've seen, that does seem to be true. Maybe that's why they have been orphaned, the illegitimate child of a long-gone era of the USSR (?). The "bastard son", the prodigal child?
But I truly hate that these brothers will probably never reunite-possibly with a break off of Galicia, but despite that in a "civil" war ( a ridiculous term in of itself-NO WAR is "civil" ), the hatred and distrust and desire for vengeance runs very deep, for a long time...
But I thank you, Rurik, for yet more insight into theses things.
Good job, keep up the Great Work.
The best hope for peace is a recession in the USA and Europe followed exploding public budget deficits. Our honourable rulers will have to freeze the conflict or sign an outright peace.
A note on the esteemed Western partners.
Esteemed Lady or Gentleman is common honorific form in Central Europe, in most languages. It is equivalent to the Right Honourable Lady or Gentleman style in British English. Lavrov is a diplomat and used to subtleties; something that Rurik overlooks. When he publicly spoke of being lied to by the Western diplomats and leaders, he chose to contrast the adjective esteemed with their behaviour so as to discredit them to the rest of the world. Outright lies are a disaster in terms of diplomatic credibility. For the next decade no-one will take treaties with Western countries earnestly. Western diplomatic assurances or proposals will fall on deaf ears. Rurik pays no heed to such things but 150 countries do.
Western interests will be harmed for a long while by such foolishness; and Lavrov played its part making it known.
I think force and coercion is all that the current world order is built on