Putin's ideologues preach that the original principles of civilisation and traditional values alone can effectively edify the country's future. Meanwhile, Patriarch Kirill argues that it is necessary to strengthen “not only state sovereignty, but also spiritual sovereignty”. To make Russia “a universal ark of salvation” for all.
Just as Modi discusses tariffs and oil purchases with Trump, the Valdai Club conference between Russia and India was held in the Indian capital to take stock of relations. Putin's men are focusing on long-standing relations with Delhi, calling for alliances with BRICS countries to be prioritised today.
Among the 15 delegates of Russian democratic forces abroad with whom the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe has begun working are representatives of peoples such as the Udege, Buryats, Izorians and Komi. They say: ‘For many Europeans, it is shocking to learn that not everyone in Russia speaks Russian as their native language.’
Russian political scientist and ultra-Putinist Gleb Kuznetsov published an article in the magazine Gosudarstvo (The State) where he explicitly states that “the separation of powers, competitive elections, and freedom of speech prevent the state from functioning effectively.” He points to the example of Shenzhen, “one of the most controlled cities in the world” as a model.
In Majluu-Suu, the historic factory that symbolised the electrification of the Soviet Union promoted by Vladimir Ilič is on the verge of closing down for good. Incandescent light bulbs, once exported abroad, have now been replaced by LED bulbs produced in China. The Kyrgyz authorities are seeking to convert the factories, but almost 60% of the city's inhabitants have now emigrated in search of work.
According to Dugin and Soloviev, the former Soviet republics ‘have no right to independence’ and must reunite with Russia to avoid becoming slaves to China, America or Europe. Local governments have issued only feeble protests, invoking the ‘spirit of strategic partnership’. The suspicion that the two propagandists are saying ‘what the Russian leadership does not want to express openly, but which in reality corresponds to its plans’
