Clowning By The Kremlin

One faction in the Russian government has bitten the entire Putin regime on the knee.

Night fell, the moon rose, and work boiled over in the land of fools. I don't know why, but this very phrase has been running through my head since morning when I read the Russian news.

1. Two weeks after the start of active visits of good drones to the Baltic, when everything had already temporarily burned out, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that Russia had "warned" the Baltic states, saying that if you let Ukrainian drones through, you'll get a response.

A week ago, Dmitry Peskov argued on the same topic. But somehow indirectly. He sort of touched on the problem, but there was still some ambiguity - did the Baltic States aide and abet Ukraine or not? Or is it a warning not to abet Ukraine?

This happened after the propaganda wave of insinuations in the media had subsided and after official denials by the Baltic authorities. And there are objective data that refute the Kremlin's lies.

That is why the Russian attack was sluggish. The question is why?

It seems that the attacks on Primorsk and Ust-Luga were so painful that it was necessary to channel negativity for the helplessness of the Russian authorities. They decided to push quietly towards the Baltic neighbors. Quietly - because turbopatriots are wondering: why only a warning! Why not just a warning?!

And immediately the second question: who was complicit in the night attack on the Sheskharis in Novorossiysk? The treacherous Kuban regime? Why doesn't Moscow attack the Krasnodar region, which provides its airspace for Ukrainian drones? I'm sure it's a fruitful idea.

2. Novorossiysk is even funnier.

The Internet is full of videos of fire localization. Even the most stoned of dear Russians can see where and what is burning. The "Sheskharis" is burning, without any options.

Suddenly, the Russian Defense Ministry comes out with a statement: Ukraine attacked the facilities of the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC)! A pipeline and a discharge and loading berth have been damaged! Four tanks with oil products have caught fire!!!

If any of the above had happened, an intercontinental hysteria would have broken out in the morning. Four burning tanks is a fire, like in Ust-Luga and Primorsk.

The Kazakh energy minister and other officials would have been crying all day long in all media. The Italian ambassador would be crumbling spaghetti on Bankova. Representatives of Germany, France and Britain would be suffering next to him...

There is nothing like that.

On the contrary. The Ministry of Energy of Kazakhstan (which, obviously, was bored with questions after the lies of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation) posted a restrained statement: we monitor the situation, "reception and transportation of Kazakhstani raw materials through the system of main oil pipelines are carried out in a normal working mode. Fulfillment of export plans is on schedule". Go to the garden, in short.

The statement about the blow to the CPC surprised the CPC itself most of all. The consortium's website was startled to post news about the transfer of special equipment and transportation to state agencies of the Astrakhan region. There are no more reports for a day. And they should have noticed.

Why are the Russians lying so blatantly?

There are two explanations.

The main one. This is a direct threat by the Kremlin to the Europeans, Americans and Kazakhstan. Russia is threatening to attack the CPC (as it has done several times before!). The Russians have been honest about how and what will happen. To intensify requests for Ukraine to soften its stance on Russian hydrocarbons.

Auxiliary. Check out the sumptuous video of Russian air defense "repelling an attack" in Novorossiysk. Not only are they pouring fire across the bay at residential neighborhoods located on the other shore. This is already a common thing.

I am more than sure: by indiscriminate firing the Russian military (they start to meet UAVs not in the bay, but to the west, where CPC facilities are located) damaged something of the Consortium's facilities. And the CPC management (and possibly Kazakhstan as well) said something unpleasant to the Russians. And they decided to turn the tables at the same time. It was not us! That's why they lied more beautifully, with "tank fires".

3. But all this clowning pales against the background of suffering with the Internet in Russia.

One of the groups in the Russian government (Kirienko) has bitten the entire Putin regime at the knee. By setting up a sovereign Cheburnet and slowing down Telegram, they have managed not only to put down the network itself, but also to shake Russian banks.

First of all, blocking the Internet has caused indescribable delight among the very category of the population that has not suffered from the war all this time. Namely, residents of big cities, including Moscow.

The said citizens are now frantic with the question - what's going on at all? How is the war? What kind of war? With whom? With Ukraine? Still???? It seems that we already defeated it eight years ago... Or is this some kind of new war?

In general, it is hard to imagine a better way to pull this audience out of their comfortable world.

Secondly, the number of transactions has dropped sharply, business and the same banks have suffered direct material losses. Taxes have not been paid. Not everything will be offset by pent-up demand. A number of online services have been hit.

Thirdly, as the authorities threatened the network and (temporarily) the banks (i.e., it was impossible to pay with a card), the wise Russian people rushed to withdraw money from their accounts and put their cache in their stockings.

This has not yet taken the form of an avalanche, but the process is noticeable. Banks are alarmed, the government is nervous.

But here it is difficult to disagree with the actions of Russians. Given the tendency and habits of the Russian government, which passes all costs onto its subjects, it is urgent to withdraw all money from banks.

Because at some point access will disappear. Especially - when the oil market stabilizes. Cutting off the network without formally blocking the cards has already been tried. And in this case, no ends can be found...

Alexei Kopytko, Telegram

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