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- Sep 28, 2011
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For those of us who occasionally practiced the art of reading between the lines of Pravda and Izvestiya during the cold war, practice of this art under Putin has been increasingly popular. Like the old Soviet Union, now with the shutdown of a free press, the disappearance of publicly known officials and personalities, the strange speeches and outburst of Herr Putin, the question is...what is going on?
We know that Putin has, so far, sacked 8 generals associated with the invasion. Now there is news that the Director of the Russian National Guard Troops, Zolotov, has dismissed his own deputy. Gen. Roman Gavrilov who has been detained by FSB. Interestingly Gavrilov had also previously worked in FSO, Putin's security service. And earlier in the week Sergey Beseda, head of the FSB’s foreign intelligence branch, was arrested along with his deputy, Anatoly Bolyukh.
Herr Putin is obviously very unhappy with his people.
Then there are some rather strange flights being tracked. A significant number of private jets headed Dubai, and the most curious flight is that of Lavorv. Lavrov was halfway to Beijing last night when his plane turned around abruptly and returned to Moscow... so what required his immediate return? Palace coup? Forgot his reading glasses?
And 6 of the flights being tracked are Russia's 'Special Flight Squadron' which is dedicated to the transport of officials of the Russian government. Even one mobile command post is in the air. Some think folks are finding a good reason to flee the capital, others believe they are being sent to pickup officials and take them to Moscow.
And about Putin's rant yesterday, what's with the 'not judging those with villas or who eat oysters ' assurances, and then accusing those who are "not with us" with being a fifth column, traitors, used to provoke civil unrest, to destroy Russia?
What to make of all this?
We know that Putin has, so far, sacked 8 generals associated with the invasion. Now there is news that the Director of the Russian National Guard Troops, Zolotov, has dismissed his own deputy. Gen. Roman Gavrilov who has been detained by FSB. Interestingly Gavrilov had also previously worked in FSO, Putin's security service. And earlier in the week Sergey Beseda, head of the FSB’s foreign intelligence branch, was arrested along with his deputy, Anatoly Bolyukh.
Herr Putin is obviously very unhappy with his people.
Then there are some rather strange flights being tracked. A significant number of private jets headed Dubai, and the most curious flight is that of Lavorv. Lavrov was halfway to Beijing last night when his plane turned around abruptly and returned to Moscow... so what required his immediate return? Palace coup? Forgot his reading glasses?
And 6 of the flights being tracked are Russia's 'Special Flight Squadron' which is dedicated to the transport of officials of the Russian government. Even one mobile command post is in the air. Some think folks are finding a good reason to flee the capital, others believe they are being sent to pickup officials and take them to Moscow.
And about Putin's rant yesterday, what's with the 'not judging those with villas or who eat oysters ' assurances, and then accusing those who are "not with us" with being a fifth column, traitors, used to provoke civil unrest, to destroy Russia?
What to make of all this?