But for one brief, shining moment . . .

No, it wasn’t Camelot. Though I did think, just for a few seconds, that perhaps . . . but no, it was incredibly foolish of me . . . stupid, even, to believe, or just to hope, that my words might have had some influence, some effect on the President of the Russian Federation. He doesn’t even know I exist (fortunately). But what a coincidence!

Let me explain. Just five days ago, on April 21st, I posted an article on my blog and on Facebook about the former Mrs. Putin and her current husband as to their legal troubles in France, where they now reside. It seems there is an ongoing investigation by the French government into some money laundering activity, in connection with which some of the couple’s properties — a villa in the south of France and an apartment in Paris — have been seized. And for some unknown reason, this little legal dust-up has upset folks at the Kremlin in Moscow . . . most particularly the lady’s ex-husband. Perhaps he was concerned that he might somehow become the recipient of some of the fallout from the investigation. In any event, President Putin’s Principal Puppet — Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, who never fails to amuse — had this to say on his boss’ behalf:

“Any encroachment on private property is illegal from the onset. The French authorities are undermining the foundations of their legal system. We have said it many times.”

And my immediate reaction was:

And now, just as I’ve managed to cease ROFLMAO, along comes a news item concerning a “reminder” from the self-same Vladimir Putin to Russia’s prosecutors that “seizing assets and turning them over to state ownership is only justified in cases where failing to act might jeopardise Russia’s national security.” [Reuters, April 25, 2024.]

You can no doubt understand how, in a sudden blaze of conceit, I might have considered the possibility . . . Well, anyway, I’m sure a lot of people (besides myself) were aware of the incredible irony in that statement, coming as it did from the man behind — not only the seizure of numerous successful commercial and industrial enterprises in his own country that were privatized in a huge sell-out after the fall of the Soviet Union just over 30 years ago — but also huge swaths of Ukrainian territory since Russia’s invasion, now in its third year.

What’s that old adage about “people who live in glass houses . . .”?

*. *. *

So now, having dissed the French government for taking a couple of properties as collateral in a criminal investigation, Putin had to cover his yagoditsy (buttocks) and work on his public image, since — according to a statement by prosecutor General Igor Krasnov last month — “More than 1 trillion roubles’ ($10.9 billion) worth of strategic enterprises and assets were transferred to state ownership by Russian courts last year.” [Reuters, id.]

Oops!

There may also have been recent grumblings amongst the business elite, because at a Moscow business forum — the Congress of the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs — Putin addressed the attendees as follows:

“I would like to stress: we are not talking about a privatisation review, but about cases when the actions or inaction by the owners of enterprises and property complexes cause direct harm to the country’s security and national interests.

“The seizure of business is justified only in the situation I have just described.

“Claims against current owners of assets are inappropriate, especially for those who work successfully, solve social issues and help ensure national security.” [Reuters, id.]

In other words: Behave, and you shall continue to prosper.

Way to go, Vlad. But you forgot to mention a couple of things, such as what constitutes “harm to the country’s security and national interests,” and who makes that determination in each case. (Actually, we already know that second part, don’t we?) Or what a business owner must do to “help ensure national security.”

The Reuters report also noted that the Russian Ministry of Finance “has listed about 30 companies in which the state may reduce its shareholding, while keeping a controlling stake, as it seeks to foster more domestic private investment and bolster budget revenues.” [Emphasis is mine.]

Yeah, there’s always that bottom line to consider, too.

*. *. *

I find it interesting to see the Russian President — any Russian President — worrying about his public image. In a country that has always been ruled from the top by an iron-fisted autocrat, it has never seemed necessary before. And Putin has just been reelected (surprise!) for another six-year term. So why now? What is he afraid of? Is the memory of Yevgeny Prigozhin’s attempted revolt — though unsuccessful — still too vivid? Does the continuing public worship of the late dissident Alexei Navalny invade his dreams at night? Are there rumors of a latent putsch running through the Kremlin’s hallways? Or is he simply trying some new tactic, hoping to convince the world that he is — while still the strong man of Russia — a more reasonable man . . . perhaps even the potential leader of his envisioned new world order?

Who knows? But it’s fascinating to watch, and listen . . . and wait for tomorrow’s news from Moscow.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
4/26/24