To the rest of the world, the subtleties of Russian humor can be difficult to appreciate. But sometimes, Russian officials can be truly hilarious when they are trying their hardest to remain serious.

Take, for example, the statement by Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova at yesterday’s annual Ministry press conference, in which she announced that the German ambassador to Moscow will soon be summoned in order to inform him of “retaliatory measures” in response to the alleged “harassment of Russian journalists based in Germany.” [Dmitry Antonov, Gleb Stolyarov and Mark Trevelyan, Reuters, June 26, 2025.]

Some (an unspecified number) of Russia’s reporters in Germany have apparently recently been expelled. Zakharova said that Germany was applying undue “pressure and harassment” against Russian journalists and their family members, and she had previously addressed the issue of passports being revoked and limitations being placed on the journalists’ freedom of movement. Germany says that the expulsions were due to violation of residence rules, and that Russian journalists are able to report freely. [Id.]

This seems to be just another of those diplomatic tit-for-tat situations that arise between countries from time to time . . . and ultimately prove to be much ado about nothing. But coming from the nation with arguably the world’s worst record of persecution of journalists and others who dare to criticize the government, it is nothing short of ludicrous.

How quickly the Russians forget the hundreds of political prisoners currently being held on trumped-up charges of treason and espionage. Do they think the world has forgotten American journalist Evan Gershkovich? Or their own outspoken critics, including Boris Nemtsov, Anna Politkovskaya, and Aleksei Navalny?

Germany sent the Russian journalists packing; they weren’t sentenced to years in a maximum-security penal colony for “spying” . . . or assassinated while walking home.

Vladimir Putin and his minions really need to learn when to hold back on the righteous indignation. Sometimes it just makes them look foolish.

But I do so enjoy a good laugh at Putin’s expense.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
6/27/25