Isn’t that how all fairy tales begin? Even the Russian-language version of “The Wizard of Oz” — which I read as a study exercise many years ago — began that way. (In case you’re wondering, it’s titled “Volshebnik Izumrudnovo Goroda”: “The Magician of the Emerald City.”)

In fact, Russia is noted for its wealth of magical fairy tales. My favorite happens to be “The Firebird.” But not all Russian fairy tales are ancient; new ones are being written every day. And the modern ones are every bit as unbelievable and diabolical as those from olden times.

The principal difference between the old and the new is that, instead of the fictitious sweet-talking, child-eating witch known as Baba Yaga, we have the very real warlock named Vladimir Putin (“Dyed Vlad”?).** And he weaves his magic spells with words meant to deceive his listeners, lulling them into a sense of security, hope, and — above all — absolute loyalty to the master storyteller.

(Hmm . . . sound familiar?)

** NOTE: The Russian word “Baba” means “grandmother”; “Dyed” (rhymes with “red”), as you might expect, is “grandfather.”

Anyway, this week’s installment of “Tales From the Kremlin” involves the usual hero — Putin himself — and his Special Military Operation in Ukraine. It’s a twisted story, and is being spun in a series of statements from various sources, so it gets a bit confusing at times. But that’s nothing new.

> To begin with, the Moscow Times reports on June 27th that “Russia and Ukraine [are] nowhere close on peace terms,” their respective demands for peace terms being still “absolutely contradictory.” [AFP, June 27, 2025.]

> On the same day — after the NATO summit meeting had produced an agreement among the member nations to incrementally increase their military spending to 5% of GDP — Putin tells a press conference in Minsk, Belarus, that that is none of Russia’s business, and says:

“But now here is the most important thing. We are planning to reduce defence [sic] spending. For us, next year and the year after, over the next three-year period, we are planning for this.” Acknowledging that nothing has yet been finalized by the Ministries of Defense, Finance and Economy, he adds, “but overall, everyone is thinking in this direction. And Europe is thinking about how to increase its spending, on the contrary. So who is preparing for some kind of aggressive actions? Us or them?” [Gleb Bryanski and Vladimir Soldatkin, Reuters, June 27, 2025.]

> The next day — after Donald Trump repeats his demand that Putin end the war — Putin says Russia is ready to resume peace talks with Ukraine. [Sky News Australia, June 28, 2025.]

*. *. *

So now everyone is supposed to begin jumping up and down, clapping their hands and yelling “Hooray!” and “Whoopee!” while preparing for yet another wasted trip to Istanbul . . . all while Putin takes the high road and claims the role of peacemaker?

We’re not supposed to see the modern-day Baba Yaga in all of this?

I hope to heaven we’re smart enough not to buy into Dyed Vlad’s “happily ever after.” But I’m not so sure we are.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
6/29/25