Either Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has suddenly become delusional, or the Kremlin has run out of believable propaganda and is merely recycling the same tired nonsense, over and over again.

I suspect the latter.

As reported yesterday by Russia’s state-run TASS news agency, Lavrov declared that:

“This is no laughing matter: the entire West has united against Russia.” [Kyiv Post, July 29, 2026.]

No . . . really? What the hell did they expect, with their country in the fifth year of its brutal war of attrition against Ukraine? Undying devotion? Applause? Flowers?

In a clear sign that Ukraine’s recent military successes have had a serious psychological impact on the Putin regime, Lavrov attempted to deflect as usual, claiming that Ukraine’s progress has only been possible as a result of an alleged alliance of Western nations determined to “dismember” Russia and to turn the Russian public against its leaders. [Id.]

Ignoring the fact that it was Russia that started the war, and Putin who steadfastly refuses to reduce any of his ludicrous demands before he will even discuss a ceasefire, Lavrov accused the West of issuing ultimatums to Moscow. And then he re-drew the same old red line, reiterating that the Kremlin was unwilling to make any concessions:

“Russia should not become angry or fall into hysteria, but develop a healthy anger in its foreign policy.” [Id.]

“Come again?”

While it sounds like more of the same-old-same-old, there are now undertones of paranoia and desperation creeping into these statements from Moscow as Ukraine’s drones continue to take out more and more of Russia’s oil production and storage facilities, military material warehouses, tankers from their “shadow fleet,” etc.

And, while that desperation might inspire some leaders to capitulate, Vladimir Putin’s history would indicate otherwise. When angered, or backed against a wall, he tends to escalate.

Let’s hope not this time.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
7/30/26