First there were three years of increasingly stringent sanctions following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, hitting hard at the aggressor’s economic and political standing, pushing them gradually into a corner from which they would only be able to emerge by making concessions to end their so-called “special military operation.”

And it was working . . . until Donald Trump re-entered the White House; began turning our long-time, proven allies against us; and made the first overtures toward a reconciliation with his old pal, Vladimir Putin. . . .

. . . thereby, in a matter of just weeks, knocking the entire world onto its collective ass.

While people throughout the world have been struggling to cope with the fallout from Trump’s insane tariffs, his immigration obsession, his mass firings of the people who actually keep the U.S. government running, and his psychotic revenge actions against everyone who has ever pissed him off throughout his lifetime . . .

. . . while we’ve been too distracted by all of this to pay as much attention as we should to the man in the Kremlin, Trump has managed to bring him out of his corner and back into a position of world power.

And who has been Trump’s most helpful aide in his discussions with Putin? Secretary of State Marco Rubio? Only moderately. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth? I know I heard snickering at that one. (Oh, sorry . . . that was me.)

No, it has been Trump’s envoy to just about everywhere . . . the billionaire with zero experience in foreign affairs, diplomacy, or any branch of government operations: real estate developer Steve Witkoff.

Witkoff claims bragging rights for our having gotten a couple of hostages back from Russia recently, which unquestionably is a very good thing. But if he and Trump believe that it was due to our side’s superior negotiating skills, they are delusional.

Because Vladimir Putin does nothing without a reason, and that reason is always . . . ALWAYS . . . whatever will be of the greatest benefit to him. He is a master of “palace intrigue” — a fact that Donald Trump has never understood or acknowledged, as it would diminish his image of himself as the world’s greatest deal-maker.

There are those with proven expertise who understand, and are alarmed by, the extent to which both Trump and Witkoff are outclassed by Putin. David Kramer, who formerly held a senior position at the State Department during the George W. Bush administration, had this to say about Witkoff:

“The fact that he lacks the context and history of how Russians negotiate and deal with the American side is, I think, a problem. Putin says nice things to him, gives him a portrait of the president, talks about going to church and praying for his friend (Trump). Those are pretty old KGB tactics. And Witkoff, I don’t think, has the awareness to understand what is going on there.” [Ray Furlong, RFE/RL, April 11, 2025.]

According to his biography, Steve Witkoff’s paternal grandparents came to this country from Russia. So did all four of my grandparents . . . but that doesn’t qualify me to negotiate peace terms — or anything else — with Vladimir Putin. The difference is that I know my limitations.

But our government is currently being run by people who don’t even believe they have limitations . . . and that is beyond terrifying.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
4/12/25

On October 2, 2024, I reported on the start of a trial in Moscow of four Russian journalists accused of working with an “extremist organization” — Aleksei Navalny’s Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK) — some three years earlier. The four — Konstantin Gabov, Antonina Favorskaya, Artyom Kriger, and Sergey Karelin — have been on my hostage list since their closed trial, with no further news of them.

Yesterday it was reported that their closed-door trial has finally been concluded, though it is unclear why it has taken six months to reach this point. The “crime” with which they are charged carries a penalty of up to six years in prison; prosecutors have asked for prison terms of five years and eleven months for each of the defendants, alleging that they created materials for the FBK’s YouTube channel.

Two of the accused — Gabov and Karelin — are freelancers who have worked for various news organizations, including Reuters and The Associated Press (AP), respectively.

A Reuters spokesman has said that “Konstantin Gabov is a freelance journalist who between 2022 and 2024 occasionally contributed to Reuters as a desk producer, editing video and scripting stories assigned to him. We have no evidence that shows the charges against him relate to his freelance work at Reuters. Reuters is deeply committed to freedom of the press and opposes the imprisonment of any journalist for doing their job. Journalists must be free to report the news in the public interest without fear of harassment or harm, wherever they are.” [Mark Trevelyan and Lucy Papachristou, Reuters, April 10, 2025.]

Both Favorskaya and Kriger work for SOTAvision, an independent news outlet that has also been designated by the Russian government as a “foreign agent.” Favorskaya recorded the last video of Navalny in a court hearing the day before his death.

SOTAvision’s founder, Aleksandra Ageeva — also listed in Russia as a foreign agent — said:

“Why are the court hearings closed? The judge came today escorted by men carrying automatic weapons. Who are they afraid of? Or is it a gesture of intimidation? It is absurd.” [Id.]

*. *. *

These four journalists are not Americans; but not all of the hostages on our list are. They are, however, all believers in freedom and justice, and daily put their lives on the line to fight for those principles.

Justice is blind; it is the birthright of every individual, regardless of nationality or ethnicity. And so we continue to honor Putin’s hostages, and to fight for their release.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
4/11/25

We’ve all heard the aphorism that those who forget history are doomed to repeat it. Conversely, remembering historic events should help us to avoid repeating the mistakes of the past . . . shouldn’t it?

In the hope that there is some truth in that, I’ve taken another little voyage in my online time machine and found a few items from previous April 11ths that might be worth noting as examples for these turbulent political times.

1814: Despite having instituted many much-needed political and social reforms during his reign, Napoleon Bonaparte blew it when he misread Russia’s intentions and staged a preemptive invasion of that inhospitable country in the summer of 1812 . . . resulting in the notorious forced retreat of the French troops as the fighting dragged on and the brutal Russian winter finished off the majority of what was left of them. As a result, Napoleon was forced to abdicate, and was exiled to the Island of Elba. [“This Day In History,” History.com, April 11, 2025.]

Shockingly, however, the cunning Napoleon managed to escape his exile, returned to Paris, regrouped, and regained his position as Emperor. But his second term in office proved more disastrous than the first, when he was again defeated — this time by a coalition army led by Britain’s Duke of Wellington at the Battle of Waterloo.

Result: Another forced abdication and exile, but farther away to the remote South Atlantic island of Saint Helena . . . where he remained until his death in 1821.

And to this day, there are leaders who haven’t learned not to mess with Russia. Astonishing!

*. *. *

1951: General Douglas MacArthur was a brilliant military leader who, in the early days of the Korean conflict, had devised strategies and maneuvers that helped save South Korea from falling to the North Korean invaders. But as the war pressed on into its second year, he convinced then President Harry Truman to take offensive action against communist North Korea. Truman feared — quite rightly — that the People’s Republic of China would then jump to the defense of its North Korean ally, and refused to escalate the war further; but MacArthur argued that there was little chance of that happening. [Id.]

Well, he was wrong, and at the end of December 1950, hundreds of thousands of Chinese troops crossed into North Korea . . . and the rest, as they say, is well-known history.

On April 11, 1951, President Truman fired MacArthur, replacing him with General Matthew Ridgway.

MacArthur had let his ego and his blustering nature overtake reason, and led the country in a direction that brought the Korean people — and the United States — two more years of horrific war. For that, he lost his job, and his legacy was forever tarnished.

*. *. *

1979: Ugandan dictator Idi Amin is well known as one of the most violent dictators of modern times. As head of the Uganda army and air force, he seized control of the government in 1971, where he undertook a reign of terror that lasted for eight years. Finally, on April 11, 1979, he was overthrown by the Uganda National Liberation Front and fled the country.

No other country wanted him, but he was finally allowed to settle in Saudi Arabia. However, once a tyrant, always a tyrant; and in an effort to regain his position in Uganda, he left his place of exile via Zaire, where he was arrested and offered back to the Saudi government, which had no further use for him. He was then sent to Senegal, but he was not welcome there either, and the Senegalese government attempted to return him to Zaire, who likewise refused him admittance. It was the Saudi government that finally relented and allowed him to live out his remaining years there, until he finally died of kidney failure in 2003. [Id.]

*. *. *

And that, dear students, is what ultimately happens to brutal, egomaniacal, narcissistic, psychopathic dictators.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
4/11/25

On April 8th, I expressed my disbelief and horror at the deportation of Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran national married to a U.S. citizen, who was wrongly shipped off to a mega-prison in El Salvador on the erroneous accusation of being a gang member . . . when in fact he had been granted asylum here when his life was threatened by those very gangs in his home country.

Despite a District Court’s order that he be brought back to the U.S. by last Monday night, the Trump administration refused to do so and filed a motion with the Supreme Court to overrule the order.

In response to that motion, Chief Justice Roberts extended the Monday deadline for Abrego Garcia’s return in what initially appeared to be a possible reversal of the District Court’s ruling. But yesterday, the Supreme Court did its job, and meted out justice. In a brief order, it said that the Court:

“ . . . properly requires the Government to ‘facilitate’ Abrego Garcia’s release from custody in El Salvador and to ensure that his case is handled as it would have been had he not been improperly sent to El Salvador.” [Justin Jouvenal and Ann E. Marimow, Washington Post, April 10, 2025.]

The order further stated that the Trump administration should be prepared to “share what it can concerning the steps it has taken and the prospect of further steps.” [Id.]

There were no dissents noted to the ruling; and in fact, the Court’s three liberal justices — Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson — chastised the Trump administration, stating that its argument “implies that it could deport and incarcerate any person, including U.S. citizens, without legal consequence, so long as it does so before a court can intervene.” [Id.]

And that, dear readers, is how you run a democracy!

Now we await the return of Mr. Abrego Garcia to his home and family. Let’s see how quickly the administration moves to correct their mistake — just one of the . . . oh, hell! I’ve lost count, and it hasn’t even been three months yet.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
4/11/25

Ksenia Karelina is free!

One of our hostages is returning home following a quiet exchange that took place earlier today in Abu Dhabi, UAE.

More details to follow in my weekly hostage status report on Sunday . . . but for now, I just wanted to share the good news and to celebrate Ksenia’s return to freedom.

And to say thank you to all who made it possible.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
4/10/25

Three years gone, and the pain has not diminished. I doubt it ever will.

You fought the good fight for 26 years, and made this world a far better place with your brilliance, your humor, and your loving kindness. You couldn’t save everyone, but you did touch so many.

Rest well, precious angel, knowing that you are missed and loved forever.

All my love, always,
Nana

“So wise so young, they say, do never live long.”
– Shakespeare, Richard III, Act 3, Scene 1

Today marks the second meeting in Istanbul between U.S. and Russian delegations to discuss normalization of operations in their respective diplomatic missions. The meeting is to be attended by Russian Ambassador to the United States Aleksandr Darchiyev and U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Sonata Coulter.

State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce told reporters on April 8th that there would be no political or security issues discussed at the meeting, and stressed that the war in Ukraine would “absolutely not” be on the agenda:

“These talks are solely focused on our embassy operations, not on normalizing a bilateral relationship overall, which can only happen, as we’ve noted, once there’s peace between Russia and Ukraine.” [RFE/RL, April 9, 2025.]

And my question is: Why bother?

If this meeting is strictly about returning our embassies to full operational status . . . while overall normalization of relations depends first and foremost on a lasting peace in Ukraine . . . then this trip to Istanbul is nothing more than an opportunity to partake of some good Turkish food.

Because back in Ukraine, Russian assaults at the front have heated up to the point where, according to Commander of the Ukrainian Ground Forces Oleksandr Syrskyi:

“For several days, almost a week, we have been observing almost a doubling of the number of enemy attacks in all main directions [on the frontline].” [Reuters, April 9, 2025.]

In addition to the recent massacre of civilians, including nine children, at Kryvyi Rih, a Russian offensive has begun in the regions of Kharkiv and Sumy. And Russian troops are said to be close to pushing Ukrainian forces out of the area Ukraine has occupied in the Kursk region (across the border from Sumy) since last August. [Id.]

Could it be any more obvious that Vladimir Putin has no intention of bringing this devastating war of attrition to an end in the near future? His endless stalling of negotiations, constantly changing or adding to his demands, are an undisguised ploy to allow him time to gain more and more territory that he will then claim as his own, all the while weakening Ukraine’s bargaining position.

So the diplomats might just as well have saved themselves the trouble and expense. I hope they at least enjoyed the lunch.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
4/10/25

It’s not particularly surprising — though always unnerving — to suddenly be confronted by someone like this on the streets of Moscow, St. Petersburg, or virtually anywhere in Russia. They are members of OMON — military special police — and they are not known for their restraint.

But to see masked enforcers — even unarmed — suddenly materializing on the streets of American cities, towns, or college campuses, and whisking people off in unmarked vehicles is, to say the very least, horrifying.

This is what happened during Stalin’s purges in the Soviet Union, and Hitler’s extermination of Jews in Nazi Germany. We just don’t do that here.

Or we didn’t, until this year, when xenophobia became rampant in Washington’s halls of government, and a well-orchestrated roundup of “undesirables” and “idiots” (Secretary of State Rubio’s word for protesters) was begun.

The wholesale deportation of immigrants was well underway when we began hearing of individuals — legally in the U.S. on student visas — being snatched from their daily routines to be sent back to their various countries without notice and without cause, other than being from the “wrong” country, or simply having said something that someone in Washington didn’t like.

In some cases, the people doing the snatching have been masked and otherwise unidentifiable, allegedly for their own protection from retribution.

And if that doesn’t sound like a giant step toward full-out fascism . . .

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
4/9/25

It’s not what you may be thinking . . . it’s just a visit, and by only two of the ten members of the expatriate Feenstra family. Unexpectedly, it’s Mom Anneesa and son Wesley who have made the long trek back to their lifetime home in Saskatchewan, Canada, to surprise Anneesa’s parents.

After an exhausting journey, changing flights in Turkey, they arrived somewhere in Canada — presumably at the Saskatoon Airport — where they were met by the previously mysterious oldest son, whose name we now know is Ben, and who was in on the big secret.

Then there was a long drive through the still-wintry countryside with a stop for lunch, and a drive-through at “something Russia doesn’t have” (Anneesa’s words): one of Tim Horton’s chain of famous coffee shops. They also made time to drop by a sporting goods store, where they looked at jeans and other clothing items, and Wesley showed off his new sneakers. It made me wonder if they’d thought to get those hard-to-find size 15s for Arend . . . but they didn’t mention it.

Needless to say, the reunion was a loud and emotional one with Anneesa’s parents, and at some point the filming stopped to allow everyone to catch up, and finally to get some much-needed sleep.

*. *. *

The second installment began a day or two later, with brothers Ben and Wesley renovating a bathroom at their grandparents’ farmhouse. We finally learn that the main reason for the trip is that the older couple are preparing to sell their farm and make a “life change” — presumably retiring to a less strenuous lifestyle — and Anneesa wanted desperately to see one more time the home in which she had grown up, and to help her folks with the transition.

Filming time has been limited since their arrival as Anneesa frankly admits she is not used to being the one in front of the camera . . . not to mention the fact that they’ve been busy just being together. But taking a little time out, the grandparents did treat everyone to a local hockey game.

We next are introduced to other members of the family: Anneesa’s two older sisters, who similarly had no idea she was coming to visit but had arrived for what they thought was a routine visit to their parents’ home. And for me, a comment by one of the women, as she hugged her baby sister for the first time in over a year, perfectly answers a question that has been in my mind since the day the Feenstras arrived in Moscow: What about the family they’ve left behind? And that sister’s comment was:

Second only to the overriding issue of what the future holds for the eight children now living in Russia, the most baffling question has been how they could leave their two families (including their eldest son) behind, not knowing whether they would ever see each other again. And, observing the obvious closeness of this family, I still don’t know the answer.

*. *. *

Thus far, there has been no indication as to how long Anneesa and Wesley will be staying in Canada, and I’m hoping there will be more details soon, or at least when they return to Russia and recap their adventure.

In the meantime, I remain curious — and more than a little surprised — as to how this trip was possible at all. The Feenstras’ legal status in Russia is still that of “temporary residency,” and I would have thought . . . although admittedly I don’t know for sure . . . that they would be under some out-of-country travel restrictions. Perhaps their celebrity standing, and the fact that they were leaving eight members in Russia to ensure their return, had something to do with it.

As with Arend’s trip to Georgia with daughters Cora and Ariana last month, this is great propaganda for the Russian government . . . a visible sign to the world that emigrating there might not be such a bad idea after all. Nevertheless, I’m happy that this reunion was possible for them.

I do have to wonder — although another person’s financial situation would normally be none of my business — who covered their travel costs. The cheapest flight I found for a round-trip from Moscow to Saskatoon via Turkish Airlines was $2,800 per person.

Still, I’m glad that Anneesa was able to see her parents and sisters once more, and I wish them a great visit and safe return. Looking forward to the next installments, I am, as always . . .

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
4/9/25

I believe my readers (all eight or ten of you) will be excited to know that I am just about to eat my first Spotted Dick.

All right, children . . . that’s enough snickering. You know perfectly well, from the tales of my recent obsession with all things British, that this is what I mean:

I had long ago spotted this item in my local supermarket in suburban Washington, D.C., but was frankly too embarrassed to pick it up, walk around with it in plain sight in my cart, and then have to face the cashier at the front of the store.

I’ve tried ordering it from the market where I now shop, having moved to another part of the country, but apparently the good people of the southern U.S. are not into Spotted Dick. I consider that to be their loss.

When I did an online search of one upscale local market, they didn’t know what I was talking about either; however, this is what came up as possible acceptable substitutes:

I thought about trying the “Creamy Dreamy” just for fun, but got hung up on wondering what twisted artificial intelligence thought the Spot Shot stain remover, Cat’s Pride kitty litter, extra-large Dude Wipes (use your imagination), and Always Discreet incontinence panties might be in the same category as a sponge pudding. (“Sponge,” by the way, being Britain’s name for a light, airy cake, which actually does make sense.)

But recently, I discovered that Amazon — yes, good old “Whatever it is we’ve got it and if we haven’t got it we’ll get it for you” Amazon — carries a different brand of it:

Now we know that Spotted Dick is a “steamed pud.” I’m sure you’ve figured out that a “pud” is short for “pudding” . . . but did you also know that, to the British, the term “pudding” covers a wide range of desserts, whereas in America a pudding is a thick, gloppy, viscous, milk-based dessert, and other desserts have their own specific names, like “pie,” “cake,” or “cookie.” (Actually, I believe a British cookie is called a “biscuit,” but that’s a whole other issue.)

Do you see why I’m so intrigued by the British? They speak an entirely different language!

Anyway, I was delighted to find that Aunty has a Spotted Dick (restrain yourselves, please), and I hastened to order just a single two-pack to satisfy my curiosity. When it arrived the very next day, I read the package, which turned out to be an education in itself.

The instructions were simple enough: remove the foil top from one cup of S.D., nuke on high (1,100-watt microwave) for 30 seconds, invert cup into bowl, squeeze and lift the little cup off the pudding, and enjoy. Okay . . . got it.

It was the list of ingredients that left me gobsmacked (there I go again!). You see, in the U.S., our laws require all ingredients in prepared foods to be listed in a specific way; but it is assumed that we don’t necessarily need — or want — to know what each ingredient is, or what it is likely to do to our bodies. Not the natural stuff, like flour, sugar, or milk . . . but those mysterious last items, like “xanthan gum.”

And I don’t know whether it’s also required by British law, or perhaps Aunty just decided to do it on her own, but the package from my Spotted Dick contained far more detail than I had ever expected (or hoped) to see. Allow me to elucidate:

After all of the recognizable ingredients, which are real food, we have Sodium Bicarbonate and Disodium Diphosphate. These are identified as “raising agents.” The first one I know as “baking soda”; the second one was, until today, a complete mystery. Actually, I think they should be called “rising” agents, not “raising,” because they obviously are responsible for making the batter “rise” when heated. “Raise,” I believe, is a transitive verb, which means it must take an object, so what are they supposed to be raising . . . the dead? I think not.

Anyway, on to that Xanthan Gum, which turns out to be a “stabilizer.” That’s good . . . because there’s nothing worse than an unstable Spotted Dick.

Next came Calcium Chloride, which is identified as a “firming agent.” Actually, I would have thought that was some sort of fitness trainer, or perhaps a miracle face cream, but what do I know?

For preservatives, we have Sorbic Acid and Alcohol. Aha! Now we’re getting somewhere. I know several people who are well preserved with alcohol, but they don’t usually bother adding it to food; there are much quicker ways . . .

At this point, it gets even more confusing, so I’ll copy it for you, verbatim, from the package:

“Acidity Regulator (Lactic Acid), Natural Flavouring, Emulsifiers (Mono- and Diglycerides of Fatty Acids, Polyglycerol Esters of Fatty Acids, Non Soy Lecithin.”

Discounting the natural flavoring (don’t even get me started on the differences in spelling of that word), the rest of the list seems to indicate that the manufacturers add fatty acids and esters of fatty acids, but first they make sure they’ve included an “acidity regulator” to . . . well . . . presumably to regulate all those fatty acids, including Ester’s (whoever she is).

And if that Lecithin is “non soy,” then why won’t they tell us where it does come from? Don’t we need to know that as well? It could be from eggs, and if you’re vegan, that would be a problem.

After completing this tutorial in nutritional chemistry (if there is such a thing, because it actually sounds like an oxymoron to me), I then noticed a section in all capital letters, beginning with “CAUTION.” Well, I’m not stupid, so of course I went on reading because my life might be in danger here:

“CAUTION: REMOVE ALL THE FOIL LID BEFORE HEATING IN THE MICROWAVE. IF ANY FOIL REMAINS [there should be a comma at this point, but there isn’t – ed. note] DECANT INTO A BOWL. PUDDING WILL BE HOT AND STEAMY.”

That is, if the piece of foil hasn’t caused your microwave to explode, in which case you’ve got bigger problems than a steamy hot pudding.

God, I love the British!

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
4/8/25

P.S. Just ate my first Spotted Dick, and the verdict is . . .