Not all of Putin’s political prisoners are adults.

According to a report issued in June of this year by the now-banned Russian human rights group Memorial, they have documented “427 cases of politically motivated criminal prosecution of minors . . . [of which] 299 people under the age of 18 were deprived of their liberty. Right now, 107 children are in detention.” [RFE/RL’s Russian Service, August 19, 2026.]

One such case is Arseniy Turbinin, now 18, who has been imprisoned since his arrest in 2023 when he was just 15 years old, after distributing flyers criticizing Vladimir Putin, sharing posts by opposition politicians, and expressing his opposition to the invasion of Ukraine. [Id.]

His defense lawyer at the time told Arseniy’s mother not to worry . . . that he was just a child, and would most likely not be seen as a threat by the authorities.

The lawyer was wrong. Arseniy was convicted in June of 2024 of being a member of a terrorist organization, and sentenced to five years in prison. What he had actually done was send an email to the Free Russia Legion — an exile Russian group that has fought alongside Ukrainian forces — saying he was “ready to stick up posters and fight Putin’s propaganda.” [Id.]

But prosecutors claimed that he was planning to travel to Ukraine and engage in sabotage against Russian targets — a charge that Arseniy denies, though he did admit distributing some flyers critical of Putin to neighbors’ mailboxes. He was also an admirer of the late dissident Aleksei Navalny, whose grave he had visited in Moscow.

Arseniy was first sent to a correctional facility in Perm, where efforts were made to incriminate him in additional illegal activities. And on January 7, 2026, when a riot broke out at the Perm facility, he was accused of taking part, which could bring a further sentence of three to eight years. He says he was in his cell watching TV during the uprising.

His family has said they were told by an officer of the FSB (successor to the KGB):

“We won’t release your child . . . we’ll think up another case.” [Id.]

It is believed that these actions against Arseniy are reprisals for his refusal to plead guilty to the original charges.

A 15-year old boy — old enough to be aware of the war in Ukraine and to have developed a social conscience, but young enough to allow his emotions to outweigh his better judgment — is now spending some of the best, most formative years of his life in a Russian prison for speaking his mind against a brutal regime. And he is only one of many.

I do not know the names of the other youngsters sharing Arseniy’s fate. But at least I can add his name to our list of those wrongfully serving time in Putin’s GULAG.

*. *. *

And this being Sunday, here again is the list of those political prisoners known to me:

Prisoners of War:

The 20,000+ Kidnapped Ukrainian Children
The People of Ukraine

Immigrant Detainees in Russia:

Migrants from the Central Asian nations of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan,
Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan

Endangered Exiles:

Pavel “Pasha” Talankin
Mikita Losik
Yulia Navalnaya
Oleg Orlov
Countless Journalists and Other Dissidents

Political Prisoners:

In Afghanistan:

Mahmoud Habibi (Afghan-American)
Paul Overby (American, missing since 2018)

In Azerbaijan:

The “Azerbaijan 7”:
– Farid Mehralizada
– Ulvi Hasanli
– Sevinj Abbasova (Vagifqiai)
– Mahammad Kekalov
– Hafiz Babali
– Nargiz Absalamova
– Elnara Gasimova

In Belarus:

Andrei Chapiuk
Uladzimir Labkovich
Andrzej Poczobut
Marfa Rabkova
Valiantsin Stafanovic
Yuras Zyankovich

In Georgia:

Mzia Amaglobeli

In Russia:

The “Crimea 8”:
– Oleg Antipov
– Artyom Azatyan
– Georgy Azatyan
– Aleksandr Bylin
– Roman Solomko
– Artur Terchanyan
– Dmitry Tyazhelykh
– Vladimir Zloba

James Scott Rhys Anderson (British)
Aleksandr Andreyev
David Barnes (American)
Yevgenia Berkovich
Gordon Black (American)
Hayden Davies (British)
Yury Dmitriyev
Anastasia Dyudyaeva
Antonina Favorskaya
Konstantin Gabov
Robert Gilman (American)
Stephen James Hubbard (American)
Sergey Karelin
Timur Kishukov
Vadim Kobzev
Darya Kozyreva
Artyom Kriger
Michael Travis Leake (American)
Aleksei Liptser
Mikhail Loshchinin
Grigory Melkonyants
Boris Nadezhdin
Nika NovakSvetlana Petriichuk
Leonid Pshenychnov (in Russian-occupied Crimea)
Ilya Remeslo
Nadezhda Rossinskaya (a.k.a. Nadin Geisler)
Lev Schlossberg
Sofiane Sehili (French)
Igor Sergunin
Dmitry Shatresov
Robert Shonov
Grigory Skvortsov
Eugene Spector (American)
Joseph Tater (American, disappeared)
Karina Tsurkan
Arseniy Turbinin (age 18)
Laurent Vinatier
Robert Romanov Woodland (American)

You have not been, and will not be, forgotten. Stay strong.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
8/23/26

It is always during times of trouble that individuals find out what they are truly made of. According to a man who had known more than his share of trouble:

“There comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular, but he must take it because conscience tells him it is right.”

– Martin Luther King, Jr., “A Testament of Hope: The Essential Writings and Speeches”

With midterm elections in the U.S. just 74 days away — an election that is more crucial this year than ever before — we should all be studying the candidates and preparing to vote our consciences. Remember that every single vote does count; and if you don’t show up, you have no right to complain about the results.

See you at the polls.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
8/22/26

Who is Rodney Mims Cook, Jr.?

According to his Wikipedia biography, he is a 70-year-old designer who was appointed by Donald Trump to the post of Chairman of the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts (CFA) in January of this year.

He established his first architecture firm i 1983, focusing on making “pretty houses for rich people.” He also developed an interest in the architectural history of his native state of Georgia, and once commented that “We are remembered as much for the buildings we destroy as those we build.” [Wikipedia.org.]

Yet, since his appointment to the CFA, he has advocated for both the new White House ballroom and Trump’s proposed triumphal arch — apparently abandoning his earlier principles in deference to the demands of his new boss.

But what is most interesting about Cook’s first year in his new job is his travel in June to St. Petersburg, Russia, where he headed the first American delegation in nearly a decade to attend Vladimir Putin’s International Economic Forum — a delegation that included conservative political commentator Candace Owens and actor Steven Seagal, both of whom have been vocal in their support of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine . . . as well as the notorious Tate brothers, Andrew and Tristan, who have since been placed under arrest in Florida while awaiting extradition to the U.K. on charges of rape, sexual assault, and human trafficking.

Prior to his departure for Russia, Cook was issued a diplomatic passport, given extensive briefings, and assigned a security detail. While in St. Petersburg, he met with Kremlin officials, including Putin senior aide Anton Kobyakov. And during his panel’s session he passed along “a good hello from your friend, President Trump.” [Roman Sheremeta, Facebook, August 20, 2026.]

My reaction exactly!

Apparently it’s not enough that we already have Middle East diplomacy being orchestrated by a real estate developer (Steve Witkoff) and a presidential son-in-law (Jared Kushner) while happily making profitable side deals for themselves. Now we also have an architect — under diplomatic cover and accompanied by a blogger, an actor, and a pair of accused sex traffickers — carrying friendly messages from Trump to Putin.

And all the while, Trump himself is busy schmoozing North Korea’s Kim Jong Un while betraying our allies in South Korea.

Now, I don’t want to be an alarmist, but . . .

No, wait . . . that’s not true. I do want to sound an alarm here. No matter how you look at this, it stinks, and it’s scary as hell. Trump rants about the so-called “communists” (his name for liberals) threatening America, while he plays footsie with the real threats to the world’s democracies.

And who is there to stop him?

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
8/22/26

In nearly four years of writing this blog, I have focused primarily on world events, past and present, and have augmented my simple thoughts with the words of some of the world’s greatest intellects: Greek, Roman and Chinese philosophers; Shakespeare; Churchill; the Roosevelts; Kennedy; and countless others, living and dead.

But never, in all of this time, have I had the opportunity to quote a personal acquaintance (other than an occasional humorous anecdote). Today, however, I have the great privilege of sharing a post by my most unlikely friend of some 40 years’ standing: David Chikvaidze.

A brilliant scholar, career diplomat, and — though now officially in retirement — a tireless advocate for world peace and security, David serves as Vice President of the Swiss Forum for International Affairs, and as a Fellow of the World Academy of Art and Science (WAAS).

(Yes, I see you blushing, David. But it’s all true.)

When we met in Washington back in the 1980s, our diametrically opposed backgrounds would seem to have given us nothing in common. Yet we share a great many interests: history, politics, literature, a love of old American TV sitcoms, a weakness for bad puns, and a politically-incorrect sense of humor.

Thus, when I read his Facebook post this morning announcing an upcoming WAAS online conference on “Global Social Turbulencce: Sources and Solutions,” I knew I had to share his words with my readers. To repeat:

“The world is at an existential crossroads where standing silently by or even ‘doing one’s best’ is inadequate to the magnitude of the risk.”

In one sentence, we are reminded of our individual responsibility to do whatever we can — speak out, stand up for our at-risk friends, and above all VOTE — to help put things right. Either we stand together, or we fall together.

Thanks, David.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
8/21/26

Over the past few years, I have developed a grudging fondness for Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov. He is, of course, the hard-line mouthpiece for Vladimir Putin, who regularly spouts the most egregious bullshit and outright lies with a perfectly straight face.

But that is his job — exactly the same job as that of the White House Press Secretary (when we have one). Despite his political stance, though, there is something devilishly cute about him: an occasional twinkle in his eyes, a little smile, a touch of irony.

And yesterday, during a press briefing in Moscow at which he addressed the subject of the war in Ukraine, he was asked — rather incongruously — about the possibility of a meeting between Vladimir Putin and American rapper Kanye West, who is scheduled to perform in Russia in October. And his quick response was priceless:

“Have mercy, this is not our area.”

“Have mercy,” indeed!

Dmitry Peskov may be on the wrong side of the political spectrum, but at least he hasn’t lost his sense of humor — or his taste in entertainment..

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
8/21/26

Remember Monica Lewinsky? She was the pretty young White House intern who had a dalliance with then President Bill Clinton back in the 1990s, nearly bringing down a presidency. The country was torn between reveling in the salacious details of their personal relationship and worrying about the possible security implications. Not surprisingly, the security issues took a back seat to the vicariously satisfying enjoyment of the sexy bits.

Fast forward 30 years. It’s 2026; the man in the Oval Office is not young and attractive, but is an unhealthy, obese, mentally unstable 80-year-old; and the young woman in question is a salaried member of his staff with extraordinary access, an unnatural devotion to her boss — and, until very recently, no security clearance.

And when anyone — a journalist, a member of Congress, or an ordinary citizen — dares to question Natalie Harp’s official position or her personal relationship with Donald Trump, all hell breaks loose. We the people are told to mind our own business.

Most people today are not as shocked by rumors of extramarital hanky-panky as we might have been 30 years ago. But we do still care greatly about the security of our country — and especially in these days of rampant corruption, economic chaos, and international instability.

The White House is not one man’s personal space. It is the people’s house, the temporary residence of the current president; and what goes on there is every American’s business. Along with the contents of the Epstein Files, the whereabouts of Mitch McConnell, and what’s being hidden under the tarp at the Kennedy Center, we have a right and a need to know exactly who Natalie Harp is, how much classified information she has access to, and how she came to be in a position of such obvious influence without first being properly vetted.

And if we the people can’t find out, perhaps this woman can:

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
8/21/26

Prague, 1968. The Cold War. Czechoslovakia was in the midst of the “Prague Spring” — a massive liberal protest against the Soviet Union’s forcible hegemony over the country.

But on the night of August 20th, some 200,000 troops and 5,000 tanks invaded to crush the liberal movement. First Secretary Alexander Dubcek was ousted, his reforms were repealed, and a hard-line successor, Gustav Husak, was installed in his place.

Twenty-nine years later, as the Soviet Union itself was in the throes of disintegration, Czechoslovakia reclaimed its independence in what became known as the “Velvet Revolution” of 1989. And in the spring of 1991, the last of the Soviet troops finally withdrew from the country — just as I arrived in Prague to live and work for several months with the U.S. law firm assisting the Czech government in the development of its new legal and economic policies under reformist President Vaclav Havel.

By that time, there were few remnants of the communist occupation still visible in the city. Instead, there were celebrations everywhere, and an almost palpable spirit of optimism for the future. It was a magical time, about which I have already written at length . . . a period of my life that I still recall in the minutest detail, and with a sense of gratitude for having been privileged to experience it.

More importantly, though, it was an important turning point in modern European history, and one that deserves to be marked today as a reminder of how tenuous our freedoms are, how quickly our lives can change, and how fiercely we must defend those freedoms . . . every single day.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
8/20/26

America’s relationship with North Korea has been much in the news lately, thanks to Donald Trump’s declaration of trust and friendship toward its totalitarian leader, Kim Jong Un, and his (Trump’s) withdrawal of support for our actual ally, South Korea.

And one of the most puzzling aspects of the whole jumbled mess is his statement that North Korea is in possession of precisely 57 nuclear weapons. Not 50, or 60, or any approximate number . . . but exactly 57.

Naturally, people want to know where he got that figure. Did Kim tell him? Does he have actual, reliable intelligence to that effect? Or did he just make it up out of thin air, as he does with most of the statistics he carelessly tosses around?

It could be any of those things . . . or something entirely different. And I have an idea of one possibility: it might be a simple matter of his addled brain mistaking these:

. . . for these:

Let’s just hope he doesn’t throw the wrong one at the wall.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
8/20/26

He can’t seem to end a war he never should have started, or fix the economy as promised, or “drain the swamp” in Washington. But when Donald Trump really, really wants something done — like tearing down a wing of the White House to build a gaudy ballroom, or adding his name to buildings he doesn’t own, or deporting people who don’t fit his idea of “real” Americans — there’s no stopping him.

Last week, he said he would “pretty soon [be] declaring the Hormuz Strait a territory of the United States.” [Nicholas Kerr, ABC News, August 18, 2026.]

Well, he must already have been on the phone to his Art Department, or whoever is in charge of cranking out this crap. Because yesterday he exhibited this little masterpiece, minus his customary snarky commentary, on social media:

What a great move! Why didn’t anyone ever think of this before? All a world leader has to do to expand his territory is slap his country’s name on some choice part of the world map, declare it to be theirs, and . . .

Oh, wait . . . it actually has been done before. I’m remembering the Roman Empire, the First Persian Empire, the Mongol Empire, the British Empire, the Russian Empire . . .

And where are they now? Dead and gone, consigned to the dustbin of history where they belong.

I wonder if there’s a lesson to be learned here.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
8/19/26

For months now, the world has been puzzling over the meaning of some of Donald Trump’s late-night, AI-generated, social media ramblings. And recently they’ve become increasingly bizarre, many of them depicting himself as various historical, pop culture, or heroic figures: Elvis, Jesus, and Superman, to name just a few.

But the most puzzling to me were the recent ones of himself interacting with George Washington, like a couple of soulmates uniting through the wonders of time travel to co-create a brave new world.

Now, I don’t claim to understand how Trump’s mind works — nor would I want to! But I may have hit upon a possible reason for the spate of George Washington hallucinations: he simply Googled the wrong George. Maybe he wasn’t trying to channel the first President of the United States at all; it’s conceivable that the one he wanted — the ruling George with whom he feels a close kinship — is actually Britain’s King George III . . . popularly referred to, for good reason, as “Mad King George.”

George III was the longest-reigning British monarch of his time, and to this day remains the longest-reigning male monarch in British history, having inherited the throne upon his father’s death in 1760. With his wife, Princess Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, he had 15 children, and saw his country through numerous military conflicts throughout Europe and elsewhere — including the loss of the North American colonies following the American War of Independence (1765 – 1783), and the defeat of Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo (1815).

It wasn’t until later in life that he began exhibiting signs of mental illness. At first intermittent, the condition eventually became permanent, and he suffered a final relapse in 1810, after which his eldest son, George, Prince of Wales, was named Prince Regent and later became King George IV.

While the exact nature of George III’s mental illness has never been determined, medical experts and historians have suggested that his symptoms were consistent with either bipolar disorder or a condition of the nervous system known as porphyria, which can cause both mental and physical symptoms.

*. *. *

Like George III, Donald Trump led a long and active life before exhibiting acute signs of both physical and mental anomalies. Both were large men, militaristic, believed in large families, and were partly of German ancestry. And both would, if they could, have remained rulers forever.

Is it too much of a stretch, then, to think that perhaps George III is the George that Trump has actually been trying to contact in his nocturnal fantasy world? Or even . . . if you believe in reincarnation . . .

Well, perhaps that’s taking it a bit too far, even for Donald Trump.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
8/19/26