A few days ago, Pope Leo XIV, while on an official visit to Cameroon, offered a comment that, while not mentioning any names, was suspiciously relevant to recent exchanges between himself and Donald Trump:

“Woe to those who manipulate religion and the very name of God for their own military, economic, and political gain, dragging that which is sacred into darkness and filth.”

Trump, as we all know, had posted an AI image of himself as Jesus, which created an international furor that he clearly had not anticipated. So he took that post down, offering no apology.

But he wasn’t finished. He replaced the first image with this captioned one:

And yesterday, he participated in a nationwide event called “America Reads the Bible,” organized by a group known as Christians Engaged: a “nonprofit organization committed to discipling Americans on biblical worldview and their responsibilities as citizens to pray, vote, and engage for the wellbeing of our nation.”

He did not appear at the event, which was held at the Museum of the Bible in Washington. Instead, his reading was taped in advance at the White House, “filmed on two cameras that were edited together.” [Max Matza, BBC, April 21, 2026.]

Presumably, that was the only way to ensure that he wouldn’t go off during a live broadcast on one of his famous tangents about his magnificent ballroom, his Sharpie pens, or his willingness to wipe out an entire civilization.

I did not watch the pseudo-religious spectacle; I have better things to do with my time, like flossing my teeth, or cleaning a toilet. But I couldn’t refrain from commenting on the program’s hypocrisy, its unconstitutionality, and its obvious bigotry toward all religions other than the Christian faiths.

That is not what America stands for.

This is:

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
4/22/26

From Russia, we frequently hear news of a high-ranking military officer, a government official, or a popular dissident disappearing, or dying under mysterious circumstances. “Falls” from a window in a tall building have become nearly epidemic; and being poisoned by an exotic substance such as Novichok (Aleksei Navalny) or polonium (Aleksandr Litvinenko) is a particularly nasty way to go.

Sometimes they’re simply shot on their way home (Boris Nemtsov and Anna Politkovskaya) by unknown assailants. And one bothersome individual — founder of the Wagner Group of Kremlin-sanctioned mercenaries, Yevgeny Prigozhin — was taken down, along with nine others, in his private plane.

Not surprisingly, all of these cases seem to fade into obscurity, remaining unsolved despite claims that they have been thoroughly investigated by the appropriate authorities.

And regardless of the usual Kremlin denials, it is generally accepted that most, if not all, of these incidents were carried out on orders from the top of the government hierarchy — something that no longer surprises us as it has become more and more commonplace under the reign of Vladimir Putin.

But when a similar situation surfaces in the United States, it is unusual to say the least; and there is a tendency to disbelieve that a series of ten unsolved deaths and disappearances, even though within a single professional community, might be related . . . or, heaven forbid, connected to “official” sources.

We’d sooner attribute the disappearances to the usual suspects:

Or even to these little guys:

But it’s difficult to ignore the deaths and disappearances of at least ten individuals connected to sensitive U.S. nuclear and aerospace research who have died or disappeared since July of 2023. There are several from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) alone, including Michael David Hicks, 59, a specialist in comets and asteroids, who died on July 30, 2023; Frank Maiwald, a space research specialist, dead at 61; and aerospace engineer Monica Reza, 60, who disappeared while hiking in a Los Angeles forest in June of 2025. [Natasha Chen, Alex Stambaugh and Chris Boyette, CNN, April 21, 2026.]

Also missing since February 27th of this year is retired Air Force Major General William Neil McCasland, 68, who walked out of his home in Albuquerque, New Mexico — leaving behind his phone, prescription glasses and wearable devices — and hasn’t been heard from since. McCasland was central to some of the Defense Department’s most advanced aerospace research, and once commanded the Air Force Research Laboratory at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. [Id.]

The FBI says it “is spearheading the effort to look for connections into the missing and deceased scientists . . . working with the Department of Energy, Department of War [sic], and with our state . . . and local law enforcement partners to find answers.” [Id.]

Separately the Republican-led House Oversight Committee has announced that it is also investigating the cases, noting that the individuals had access to sensitive scientific information, raising “questions about a possible sinister connection.” [Id.]

Conversely, in a post on X, NASA said that it is “coordinating and cooperating with the relevant agencies . . . [but that] . . . [a]t this time, nothing related to NASA indicates a national security threat.” [Id.]

But House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer said on Fox News:

“It’s very unlikely that this is a coincidence. Congress is very concerned about this. Our committee is making this one of our priorities now because we view this as a national security threat.” [Id.]

Even Donald Trump referred to the situation as “pretty serious stuff.” [Id.]

On the other hand, Representative James Walkinshaw, who also serves on the Oversight Committee, said that — while he agrees an investigation is warranted — he is not convinced there is a single, coordinated motive behind the cases, telling CNN:

“The United States has thousands of nuclear scientists and nuclear experts. It’s not the kind of nuclear program that potentially a foreign adversary could significantly impact by targeting 10 individuals.” [Id.]

Perhaps so . . . if those ten individuals were indeed expendable. But what if the research in which they were involved was of a maximally sensitive nature, subject to a “need-to-know” firewall restricting information to only a handful of people? Such programs exist in all governments, for reasons of security. But the obvious downside is that the small handful of people then becomes indispensable; if something happens to them, the entire program dies with them.

Anything is possible, of course. But ten nuclear scientists dying or disappearing within less than three years is decidedly strange. I seriously doubt we’ll ever be told the whole story, simply because of the national security issues and the lack of transparency for which the Trump administration has become infamous.

But if I were a betting woman, I would first rule out the little green men as suspects, just because . . . well, just because.

And, while I place zero faith in our government as it is now being run (or not run), these incidents have spanned two administrations with diametrically opposed agendas. So I seriously doubt that we are looking at a U.S. version of a Putinesque purge.

Which leaves a foreign bad actor as the most likely perpetrator. Hmm . . . I wonder who that might be.

But again . . . to what purpose?

It is indeed a mystery.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
4/22/26

Patrick Henry, one of the founding fathers of the United States, is perhaps best remembered for having said, “Give me liberty or give me death.”

But he had much more to offer his country. Self-educated, he was a planter who became a lawyer, politician and orator. He served in the Virginia House of Burgesses, becoming known for his inflammatory speeches against the 1765 Stamp Act, and later became a delegate to the Second Virginia Convention and the First Continental Congress, and was twice elected Governor of Virginia.

During the years of his legal practice, Henry represented Virginia taxpayers in a landmark case known as the Parson’s Cause (officially, Maury v. The Vestry of Hanover County). In his defense of colonial autonomy, he made the following impassioned statement:

“A King, by disallowing Acts of this salutary nature, from being the father of his people, degenerated into a Tyrant and forfeits all rights to his subjects’ obedience.”

He was, of course, referring to King George III:

But once again, as my old friend Will Shakespeare said in The Tempest:

“What’s past is prologue.”

Henry may as well have been talking about this would-be “King”:

In any century, in any country, one tyrant is pretty much the same as all the others.

And none of them deserve their subjects’ obedience.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
4/21/26

. . . or at least schedule a nice, long phone conversation. Because they’re each having a bad year and could use a shoulder to cry on.

It’s almost as though the same black cloud is hanging over both the Kremlin and the White House. Or maybe karma is just performing a simultaneous strike against two individuals who — though separated by thousands of miles and vastly different heritages — are so similar in thought, temperament and action that they could be twins.

In addition to the big stuff — Putin’s war in Ukraine, and Trump’s war in Iran; Putin’s intensified campaign against dissidents, and Trump’s decimation of the First Amendment; Putin’s corrupt oligarchs, and Trump’s . . . well, corrupt oligarchs — in addition to all of that, here are a couple of extra highlights from the past few days that are almost too coincidental:

> Finally admitting that Russia’s economy is in trouble, Putin has blamed his aides and demanded they come up with solutions. Although denied by the Kremlin, there have been reports that officials have not been keeping Putin fully advised. At a televised meeting last week, he said:

”I expect to hear detailed reports today on the current economic situation and why the trajectory of macroeconomic indicators is currently below expectations. Moreover, below the expectations of not only experts and analysts, but also the forecasts of the government itself and the central bank of Russia.” [Jason Ma, Fortune, April 18, 2026.]

The discontent throughout the Russian population has become palpable, and there have been reports that Putin is becoming more and more paranoid.

> Across the Atlantic in Washington, Trump was clearly unhappy with Secretary of Energy Chris Wright’s statement that gas prices may not drop below the $3/gallon mark before next year. Trump, as we all know, has been promising a rapid drop in gas prices as soon as his little “excursion” (his word) into Iran is settled — which could be as soon as tomorrow, if you believe everything he says. His major concern? The upcoming midterm elections in November, and the popular discontent with the state of the economy that is likely to swing many of those states from Republican to Democrat.

And it’s not just the cost of gas. As in Russia, the cost of war — along with a series of other economic and diplomatic blunders — has caused the price of everything to skyrocket. We, the American public, have made no secret of our collective anger, and have exhibited it in recent special elections, choosing Democrats in traditionally Republican regions . . . thus further feeding Trump’s frustration and paranoia.

*. *. *

> Then there is that little matter of free speech. We Americans take that Constitutional right very seriously, and have fought back against Trump’s attempts to stifle us via law suits, social media posts, and peaceful demonstrations. But his biggest problem has been the backlash from the mass media: TV personalities such as Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Kimmel, Seth Meyers, Jimmy Fallon, and others whom he has tried to silence have instead become folk heroes for their refusal to be gagged.

> Meanwhile, a verbal war has broken out in Moscow between celebrity blogger Viktoria Bonya, who has dared to speak out against Putin, and Vladimir Solovyov, a talk show host favorable to the Kremlin, who has attacked her with personal insults and accusations of being an agent of the West. Not to be intimidated, Bonya has struck back, calling Solovyov “an enemy of the people.” [Andrew Osborn, Reuters, April 20, 2026.]

While nearly unheard-of until recently, there have been a number of Russian journalists, broadcasters and bloggers who have made their dissenting views known. Some have been arrested and imprisoned; others, like Bonya, have fled the country but continue to voice their opinions from abroad.

*. *. *

So you can see what I mean.

I never thought I’d be comparing, rather than contrasting, life in the U.S. with events in Russia. But it is becoming more and more difficult to distinguish between the thought processes and actions of Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump, who seem to have developed a nearly symbiotic relationship.

And that is one hell of a frightening thought.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
4/21/26

I am so excited, I’m about to wet myself.

What’s that you said? You don’t know what’s going to happen at 6:00 p.m. (EDT) on Tuesday, April 21, 2026? How could you have missed it? It’s only going to be the most historic event of the century.

Because that is when Donald J. (for Jesus) Trump is going to participate in a video event from the Oval Office during which he will — oh, my stars! I can’t stand it! — read Scripture to the nation.

Let that sink in for a minute.

Shall I continue now? You’re sure?

Okay, good.

At 6:00 p.m., as people are driving home from work, preparing dinner, or picking up their children from day care, Trump’s rasping monotone will be bringing them the Word of God.

The event is called “America Reads the Bible,” which, according to their website (americareadsthebible.com), “is happening live across our nation — with leaders, pastors, and believers declaring Scripture together. This historic moment is already being fueled by generous supporters — now we’re building the next $50,000 to expand the reach of God’s Word across America.”

Their website proclaims their vision as “Celebrating the 250th birthday of the United States of America and encouraging every American to rediscover our foundation.” It is a national movement led by something called Christians Engaged — a “nonprofit organization committed to discipling Americans on biblical worldview and their responsibilities as citizens to pray, vote, and engage for the wellbeing of our nation.”

Okay, the part about being excited was sarcasm. In truth, I am about to vomit. I am also deeply offended.

According to a press release submitted by the organizers of the event, Trump will read a passage from 2 Chronicles 7:11-22, which includes the oft-repeated verse 14: “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” [Kaanita Iyer and Aleena Fayaz, CNN, April 19, 2026.]

Bunni Pounds (yes, that’s her real name), the founder and president of Christians Engaged, helped organize the event and told Fox News (who else?) that they “needed someone special to read Second Chronicles, chapter seven,” and reserved it specifically for Trump. [Id.]

Because, of course, he’s such a good Christian, who has humbled himself and turned from his wicked ways.

And because he has a direct hotline to God.

But it’s not just the disgusting hypocrisy of one of the world’s most immoral individuals posturing as a person of faith that offends me. It’s also the blatant violation of the First Amendment of our Constitution, which mandates the protection of religious freedom from government interference.

And it is, first and foremost (to my mind), the attempted annihilation of every other religion but the one he chooses to promote. Forget about Judaism, Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism; they’re apparently fake religions. And I dare not even think about what would happen to all of the agnostics and atheists out there. What will he and his good “Christian” officials do with all of us? Are there enough prisons to hold us? Will there be an Act II of the Inquisition, with a gallows in every town square?

As a practical matter, what will become of all of the synagogues, mosques and temples? Will they be converted to ICE holding facilities? Perhaps some of the larger ones would make suitable pleasure palaces for Trump’s oligarch buddies.

And once we are a full-blown theocracy, will Trump then have to be addressed as the Ayatollah? Because this movement is sounding more like the very regime from which he claims to have “saved” the people of Iran.

*. *. *

Ignore my sarcasm, please; it’s just my way of letting off steam. This is in fact a very serious matter, and one that cannot be ignored. It is more than just another Trumpian breach of the Constitution; it is an all-out attempt to control the behavior, the minds, and the very souls of the American people. It must not be allowed to take root.

And, as an aside, I have to ask: What do you suppose Jared Kushner, Kash Patel and Howard Lutnick have to say about it?

. . . which sounds like the lead-in to an old joke: “Two Jews and a Hindu walked into the Oval Office . . .”

But it’s no joke. It’s real, and it’s terrifying.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
4/20/26

It seems quite simple, really:

“What is evil? Killing is evil, lying is evil, slandering is evil, abuse is evil, gossip is evil, envy is evil, hatred is evil, to cling to false doctrine is evil, all these things are evil. And what is the root of evil? Desire is the root of evil, illusion is the root of evil.”

– Buddha

Buddha clearly understood the human failing known as evil. If only he had also been able to impart the wisdom needed to rid ourselves of it . . .

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
4/20/26

Yesterday my blog site asked me to “describe a random encounter with a stranger that stuck out positively to [me],” which immediately sent my mind off in a hundred different directions — most of them to places I’ve traveled outside the United States. It turns out that my most memorable random encounters — particularly the positive ones — took place overseas . . . and most of those, not surprisingly, in Russia, since that’s the one place I spent the most time outside the U.S.

Oh, there had been earlier experiences in other places, like the Romany (Gypsy) man lying unconscious in the street near my apartment in Prague, with blood oozing from the back of his head. But I didn’t interact with him — instead, I found a police patrol car and led them to him. (He was alive.)

And there were the cute young Russian soldiers near Fisherman’s Bastion in Budapest; but I unintentionally scared them off when I spoke to them in Russian. It was 1990, just before the breakup of the Soviet Union, and I’m sure they thought I was from the KGB or GRU, keeping tabs on them. I tried to tell them I was American, though I’m not sure they believed me. Couldn’t really blame them.

But then there was Moscow — a city of about nine million people at the time, and one of the last places a foreigner would expect to find warm, friendly, generous strangers. But I did, all the time.

Like the little old woman, on a bitterly cold February afternoon, who was appalled at my uncovered head (I hate hats) and rushed up to me, trying to pull my scarf up to cover it while loudly warning that I was going to catch pneumonia. I kept telling her I was from “the north,” and I wasn’t cold; but she refused to accept it. She was someone’s mother and babushka— much like my own grandmother — and she was simply doing what came naturally. So I thanked her, waited until she was out of sight, and lowered my scarf back around my neck where I wanted it. As long as she was happy, I was happy.

Then there was the late spring afternoon — probably a Saturday or Sunday — when I was out for a stroll in my neighborhood and encountered two young women carrying armloads of my favorite flowers: pink peonies. I stopped and asked them where I could buy some, and they laughed, saying they hadn’t bought them; they had just picked them, and that I could do the same. When I hesitated, one of the women asked where I was from. And when I explained that I was an American living and working in Moscow, she simply handed me half of her flowers, saying, “Please take them. We love Americans!” I wonder whether she would feel the same way today . . . which makes my happy memory somewhat bittersweet. I can still remember the scent of those gorgeous flowers filling my apartment for nearly a week; and the spontaneous generosity of that young woman still fills me with joy.

For a people who are naturally suspicious of authority, Russians can conversely be disarmingly trusting. Like the woman with her little girl in the Moscow Metro station.

To begin with, you have to understand that many of those stations were originally built just prior to and during World War II, and served a dual purpose as bomb shelters. So they were constructed deep, deep, deeeeep underground; and their escalators are necessarily steep, looking for all the world like stairways to Hell. And incredibly fast! So you have to be pretty agile to jump on without maiming yourself or anyone else.

Which is why I was so startled when the woman, who was carrying two shopping bags filled with groceries, suddenly thrust her little girl toward me, telling (not asking) me, in Russian, to take her hand and help her onto the escalator.

Sometimes you don’t have time to think; you just react. We were at the very top of the moving stairs, with a crowd inching toward us from behind. The child — who was around five or six years old, and apparently a veteran of the Moscow Metro system — gave me her hand, jumped onto the first step with me, and looked back to be sure her mother was right behind us. Which, of course, she was . . . still holding onto her groceries, balancing them and herself, without ever touching the handrail. I don’t know how she did that.

It was a long ride down, so I tried to speak to the girl, telling her my name — Brenda Georgievna, using the formal Russian patronymic* as one should when speaking to a child — and asking hers. But she was shy, remaining mute and staring at her shoes as though she’d never seen them before. And as we jumped off the escalator at the bottom, she let go of my hand, ran to her mother, and the two of them simply walked away without a word of acknowledgment. Clearly, I had done what was expected of any woman, Russian or otherwise: they needed a helping hand (literally), and mine was the nearest one. It’s how the Russian people have always survived: by helping one another — no questions asked, no thanks required.

* Russian middle names — known as patronymics — are derived from the father’s first name, with a masculine or feminine ending tacked on. My father’s name was George, or Georgiy in Russian, so my patronymic would be Georgiyevna. (If I were a man, it would be Georgiyevich.) This is always used in formal situations, with strangers, and with children, as a matter of courtesy. It also helps in distinguishing one “John Smith” from another.

One other encounter that has stuck in my mind occurred late on the night of July 4th in 1993 with a Moscow taxi driver who knew me and my address without asking . . .

Oh, but that was probably not random, so never mind. It was, however, memorable for its spookiness . . . just one of many unusual occurrences during those months of living and working in one of the most fascinating, and sometimes scariest, cities in the world.

I could go on, and on, and on, but that’s enough wandering down Memory Lane for now. My thanks to WordPress.com for the suggestion; it reminded me that an occasional detour into the past can be a pleasant escape from the weight of the present . . . and that was just what I needed today.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
4/19/26

On April 14th, at a sparsely-attended Turning Point USA event in Athens, Georgia, U.S. Vice President JD Vance recalled an exchange with a Ukrainian-American individual concerning his (Vance’s) position on de-funding support to Ukraine.

What he told his embarrassingly small audience was this:

“And this person got really agitated at me because I was saying we should stop funding the Ukraine war. And I still believe that, obviously, and it’s one of the things I’m proudest that we’ve done in this administration is we’ve told Europe that if you want to buy weapons, you can, but the United States is not buying weapons and sending them to Ukraine anymore.”

– JD Vance [As reported by Martin Fornusek, The Kyiv Independent, April 15, 2026.]

Well, I’m thrilled that Vance is feeling proud of himself, and that he is able to sleep well at night despite the fact that yesterday, April 18th:

• In Kyiv, Ukraine, five people were killed, including two children, and at least 60 others injured; 17 apartment buildings and 10 private homes were damaged, as well as a hotel, an office center, a car dealership, and a shopping mall — all civilian targets.
• In Odesa, nine people were killed and 23 injured. In addition, port infrastructure, administrative buildings, dormitories, and residential homes were damaged.
• In Dnipro, three people were killed and 34 injured.
• In Kharkiv, one woman was killed and six others injured. [Roman Sheremeta, Facebook, April 18, 2026.]

Those are some good “Christian” values you’ve got there, JD. I’m sure it will all be taken into consideration when you are finally brought to justice . . . whether in this world or the next.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
4/19/26

Let’s start with the good news.

Russia is far from the only country illegally holding political hostages from the United States and elsewhere. One such has been Dennis Coyle, 64, who — after more than a year in a prison in Afghanistan with no charges having been filed against him or any reason given for his arrest — is now back in the United States with his family.

Coyle had spent more than 20 years working as an academic researcher in Afghanistan. His release was negotiated, with the help of the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, just weeks after the U.S. declared Afghanistan a sponsor of wrongful detention. The Taliban Foreign Ministry confirmed his release, saying in a statement that:

“ . . . the Supreme Court determined that his previous detention was sufficient. The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan carried out this action based on humanitarian considerations and goodwill, and believes that such steps can further strengthen an atmosphere of trust between countries. It also expressed hope that both nations will find solutions to remaining issues through mutual understanding and constructive dialogue in the future.” [Jennifer Hansler, CNN, March 25, 2026.]

Right . . . the Taliban suddenly grew a heart.

Following Coyle’s return, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued the following carefully-worded statement:

“Today, after more than a year of captivity in Afghanistan, Dennis Coyle is on his way home. We thank the United Arab Emirates for its support in securing Dennis’ release. We also appreciate Qatar’s continued support and advocacy for Americans unjustly detained in Afghanistan.

“While this is a positive step by the Taliban, more work needs to be done. We are still seeking the immediate return of Mahmood Habibi, Paul Overby, and all other unjustly detained Americans.” [Id.]

*. *. *

Which brings us to the bad news: that, despite U.S. hopes that Habibi and Overby would be produced and released along with Coyle, that did not happen.

Habibi, a joint Afghan-American citizen, had led the Afghan Aviation Authority under the U.S.-backed government before the withdrawal of U.S. troops in 2021. He was working as a consultant for a Kabul-based telecommunications firm when he and his driver were abducted from their vehicle in Kabul by Taliban forces in August of 2022, and has been held incommunicado ever since. According to his family, the Taliban deny that they are holding him. [Foley Foundation, undated.]

*. *. *

Paul Overby’s case is even more mysterious than Habibi’s. He is an 84-year-old American author who was last seen in Khost City, Afghanistan, in May of 2014, while conducting research for a new book. He was reportedly on his way to Waziristan in Pakistan’s Federally Administered Tribal Areas when he disappeared. In May of 2018, the FBI’s Washington Field Office announced a reward of up to $1,000,000 for information leading to his safe return, which as of the present time remains unclaimed. [Foley Foundation, April 6, 2026.]

While Overby’s fate is unknown, his family believes he is being held by the Taliban, and continues to hold out hope for his eventual return.

*. *. *

In the meantime, we continue our watch over the many other political prisoners still incarcerated in Russia and elsewhere. Here again is the list of those known, which sadly is only a fraction of the total:

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
Countless Journalists and Other Dissidents

Political Prisoners:

In Afghanistan:

Dennis Coyle (American)
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)
Gordon Black (American)
Hayden Davies (British)
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
Grigory Melkonyants
Nika Novak
Leonid Pshenychnov (in Russian-occupied Crimea)
Nadezhda Rossinskaya (a.k.a. Nadin Geisler)
Sofiane Sehili (French)
Igor Sergunin
Dmitry Shatresov
Robert Shonov
Grigory Skvortsov
Eugene Spector (American)
Joseph Tater (American, disappeared)
Laurent Vinatier
Robert Romanov Woodland (American)

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

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
4/19/26

Earlier today I related the strange tale of Ilya Remeslo, a Russian lawyer and blogger who, after years of being a vocal supporter of Vladimir Putin and his regime, suddenly did an about-face last month and posted a disavowal of Putin, his administration, and the war in Ukraine. In return for his outspokenness, he spent 30 days in a horrific psychiatric hospital in St. Petersburg.

It is not yet known what caused Remeslo to change his tune so abruptly, though he has promised that an explanation will be forthcoming in the near future. One possibility, of course, is that he did suffer a psychotic break and genuinely needed treatment. But more likely, he — like so many people living in authoritarian societies around the world — simply saw the light and felt compelled to speak out against the lies, the violence, and the corruption, and was punished for it.

If Remeslo did indeed have an epiphany, perhaps he had been reading the works of one of Russia’s preeminent authors — the creator of the immortal War and Peace, Anna Karenina, and others — who wrote:

“Wrong does not cease to be wrong because the majority share in it.”

– Leo Tolstoy, “A Confession”

Perhaps that is something we all — not just Russians — should keep in mind in these strange and turbulent political times.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
4/18/26