The alternation of carrots and sticks is a classic method of mass control in dictatorial regimes, which was demonstrated yesterday in one of them. However, in addition to this, its leader could not contain his emotions over the shameful failure of the punitive action against Sergei Skripal, whom he called a scoundrel and a traitor.
This outburst occurred after the exposure by British intelligence of the «Petrov and Boshirov» pair, disguised as businessmen-gay men, the latter of whom turned out to be Anatoly Chepiga, who was awarded the title of «Hero of Russia» for rescuing Ukrainian dictator Viktor Yanukovych from the revolting people.
Now, in addition to the undeniable facts of the involvement of representatives of the Russian intelligence services in this attack, the hatred that Putin personally poured out on Skripal leaves no doubt that he had a motive to deal with him. But there is something else interesting.
In addition to calling the British citizens affected by the «Petrov-Boshirov» chemical attack (one of whom died) «bums», Putin hatefully calls Skripal himself a «traitor to the motherland». Meanwhile, it is known that after the collapse of the USSR, Skripal — the son of a Soviet military officer and secretary of the district committee of the Soviet Communist Party — refused to swear allegiance to the Russian Federation because he did not recognize the legitimate power that destroyed the USSR.
The same power that Putin served at that time as an assistant to Anatoly Sobchak — one of the main gravediggers of the Soviet Union, to whom Putin also swore allegiance, just like Skripal. So, if we look at this situation through Skripal’s eyes, the question of who will be the «traitor to the homeland» remains.
After all, the former agent agreed to work not against his Soviet homeland, but against the company responsible for embezzling and disposing of it, knowing full well what it was doing, with examples of mafia and corruption schemes in Spain that he witnessed. But Putin’s words are worth nothing.
This was shown yesterday when he signed a law raising the retirement age. Although in previous years he promised the whole world that he would not allow this to happen while he was in power. Of course, such a resonant event required a distraction, which Putin and his propagandists achieved not only with the show about Skripal, but also by granting a little royal mercy to his subjects.
It is a matter of mitigating the punishment under Article 282 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, «Incitement to hatred and enmity and humiliation of human dignity,» which has long become a tool of punishment against dissidents. But do not think that this means the abandonment of the practice itself — right now, for liking and reposting with this offense, the first time will be opened against a person an administrative case, and only the second time will be opened a criminal case.
In other words, the carrot given at the same time as the stick is quite small. If you openly express everything you think about those who have robbed millions of people of their pensions for the sake of military adventures (because these millions will simply not live to see the new retirement age), the first time you will be heavily fined, and only then will you be imprisoned. If, however, in your indignation you decide to move from words to action, be sure — you will be declared terrorists, scumbags, and traitors to the homeland.