Boris Nemtsov


The democratic flame ignites in Belarus (Updated)

Updated with latest dispatches, August 17, 2020 (02:50 a.m. EDT). See 1) Friedrich Schmidt, “TELEGRAM-KANAL NEXTA LIVE: Gegen den Trash https://www.faz.net/aktuell/politik/ausland/belarus-telegram-kanal-ist-zentral-fuer-demonstranten-16907720.html Lukaschenka; Ein Telegram-Kanal mit…


High crimes and misdemeanors: Flynn, Comey, and Russians in the Oval Office

After Comey’s firing, it was learned that subpoenas have been issued to Michael Flynn to produce all papers and records related to his contacts and business dealings with the Russians.

Flynn has apparently commited acts which might constitute serious crimes. If prosecuted and convicted, he could spend many years in prison. His earlier efforts to gain immunity in exchange for his testimony before Congressional committees failed.

Flynn’s testimony could be explosive. It may be the key to blowing open the conspiracy involving collusion with the Russians, if there is one. If he talks, he could bring the whole Trump charade on Russia crashing down.

Hopefully he is under very good security protection.
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Russia’s “Trump card”

Putin’s “Trump card” is already paying off. While the focus in he U.S. media has been on whether there was collusion between the Trump campaign and the Russians intervening in the U.S. election, less attention has been paid to the reasons for Trump’s pro-Russian positions and failure to criticize Putin.

The strongest hypothesis for this behavior is that Trump has been compromised by the Russians. This will remain the strongest hypothesis until an alternative, more persuasive explanation is presented.


Putin threatens life of leading opposition leader Aleksei Navalny, then arrrests him and others at demonstrations in Russia — Meanwhile, Tillerson is racing to Moscow

When the life of the leading opposition figure in Russia is directly threatened, we may safely assume that the action did not occur without the knowledge and direction of Russia’s all-powerful dictator, Vladimir Putin.

On March 19, 2017, Alexsei Navalny, that opposition leader, was attacked with a green chemical that turned ut to be benign. Following the recent assassination in Malaysia of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, by having a deadly chemical smeared on him, the threat and the lesson for Navalny could not have been clearer: Next time it could be a deadly chemical. Putin in the past has demonstrated that Russia has great mastery and experience in this area.







Top articles on Putin, the Ukraine, and Russia

Check back for updates Some of the best articles by the Trenchant Observer on Putin, the Ukraine, and Russia include the following: (1) “Russian propaganda…



REPRISE: After disappearing act, Vladimir Putin remains prime suspect in Nemtsov assassination

After disappearing act, Vladimir Putin remains prime suspect in Nemtsov assassination Originally published on March 17, 2015 See (1) Nemtsov assassination represents a stark warning…


After disappearing act, Vladimir Putin remains prime suspect in Nemtsov assassination

Developing See (1) “Ukraine Update: Overview and signficance of the continuing Russan invasion »Nemtsov assassination represents a stark warning to the opposition: ‘Criticize Putin, especially…


Ukraine Update: Overview and signficance of the continuing Russan invasion

Developing See Matthew Schofield, “A year after Russia took Crimea, stronger Ukraine military braces for long fight, McClatchyDC, March 5, 2015 (updated 4:17 p.m. EDT)….