THE VERY START OF MILLENNIUM:
THE TEST OF PUTIN'S GUTS
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by Edward Limonov
The arrival of Third Millennium I have celebrated in frozen city of Krasnoyarsk,
in company of my tiny girlfriend Nastya, 18, bottle of vodka, bottle of
champagne plus old television set. From my window I could observe a wooden
cottage "izba" where Lenin have lived in 1897, when he stopped at Krasnoyarsk,
heading to his exile to Schuschenskoye village. Actually distance from my window
to Lenin's "izba" was 10 meters or so. Temperature was 36 below zero. As a man
of letters with a huge imagination I loved that coincidence: Krasnoyarsk, Lenin,
minus-36, Nastya, plus I was writing book about Anatoly Bykov. Comrades from
National-Bolshevik Party have called from Moscow to congratulate me. Then, few
minutes before midnight some friends of Anatoly Bykov have called to say a good
millennium to me. Unfortunately Bykov himself, famous "Godfather of Siberia,"
was imprisoned in Moscow, behind the bars of Lefortovo Prison.
When we arrived
at Yaroslavsky train station, I and Nastya, Moscow revealed to be as ugly as
ever. Probably it was less policemen on the streets. Never frozen Moscow's mud,
humid, perfect for tuberculosis climate, ugly, Muscovites...
The following days
all the party problems have arrived: various debts, comrades arrested in Latvia,
betrayals, lawyers, surveillance of FSB, nauseous Putin on television... My
parents in Kharkov (Ukraine) both falled ill, my father, 82, have broke his hip.
(Bad son, I cannot even go to visit my parents, I will be arrested on Ukrainian
territory, I am accused of crime, punished by article 62 of Ukrainian Criminal
Code)... One of my friends here in Moscow revealed to me that high FSB official
attempted to recruit him to inform on me. According to FSB official "the
terrible conspiracy is underway," and I am head of it.
Then in the middle of
January, Putin met his media people. He said to them that rumors about death of
freedom of expression in Russia are exaggerated. That press is free, except for
extremists. Amongst his 33 guests, I have noticed (via television of course) fat
boy Kostya Ernst and editor-in-chief of tiny Novosibirsk newspaper "Novaya
Sibir". It happened that I know the story of "Novaya Sibir". I have read few
issues. Having press conference in Novosibirsk in May, 2000, I answered couple
of base questions by journalist of "Novaya Sibir", lovely girl, however.
Newspaper is notorious for denouncement in 1999 of Pugachev's group, later
arrested and accused by Kazakhstan's authorities of staging separatist coup in
Ust-Kamenogorsk, Kazakhstan. Few weeks before arrest of Pugachev'' people,
"Novaya Sibir" have published confessions of one allegedly perspective
participant: Cossak Sergei Svoikin (that fucking informer, tried to infiltrate
National-Bolsheviks in 1997-98). That precisely an information in "Novaya Sibir"
led to arrest and trial of Pugachev's group. They are slowly dying now in
Kazakhstan's camps because of that brave new newspaper. It is interesting why
amongst choosen ones, amongst only 33 representatives of vast ocean of Russian
media was invited tiny "Novaya Sibir", circulation 3000, provincial newspaper?
For their work of betrayal of Russian patriots to foreign country Putin have
invited "Novaya Sibir"? He is favoring "Stukatchi"?
On January 18, I completed
corrections of my manuscript: "Bykov's Cause: Investigation", and have submitted
it to my publishers. The very same day Pavel Borodin was arrested in New York.
According to a witness, journalist representing Moscow's "Novaya Gazeta" in New
York, Borodin appeared deeply shocked and scared: "He was like a small child
when people from Russian Embassy eventually arrived, he throw himself to them.
He took his medicine... hands shaking."
New York City court have adjourned his
decision on Borodin's detention and his extradition to Swiss, until January 25.
So, Borodin went to Brooklyn prison. In 1996 it was Pavel Borodin who took
unemployed Vladimir Putin to his staff at presidential administration. Putin was
deeply in shit in that time, he have lost his job, because his protector Sobchak
fell down. So, Borodin actually saved Putin, but he also put him on the shortest
road to his spectacular career, to Presidency. As Borodin went to prison, Putin
said and did nothing.
On January 19, Russian Embassy proposed American side to
set Borodin free for a bail of $300,000 with a promise that he will stay at
Russian Embassy compound. And that he will wear a special electronical bracelet,
which will indicate his constant presence to American policemen. No, said
American side, such humiliating conditions were not enough sure, to satisfy
American side. United States officials have adopted a false motivations for
explaining its act of kidnapping: a Swiss demand. In my opinion it was either
poisonous farewell of Bill Klinton, or poisonous hello of George Bush personally
to Putin. A test of his guts.
In the evening of January 19, television station
NTV staged a show, "Vox Populi" (Voice of the People) dedicated to Borodin's
detention. More than 23,000 callers have expressed their faith towards Swiss
justice and only 490 endorsed a Russian justice. More amazingly, Russians have
proved that they are not a patriots at all. At least those Russians, who were
present at "Vox Populi" show that evening. Most of them showed a sense of
satisfaction by Borodin's detention. They applauded to Swiss Felipe Turover, a
small crook, vulgar scoundrel from every point of view, an insolent schmak
actually, when Turover argued with Genrikh Padva, Borodin's lawyer. I could not
believe my eyes and ears: that was none, who protested against detention by
foreign country of Russian high-ranking public official. Russians, present at
"Vox Populi", behaved as in time of Tatar's invasion. They were rejoiced by the
fact that allegedly corrupted "boyarin" was seized by Tatars. They have no
notion that one thing is Borodin's involvement or not involvement in financial
scandals: the guilty or not guilty should be pronounced by Russian court. The
other thing is a deep humiliation, suffered by all Russian nation because of
forceful kidnapping of Russian politician by foreign powers. In old times such
gensture could lead to war. Easily. As to Swiss, who stole Jewish martyrs'
money, Swiss is not in position of giving lessons of moral, not in position to
judge Russian politician (even if he is corrupt), because Swiss is corrupt as a
State. As to USA, those brave guys, brave "molodtchiks" committed so much crimes
recently. The last one is poisoning by uranium of allied military men, Italians,
Germans, as well as Albanians in Kosovo. American officials should be kidnapped
in Italy, in Germany, in Kosovo. Borodin harmed no one. American military killed
many. When show was over, I felt deep disgust, "What a citizenry! What a stupid
Russian crowd!"
On next day Russian television slavishly translated ceremony of
Inauguration of George Bush Junior. All television channels have broadcasted all
the details. Borodin's cause was pushed away to number three news. Healthy
country would protest kidnapping of its politician by angrily supress-ing that
fucking inauguration of a president of aggressor State. Or just showing it for a
second with an image of Hitler afterwards! Why my compatriots are such village
idiots? I wonder.
Late in the evening I had a pleasure to watch on television
screen the Russian guests of American Ambassador, who have visited Ambassador's
House for inauguration occasion. Pedophile Borovoi of course, demagogue Lukin,
but also was there, oh, surprise-surprise-Gennady Zyuganov, Communist Party
chief. Ill-advised he was, of course, as he is not very bright himself, ill
advised he was to go to American Ambassador's house in the evening of
inauguration. Only two days after Secretary of Russia-Belorussia Union was
kidnapped by the United States of America. Patriot Zyuganov, shit!
And no Putin
on television. Where is he? Bronzing his skin in Sochi, as in time of submarine
"Kursk" drowning? Hey, Vladimir Vladimirovich, your friend is in American
prison, do you understand that? You are obliged to Borodin, he saved you, he
introduced you to Yeltsin, who made you a president, so do something! Call Bush:
he will say "No," then sort out most high-ranking American official on Russian
soil and take him into custody. Add to American one, a couple of Swiss "heroes".
Send them to Butyrka. We will pleasure to see what will happen.
But you never will do it, Vladimir Putin, Mister President. Have no guts to do it.