“Argentina, 1985". A short synopsis for Russia

The conclusion of the ISW (Institute for the Study of War) that Putin, under the guise of terrorism, is unleashing a spiral of internal repression in Russia itself, does not seem original. Because a state recognized by many countries as a terrorist for its policy of aggression, blackmail, "unfriendly" gestures (explosions, attacks on politicians, journalists, cyberwar) against the West, and open aggression with elements of genocide and terrorist missile attacks on civilians in a neighboring country, a priori cannot use the same tools for its own population.

“The world can be outraged by the terror against the population of Putin's empire as much as it wants, but the fact is that the same population still demonstrates incredible support for their leader's policy. In particular, three quarters of Russians, despite the flow of black body bags and funerals in the small regions, applaud the war in Ukraine and prefer to "fight" to the last bullet…”

That is, a war on all sides, is an old concept of Russian "statesmen", from Lenin to Putin.  "Fortress under siege" must live by the laws of internal terror. Against the political opposition (the task is almost completed), against the so-called "foreign agents" (here, too, the Kremlin can put a tick), against unruly business (there is no such thing anymore)... Now it's about marginal "collaborators of the West", deserters, pacifists.  There were also other - "tightening" - repressions.  In particular, the State Duma started a campaign against LGBT people.

But... The world can be outraged by the terror against the population of Putin's empire as much as it wants, but the fact is that the same population still demonstrates incredible support for their leader's policy. In particular, three quarters of Russians, despite the flow of black body bags and funerals in the small regions, applaud the war in Ukraine and prefer to "fight" to the last bullet...

 ... There is such a rather instructive film "Argentina, 1985". It is about already forgotten events in the Latin American country, which got rid of the power of the fascist dictatorship of the military after the death of the legally elected Juan Domingo Peron.  The triad of generals – Jorge Rafael Videla, Emilio Eduardo Massera, and Orlando Ramon Agosti—quite "decently" proclaimed the "third way" (hello to the "sovereign democracy of Putin-Chubais-Surkov!"), but they walked this "way" with repression, kidnappings, and torture. However, due to the opposition of the people, the junta was forced to hand over power to civilians.

And that's when the most interesting thing began. With all directness, the question of the responsibility of criminals arose before the Argentine society. It was not worth relying on the military tribunal: it, due to the conflict of interests and "corporate solidarity", hastily passed an acquittal for the trio of generals, citing "political necessity" and "executive syndrome".  Moreover, the tribunal tried to shift the blame to those who resisted the junta, "arranging disorder and chaos."

And then the prosecutor Julio Strassera took up the case.  He and a young team of lawyers (because the experienced ones were "burnt in milk and blowing on the cold water") managed to gather evidence in record time and arrest the organizers of the terror.  At the same time, the motivating moral factor for Strassera was his personal passivity during the years of the dictatorship…

“It was not worth relying on the military tribunal: it, due to the conflict of interests and "corporate solidarity", hastily passed an acquittal for the trio of generals, citing "political necessity" and "executive syndrome". Moreover, the tribunal tried to shift the blame to those who resisted the junta, "arranging disorder and chaos."

What will happen in Russia?

Without any doubt, the International Criminal Court will take charge of the war crimes of Putin and his thugs in uniforms and ties. There should be no doubt about its competence and objectivity (sometimes even too much from the point of view of Ukrainians).  In any case, the statements of Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan do not give grounds for this.  The Ukrainian side carefully provides the court with reasoned evidence of war crimes committed by the Russian Federation. In addition, the ICC team works in Ukraine, which is also involved in documenting future charges.

But who will prosecute the criminals in Russia itself, when all the surrender documents will be signed, when the question of responsibility for the total zombification of Russians with wild propaganda, the suppression of any movements of freedom, and trumped-up charges against individual dissidents will clearly arise. Who will pass judgement on the dictatorship that turned Russia into Pol Pot's Kampuchea?  Who will dare to take on the role of prosecutor Strassera when the majority of his countrymen were essentially accomplices of Putin and his regime? It does not matter whether they were passive or active. The bottom line is that with the hands of the majority, Putin gained power several times, held the highest position, did what he wanted - in the world and in his own country.

“Who will prosecute the criminals in Russia itself, when all the surrender documents will be signed, when the question of responsibility for the total zombification of Russians with wild propaganda, the suppression of any movements of freedom, and trumped-up charges against individual dissidents will clearly arise.”

Who will make a kind of moral coming-out, an act of repentance and fulfillment of civic duty in post-Putin Russia, which is totally burned out from the point of view of a normal human conscience?

I consider such a tribunal vital for Russia. And, by the way, I don't pin too much hope for those lawyers who managed to break out of Putin's isolation, build careers abroad, and criticize the hated regime from there. I hope that the member countries of the anti-Putin coalition will take up the deputization of the former Russian Federation, its denazification and all related matters. This is a huge job and a huge responsibility.  This, moreover, is "dirty work" - to clean the Augean stables of Russian reality.

But we can not do without it. In order to "never again". This is how Argentinian prosecutor Strassera finished his last word in court.

About the author. Ihor Hulyk is a journalist, editor-in-chief of the website Espreso. Zahid.

The editors do not always share the opinions expressed by the authors of the blogs.