"We all live in a yellow submarine"

They have already successfully passed the stage of 'import protection,' and now they have begun to make sure that Russia's borders are not crossed by 'undesirable persons,' in addition to Parmesan and other bourgeois delicacies. That is, those who, to put it mildly, do not accept the manner of behavior of Putin's under-empire.

The most interesting thing that has happened in recent days is the ban on the entry of former US President Barack Obama to Russia. Americans are not liked in the 'swamps,' and even more so, they are despised. Especially after the appearance of Patriot, HIMARS and other modern weapons in Ukraine. But I think they would have a special approach to Obama. After all, it is he, the Democratic president, who has long been toying with the idea of a 'reset' in relations with Moscow. In fact, this idea took on a life of its own. So much so that Washington even turned a half-hearted eye to the Russian invasion of Georgia. Michael McFaul, the then Director of Russian and Eurasian Affairs at the US National Security Council, even stated: “The United States is considered an adversary there (in Russia. - Ed.). And I am sure that when they talk about us among themselves, they use much harsher words. They think that our first goal in the world is to weaken Russia and to do everything to strengthen us and weaken Russia.”

I would only add that Obama had to deal with Dmitry Medvedev as Moscow's 'leader' at the time, and perhaps 15 years ago, even in their worst dreams, Americans did not imagine what this amusing dwarf would turn into…

“Obama had to deal with Dmitry Medvedev as Moscow's 'leader,' and perhaps 15 years ago, even in their worst dreams, Americans could not have imagined what this amusing dwarf would turn into…”

The 'reset' did not work. And the current anger at Obama is probably caused by the memory that back then, in those relatively 'cloudless' years, Joe Biden worked as the young American leader's vice president…

Another unwanted guest for the Kremlin is the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court in The Hague, Karim Khan. The Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs has even put him on the wanted list, though without specifying what crimes he is wanted for. With Khan, everything is clear: it is his personal signature that stands under the international arrest warrant for Putin himself. If I were the latter, I would not risk spoiling my relationship with the prosecutor to such an extent, and give him the opportunity (if he wants, of course) to visit some 'Mukhostransk' or other places. Because suddenly it may happen that Mr. Khan will be the chief international prosecutor in The Hague…

Despite some persona non grata, Russia also decided to get rid of the presence of some reputable organizations. For example, Greenpeace was declared undesirable in Russia. And in this case, the case is even more interesting than the entry ban for Obama or the wanted list for Khan.

“Despite some persona non grata, Russia also decided to get rid of the presence of some reputable organizations. For example, Greenpeace was declared undesirable in Russia. And in this case, the case is even more interesting than the entry ban for Obama or the wanted list for Khan.”

Greenpeace, as an environmental organization, should not interfere in 'politics,' according to the Kremlin. Nevertheless, its activists may be involved (so the Russian investigators think) in international oil sanctions, which cause considerable damage to the marshland economy. In April last year, even before any hydrocarbon restrictions were in place, Greenpeace blocked Russian tankers in Norway to protest Putin's invasion of Ukraine.

The other day, Russian propaganda and its apparently 'working-class correspondent' and part-time secretary of the Russian Security Council, Nikolai Patrushev, began to spread a fake about a radioactive cloud from Ukraine that is heading for Europe. They say that after the strikes of high-precision Russian weapons on Ternopil and Khmelnytskyi, depots with depleted uranium ammunition were destroyed there. And now Poland is threatened by radioactive contamination. In unison with Patrushev, Israeli political scientist Yaakov Kedmi reported an increase in the level of bismuth (which may be a product of uranium decay) in the Lublin Voivodeship. However, as it turned out, this 'nuclear' political scientist has been on the EU's list of pro-Kremlin propagandists since February…

“The current State Duma deputy Maxim Shingarkin was the one who had the most to do with the ban on Greenpeace in Russia. He used to work as a coordinator of Greenpeace's nuclear projects in Russia, and now, in his official capacity as a deputy, he has declared the 'uranium plume' to be complete nonsense.”

But the one who had the most to do with Greenpeace's ban in Russia was the current State Duma deputy, Maxim Shingarkin. He used to work as a coordinator of the Greens' nuclear projects in Russia, and now, in his official capacity as a deputy, he has declared that the 'uranium plume' is complete nonsense. “Uranium does not burn when hit by high-explosive munitions, and it is impossible to contaminate a huge area by bombing a depleted uranium munitions warehouse intended for armor-piercing combat.”

After such a statement, the efforts of Patrushev and Co. went to waste. And, by the way, if only they were concerned about the nuclear safety of Europe, launching missiles over the occupied Ukrainian Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant...

Maybe the Kremlin is really planning a future in the “yellow submarine"  when Ukrainian defenders throw out its army of rapists and looters, and Karim Khan comes to Moscow on a business trip without asking Putin?

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

The editors don't always share the opinions expressed by the authors of the blogs.