Dmitry Popov a columnist for the mass circulation Moskovski Komsomolets wrote an article titled The De-Westernization of Russia: A War on Our Land that Cannot Be Lost in which he settles accounts with pro-Western oligarchs and intellectuals. A welcome byproduct of the fighting is that these will be now swept aside by a new elite formed on the battlefields of Ukraine.
As Popov himself remarks in the article he never liked the old establishment including the ruling United Russia party. But now, the ruling party has nowhere to go and they no longer can be agents of the oligarchs and foreign agents. Thanks to the war, Russia can have a renaissance and purge itself of the corrosion that had set in.
Popov's article follows below:[1]
"In a week, things have by and large become clear with Ukraine; demilitarization and de-Nazification are progressing coherently, unhurriedly and irresistibly. These goals will be concluded. Right now, the other side is somewhere between bargaining and acceptance. Another issue is of far greater salience: how will Russia's de-Westernization go. After all, right now we are living in a moment with the potential for an era of rebirth, and for a Russian renaissance.
"Regarding the purely military aspects, it's worth noting Russia's complete air superiority (Ukraine's air defense has ceased to exist, its aviation was effectively destroyed), the ZSU's [Armed Forces of Ukraine] dwindling fuel supplies, and, of course, the huge salient in the DNR and LNR, in which the most combat-ready Ukrainian units have already been trapped.
"These military aspects have already affected Zelenskyy's rhetoric, who, first, 'has grown cold to NATO' (having finally realized that Western partners are willing to fight [with Russia] only with Ukrainian hands), and second, commenting on recognition of Crimea as part of Russia and the independence of the LDPR, he stated that 'we can discuss it and find a compromise on how people will live there.'
"In other words, a positive dynamic can be seen. Perhaps the talks, three rounds of which have already taken place, will also begin to bear fruit. Unless, of course, the Ukrainian nationalists murder their entire delegation, as they killed the negotiator, Denis Kireev. In fact, the talks are starting to pay off: a humanitarian corridor from Sumy, began operation (alas with difficulties).
"Our 'humanitarian' corridors have also started to profit: those who were spending their lives in the West (mostly oligarchs), or those who acted as a 'conscience of the nation,' who instantly turned into a collective of 'ashamed individuals,' began to flee Russia en masse. The smarter of those people, like Ksenia Sobchak, camouflage their departure as a previously scheduled vacation.
"Some people are being openly evacuated. For instance, Marina Davydova, Editor of 'Theater magazine,' was picked up at night by a car with Lithuanian diplomatic plates. Strange, isn't it? Well, nothing strange. After all, to destroy a country by discretely undermining its culture, is also an element of war.
"[Such people believe that] the more 'naked girl scouts', desperation and other degenerate trash appear on stage, the better. When did it ever happen that a famous film critic (who fled abroad) praised a single movie, where the Russians weren't displayed as shit? It was never the case. [According to them,] a good film is one with netherworld horror, hopelessness and leaden filth. Such a movie has to go immediately to the festival!
"Now that all these 'sleeper [agents]' have been exposed, including in the media, a purge has fortunately begun. However, there is an important aspect in this regard, it turned out that all of them were sitting pretty on public money, one way or the other,. This must be stopped once and for all.
"Do you want to stage a play about non-binary genders? Go ahead, but do it in a private theater and with private money. Is Andrew the musician [meaning Andrey Makarevich] ashamed of his country? He should play his concerts behind the barn! Not a single venue, radio station, or television channel with state participation should provide him with airtime."
Andrey Makarevich should play behind barns (Source: Lenta.ru)
"All sick people, who want to enjoy the view of 'Big Clay №4' [famous sculpture by Urs Fischer, which the comic Maxim Galkin compared to a 12 meter stack of non-meticulous poop] are welcome to visit private galleries (which shouldn't enjoy any preference, like favorable rent or reduced taxes). There are lists [of such people], after all they put their signatures under [anti-military] 'proclamations,' all that is required is the will."
The controversial Big Clay no.4 (Source: Regnum.ru)
"The wheat is being separated from the chaff, the country must not lose in the ideological war, and the 'rust' eating away [at the country] must be completely scrubbed out. Also we must not allow a new one to appear. The lines of the Russian Silver Age poet, Georgy Ivanov are most relevant today, 'I am for war, for intervention, I am for the Tsar, even if he is dead. I despise the Russian intelligentsia to the very end.'
"It should be noted that there are Malchishi-Kibaltshishi [a patriotic character in one of the Arkady Gaidar's novels] amongst the intelligentsia, for example: [conductor Valery] Gergiev, [Metropolitan Opera Soprano Anna] Netrebko. Another one is Valentin Yudashkin, who was blocked from participating at 'Paris Fashion Week' for not betraying his country. In fact, there are many more of such people, but the 'Russian intelligentsia' is simply much more vocal, and only recognizes its own Russophobes as 'intelligentsia.' This gives the impression that the 'best people,' the 'elite,' condemn the country.
"And perhaps it is time to stop using the word 'elite' in reference to all the oligarchs and Russophobes. The true Russian elite is now being formed the Ukrainian battlefields, emerging from the smoke of gunpowder. Pushkin, for example, could not get enlisted into military service, because his family didn't have enough money to enroll the young Alexander in the Lifeguards Hussar Regiment stationed at 'Tsarskoye Selo.' Do you understand? They had no money not for dodging service, but for enlistment.
"A 'deep' change occurred in the economy: the big Western players, who have left the [Russian] market, also have lost the opportunity to lobby on behalf of their interests. This means that our bureaucratic apparatus will no longer be able to feed itself by promoting foreign companies and pushing out domestic ones. They nu longer have such an option.
"And in order to give the 'weasels' a slap on the wrist, Prime Minister Mishustin issued an order that deals with companies on the list of countries unfriendly to Russia be scrutinized by a government commission for controlling foreign investment. It consists of Central Bank and Presidential Administration representatives.
"On the whole, it seems that a Chinese option is emerging. Small and medium business (judging by Putin's statements) gets full freedom are exempted (including for a long time) from audits. However, large business... In China it is nationalized. What's preventing us from doing so? I've never liked the United Russia party [hereafter - UR] for their servicing of the oligarchs' interests.
"But today UR has nowhere to go, and they have come up with the excellent proposal of nationalizing the production facilities of companies which announce that they are withdrawing from Russia and shutting down production facilities there Russia during the special operation in Ukraine. If you shut down a plant or a store, that's it, goodbye. There are simply no super-complex problems in ironing out production there. If you provide freedom to entrepreneurs in your country, there won't be any problems.
"This very day we must begin building, building, and building plants and factories, to restore, what can be restored. [I'm primarily talking] about electronics and the aviation industry. We should spare no expense and forget about licenses, patents, and other rules. We can give 'carbon neutrality a shove and shut up Greta Thunberg.
"The deal is done. Those Western partners who believe that something is due them can get their money from the sanctions-frozen Central Bank funds. Putin has already directed that debts to foreign creditors to be paid in rubles. And they will acquire them from the Russian Central Bank at a sound rate, for example, according to the 'Big Mac index,' i.e. 27 rubles per USD.
"Economically, de-Westernization will be more difficult. The 'sleeper agents' within it are much more cunning. But Russia's fate will be decided there. And there are only two options: either victory, or we will simply cease to exist."
Dmitry Popov (Source: Pikabu.ru)
[1] Mk.ru, March 8, 2022.
