Posted on 07/09/2014 4:31:42 PM PDT by 1rudeboy
The change in tone is already evident on Russia’s propaganda channels, which still depict the rebel fighters as heroes and martyrs—but not a part of any Russian war. “No one is talking about sending in troops anymore. That conversation is over,” says Mikhail Leontiev, one of the leading spin doctors on state-controlled TV. “Now the people need to understand that if Russia falls into this military trap, it will be worst of all for the people of eastern Ukraine, even for the fighters...."
The fighters would beg to differ. In endless missives to the Russian leadership over the past few months, they have asked with growing anger and desperation for the Kremlin to send in troops or at least...advanced weaponry. “We don’t have the means to fight so many tanks,” Igor Girkin...said in a video appeal to Moscow on June 19. “I’m still hoping that Moscow has enough shame to take some kind of measures.”
But instead of offering much material assistance, Putin’s allies seem to have launched a slander campaign against Girkin and his men, even accusing them of “crying like women” about a lack of firepower before abandoning the rebel stronghold of Slavyansk this weekend. “He gave up the city without any pressure from the Ukrainian side,” Sergei Kurginyan, another prominent Kremlin propagandist, said in a video denunciation of the rebels. “No one was advancing against him.”
This claim seemed out of sync with the fighting on the ground. For days before the rebels fled Slavyansk on July 5 the Ukrainian army had besieged them, bombarding their positions with heavy artillery and cutting off supplies of food, electricity and water. Indeed, in the first week of June, Kurginyan had himself campaigned for Russia to send military contractors to assist Girkin and his men.
(Excerpt) Read more at time.com ...
Putin may be a lot of things, but I don’t think he’s a coward.
Wonder where all the Putinista’s went? They used to be regulars on every thread whining about Right Sector (who only got 2% of the vote in the latest election) and NATO conspiracies.
Looks like the Ukrainians will eradicate the pro-Russian terrorists, solidify their alliance with the West, and hopefully begin the process of getting Crimea back.
Russia may have gained some territory (Crimea) in the short term, but they’ve turned the average Ukranian so against them that they will be more eager than ever to break away from Putin’s sphere of influence.
They’ll be on FR soon enough. It’s still, what, 4am in Moscow?
I took them more as paulbot conspiracy theorists who are probably over on InfoWars discussing how those big, fuel laden airliners didn't really bring the towers down.
Let’s just say that they’re a curious mix. And in a tougher spot now, because the Russian official line is shifting (if there is some truth to this account).
Yeah, I'll agree to that description.
And in a tougher spot now, because the Russian official line is shifting (if there is some truth to this account).
I think the election hurt their propaganda effort too. When they spend all their time crying and whining about Right Sector, and said boogeyman only gets 2% of the vote in the latest election it becomes hard to blame fascists for everything.
My guess is Putin took what he could get and realized his largely hollow army couldn't really hold Eastern Ukraine without inviting a long, bloody guerilla/partisan conflict that would ruin his economy and that he couldn't win anyway. All he can do is continue being disruptive in Eastern Ukraine (which he may still choose to do), but that invites deeper sanctions and further infuriating a neighboring country that Russia doesn't want to alienate forever.
Looks like the “worm has turned”.
Interesting that the leftists supporting the EU/Soros/Obama factions in Ukraine are cheerleading a report from a very liberal Obama-friendly publication.
Hey now, Russian logic holds that Russian propaganda is ok “because MSNBC/TIME/whatever.” So why isn’t the reverse true?
I’m a bit confused with your position. Is Putin’s inaction good or bad this time?
Consistent. He stabbed his friends in the back.
You're talking about a guy who has innocent people beaten in subways or thrown from windows or shot in their front yards without any due process. You are also talking about a guy who triggered a conflict in East Ukraine, and now that his proxies are failing, is cutting his ties and is naming scapegoats.
Yes, Putin is a coward who only knows how to murder people who don't fight back, unlike the Ukrainians.
Putin is literally supported by the Communists in his country and the Communist Party USA. In fact, not even the "Nationalists" in Russia can really even be described as what you might be thinking. Dugin is a National Bolshevic; IOW, a national socialist. Sergei Kurginyan, the one identified as a Kremlin propagandist in the article, is also a Nazi, albeit the Russian version, and they use the term "Bolshevism" instead of socialism, but same thing.
Obama is a Putin puppet.
Are you defending our enemy Putin and the Russian hoard?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.