On Mishustin And Conspiracy Theories (A Rant).

OK, OK, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin has got COVID-19. So, what? Give the guy a break, let him recover, God damnit.

After all, BoJo also was infected and, actually, ended up being seriously sick. He is fine (if this term could legitimately be applied to any British politician) now. But the moment news of Mishustin going to self-isolation hit the waves the hydra of Russia's punditry, including allegedly of patriotic one, raised the head. I will not name a person--a very famous person in Russia--with whose some views on economy I agree, but it was this person who immediately took to every available media to declare that Mishustin is going to be removed, allegedly for some failures. Really? So, as I stated, this person is not a bad person but this person, as actually many on the "left" in Russia do, pushes a lot of conspiracies, including the ones which this person has no qualification of explaining. 

Just recently, this said person while being interviewed by one very popular Russia media, continued to push the theory that Russia is (was) secretly tied with some "obligations" to the West, through her liberal "elite", which would not allow Russia's development. On the question, of otherwise arrogant ignorant (manifestly pro-liberda) interviewer, how about Kalibr (this is the extent of their "knowledge" of military and industry), this, otherwise not a bad person couldn't answer with anything but platitudes. Obviously, the fact that R&D and introduction of many current weapon systems in Russia's arsenal started in early-mid 2000 somehow escaped both pundits. I cannot stand Alexei Kudrin, but it was on his watch as Finance Minister (2000-2011) when financing for such massive programs as Borei-class project 955 SSBNs, or massive upgrade of the Air Force inventory, among many other crucial programs, was provided fully and uninterrupted. So, what's the deal then with all those mythical "obligations" not to develop Russia which resulted in Kudrin doing his job, unlike it was the case then MoD Serdyukov and his sycophant Chief of General Staff Makarov, that strategic forces received this much needed boost, including financing programs for such weapons as Avangard. That was on Kudrin's watch. So, something doesn't add up with this "obligations" theory, which saw foundation of Russia's present military and economic power laid precisely in this period of time. 

Or, maybe, we should (as I always do) admit that we simply do not know all details of a rather complex policy kitchen in Kremlin before jumping to any conclusions? But even if to discount this obvious fact, First Deputy PM Andrei Belousov is now in charge of Prime Minister's functions and he is a bona fide' Gosudarstvennik (statehoodnik) not to mention being the main driver of increasingly visible economic policies of fusionism or, if one wishes, neo-Sovietism. One way or another, Russia has more than enough competent people running her economy and the issue Russia has, as it is always case historically, is not top echelon but middle-level bureaucracy much of which was planted in 1990s and early 2000s and the one who is actually a main source of sabotage of policies. The process of removing it is ongoing and it is visible. Meanwhile, let Mikhail Mishustin recover (he may go completely asymptomatic, unlike BoJo) and forestall any bizarre speculations about the Rothschilds having secret, invisible, noose around Putin's neck, or Mishustin being fired. In the end, even Kudrin is on record that Russian economy is going to be fine. As per Kalibr family missiles, they have been in development since early 1990s and, evidently, no "secret" obligations prevented Russia from deploying an astonishing array of hi tech stand-off weapons already early in 2010s. But then again, what do I know about it.