A-ha Moment!

Naryshkin, Director of SVR never says anything "just because". 

МОСКВА, 11 мая — РИА Новости. Глава Службы внешней разведки России Сергей Нарышкин не исключил контакты с директором ЦРУ в ближайшее время. "Исключать нельзя", — сказал он, отвечая на соответствующий вопрос для программы "Москва. Кремль. Путин", фрагмент которой опубликовал в своем Telegram-канале Павел Зарубин. Нарышкин и директор ЦРУ Уильям Бернс проводили личные переговоры в Анкаре в ноябре 2022 года. В январе в интервью РИА Новости глава СВР отметил пользу от контактов между спецслужбами. Он объяснил, что такой диалог способен предотвратить опасные события в условиях, когда обстановка в мире может подойти к очень рискованной черте. При этом Нарышкин подчеркивал, что они с Бернсом достигли взаимной договоренности не допускать утечек о переговорах между ними.

Translation: MOSCOW, May 11 – RIA Novosti. The head of the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service, Sergei Naryshkin, did not rule out contacts with the CIA director in the near future. “It cannot be ruled out,” he said, answering a corresponding question for the program “Moscow. Kremlin. Putin,” a fragment of which was published by Pavel Zarubin on his Telegram channel. Naryshkin and CIA Director William Burns held personal talks in Ankara in November 2022. In January, in an interview with RIA Novosti, the head of the SVR noted the benefits of contacts between the intelligence services. He explained that such dialogue can prevent dangerous events in conditions where the situation in the world may reach a very risky point. At the same time, Naryshkin emphasized that he and Burns had reached a mutual agreement not to allow leaks about the negotiations between them.

As I repeat ad nauseam--Russia will talk only with the US. EU is irrelevant here. The contacts, in this case, will be initially through intelligence orgs of Russia and the US. US desperately needs some sort of arrangements which may give it a sort of off-ramp, albeit even this is too late. But against the background of action on Kharkov axis, which is most likely one of several offensives along the whole frontline, the US finally figured out that it doesn't matter what she or her euro-chihuahuas do, the outcome is going to be the same--merely resign to reality and listen to conditions Russia will impose. VSU is currently on the run in Kharkov area, but most likely the objective is to move frontline further South-West. Nobody is going to be taking Kharkov--it will fall itself as a ripe fruit falls from the tree. Keep an eye on the South, towards Odessa. 

Per Mishustin's Cabinet--practically same team. Per Defense, Foreign, Internal, Justice and Emercom  Ministers and Director of FSB--these positions are prerogative of the President and he appoints those after consultations with Federation Council which will start on 13th. Now, poor Lavrov, he is like, Vladimir Vladimirovich, please, pretty pretty please, I am 74 and want to retire because I cannot stand those imbeciles from EU. We'll see about that. Lavrov is indispensable--a towering figure in world's diplomacy. Albeit Nebenzya or Ryabkov can fit the bill. 

Chapeau.

To Russian Prime Minister Mishustin for confirming my (and many others) long time believe that in modern society...well, let Mishustin speak for himself when visiting today Kostroma State University and talking to the students there:

«Я знаю очень большое количество совершенно замечательных финансистов, экономистов, которые получились из не очень хороших инженеров, но не знаю ни одного даже не очень хорошего инженера, который получился из хорошего финансиста или экономиста»

Translation: I know a large number of absolutely wonderful financiers, economists who used to be not very good engineers, but I don't know a single, even not a very good one, engineer who used to be good financier or economist.  

In other words, he advised students to get a STEM education, because, well, let's face it, in the 21st Century issues of real leadership and competent management start on the engineering level. How funny, let me quote myself from my second book:

No understanding of warfare is possible without understanding its most important tools, weapons and people, tactics and operational art. It is precisely the field in which American political class has zero competencies—they simply do not teach nor grant degrees in what amounts to military science in the United States. Obviously, rubbing shoulders with American military top brass and listening to rumors may create among some pundits and political figures an illusion that they know how the military operates or how wars are fought—but it is only an illusion. Truth to be told, regurgitation of the few, beaten to death, political talking points in the media sphere doesn’t require any serious background in anything of substance. On the other hand—writing a graduate thesis on Anti-Submarine Warfare operations in Arctic or on Fractionate Exchange Rates during air operations in the EW-dense environment—are the skills of a completely different level and backgrounds of which modern American pundits and an army of armchair “military analysts” cannot conceive. But precisely these skills and knowledge are the key to not only understanding of a modern warfare but to grasping geopolitical reality which is increasingly complex and rests on the foundation of the ever-evolving and revolutionary military technologies.

The Real Revolution in Military Affairs. A. Martyanov. Clarity Press, Atlanta, GA. 2019. pp 1-2. 

How timely is this Mishustin's admission. But the explanation to this statement is extremely simple: Russia's National Projects do not need yet another generation of marketing specialists, economists, bankers and MBAs, they need engineers, engineers, engineers....did I forget to mention engineers? They need CNC operators and programmers, they need construction and industrial engineering specialists, they need geologists, natural resources surveyors and the list is huge. Recall, yet again, what picture did Putin present to then PM Medvedev four years ago. 

It always was, is and will remain so that it is technological-scientific-industrial abilities of nation which define this nation's position in the world. Everything else follows. And that is, sad for some, truth. I will just remind you WHO most of Russia's liberal "reformers" were: with a notable exception of universally hated Anatoly Chubais, who is an electrical engineer by education, most of them came out of economic-law and other humanities fields. They "reformed" Russia in 1990s in such a way that they unleashed a demographic catastrophe and a hidden famine. Their defining feature, apart from greed and rabid anti-"communism" (in reality it is a variant of Russophobia), was their utter incompetence in any matter concerning real economic development of the country. I am not going to lie--it is gratifying reading second in line of command in Russia stating this. Incidentally,  Mishustin, an industrial system integration specialist by education, knows what he is talking about.

Mishustin As...

So, you make your own conclusions (you don't need to know Russian to get it), LOL. This is some good stuff. Have a nice Friday. That explains it.