Ukrainian navigator Nadiya Savchenko was sentenced in Russian Donetsk to 22 years in jail. This is the newest Putin-show, in which the dictator flexes his muscles, mocks the West and the Russian public applauds.

35 years old lieutenant Savchenko, an instructor with a volunteer pro-Ukrainian infantry unit was taken prisoner by the separatists forces in Donbas in June 2014 and handed over to Russia, where she was accused of having directed artillery fire that killed two Russian state-tv journalists. The tragedy happened one hour after Savchenko was captured and the fatal mortar fire was directed from a totally different location. Nevertheless on March 22nd she was found guilty and sencenced to 22 years in a penal colony (Russian euphemism for a labour camp).

People who know Russia say that this not a state but a specific state of mind. But this time even the most oustanding experts have trouble in explaining why Putin staged this court-farce followed by the media from all over the world. In brought about international outrage and protests on the part of the USA, Germany, the European Union, the Council of Europe and numerous human rights organizations. Moreover, it provided Ukraine with a national hero and gave the Ukrainians a further, very strong, uniting rallying cause. Savchenko now threatens she will starve herself to death in protest against the sentence, which would be a disastrous blow for Russia’s image abroad. Foreign analysts rack their brains trying to figure out why is Putin asking for such a serious trouble?

As it seems, they all, including political commentators of The Economist and Die Welt, commit a lethal error of method. They attempt at analysing Putin’s decisions and the situation in Russia through applying the tools of the classic logic, which functions very well in reference to a democratic state, but fail if applied to a gangster state like Russia. Nobody seems to comprehend that Putin could not act differently even if he wanted to. The powerful Russian propaganda machine managed to convince the Russians that the whole brutal Ukrainian adventure with annexation of Crimea was an act of difence against Ukrainian fascists supported by the USA (and Polish) imperialists who threaten the security of the Russian Federation. Savchenko was portrayed as a bloodthirsty agent of the combined fascist and imperialist forces. Forces so formidable and determined that they did not hesitate to use a woman in their fight against Mother Russia. In this way Savchenko has become an important symbol also in Russia. The symbol of Evil. Hence the kangaroo court in Russian Donetsk could not come up with a lenient sentence. The Russian press agency Interfax informed that Savchenko might be exchanged for two Russian citizens imprisoned for arms and drugs trading in the U.S. Improbable but symptomatic. According to the Russian propaganda the USA have instigated the Ukrainian civil war. Hence the negotiations over the fates of Savchenko, American agent, might have only one interlocutor: the Americans. The Russians are overjoyed: their brave leader Putin cut the Americans down to size and Russia has regained her position as a world power with which everybody, the USA including, must reckon. This feeling makes the Russians proud and bolsters their self-esteem.

Not so long ago we believed that the unlimited access to information would help people to get to the truth and build a better world. The Russian state of mind and the way the Russians (who in 95 per cent support Putin’s aggressive politics) view the world dramatically deny this naïve idea.

La pilota ucraina Nadia Savchenko è stata condannata in Russia a 22 anni di gulag. È un altro degli show di Putin. Il dittatore mostra i muscoli e sbeffeggia l’Occidente, mentre i russi applaudono.

La 35enne Savchenko ha combattuto nel Donbass nella brigata di volontari ucraini. Nel giugno del 2014 i separatisti filorussi l’hanno fatta prigioniera e successivamente l’hanno ceduta agli agenti speciali russi. Questi ultimi hanno portato la Savchenko in Russia, conducendola dinanzi a un tribunale, dove è stata accusata di aver illegalmente travalicato la frontiera tra la Russia e l’Ucraina, ma soprattutto di aver fornito le coordinate per indirizzare il fuoco dell’artiglieria ucraina contro una troupe televisiva russa provocando la morte di due giornalisti. Il 23 marzo scorso la Savchenko è stata condannata, nonostante a un ora dalla tragedia si trovasse già nelle mani dei separatisti e il fuoco ucraino contro i giornalisti provenisse da una direzione diversa.

Coloro che conoscono la Russia dicono che non è uno Stato, bensì uno stato mentale. Neanche gli esperti più illustri, però, riescono a capire che cosa abbia spinto Mosca a orchestrare un processo-farsa seguito dai media di tutto il mondo. Mosca ha così fornito all’opinione pubblica occidentale il motivo per essere messa alla gogna. Tra gli altri hanno protestato Usa, Canada, Germania, Unione Europea e il Consiglio d’Europa, nonché varie associazioni in difesa dei diritti umani. Kiev ha guadagnato un’eroina nazionale: Savchenko è diventata simbolo dell’Ucraina indipendente, un simbolo attorno al quale è facile unire il popolo – o meglio quella parte di popolazione non di origine russa e con un atteggiamento patriottico. Savchenko, che sembra molto determinata, adesso minaccia di continuare a oltranza lo sciopero della fame, mentre ci si continua a interrogare sull’utilità per Putin del processo alla Savchenko.

Quanti si meraviglino (fra costoro The Economist e Die Welt) commettono però lo stesso errore: cercano di analizzare la Russia e le gesta di Putin con gli strumenti della logica classica, che funzionano bene però nel caso di una società democratica. Ma Putin non può cedere, anche se volesse. La potente macchina della propaganda ha convinto i cittadini che la baruffa ucraina e l’annessione della Crimea sono state necessarie come difesa dai fascisti ucraini che avevano attaccato la Russia, sostenuti dall’imperialismo americano (e polacco). Savchenko viene descritta come femmina ingorda di sangue, agente delle forze fasciste e imperialiste messe assieme, e determinate al punto da inviare a combattere contro la Russia pure le donne. Così la Savchenko è diventata un simbolo anche in Russia. Il simbolo del Male. L’esito del suo processo non poteva essere diverso. L’agenzia di stampa russa Interfax ha reso noto che la donna potrebbe essere scambiata con due cittadini russi prigionieri negli Usa perché trafficanti d’armi e droga. Sembra poco probabile ma è sintomatico. A detta dei russi la guerra civile in Ucraina è stata provocata dagli americani e quindi solo con loro si può trattare della sorte di Savchenko. I russi sono felici che Putin abbia messo in scacco un’altra volta l’Occidente, mentre la Russia è tornata a essere una potenza mondiale con la quale tutti devono fare i conti, e così rivalutati, palesano fierezza.

Ancora non molto tempo fa credevamo che l’accesso di tutti alle informazioni in internet aiuterà la gente a conoscere la verità, permetterà di capire meglio il mondo e a costruirne uno migliore. Lo stato mentale e la percezione del mondo del 95 per cento dei russi che appoggiano Putin lo nega in maniera drammatica.

On Friday night in the heart of Moscow an unknown killer gunned down Boris Nemtsov, former deputy prime minister of Russia and a fervent critic of president Putin. On Sunday Mr. Nemtsov was to lead a protest against the Russian involvement in the Ukrainian civil war.

It is a very strange and suspicious death. The tragedy must have happened before the eyes of all-seeing Russian secret service, because the agents routinely follow Putin’s critics and political opponents. Nemtsov was killed in the most guarded place in Russia – very close to the Cremlin. But the gunner managed to escape. The police arrived 11 minutes later.

Within minutes Putin’s propaganda machine came up with several mind-boggling theories: it was either the crime of passion committed by someone jealous of Mr. Nemtsov’s girl-friend or the lethal result of a money dispute between the opposition members over the funds sent from abroad. Is was also suggested that Mr. Nemtsov was killed by Islamic extremists. But when Mr. Putin concluded that the killing was a provocation against him and Russia, it gave birth to the two predominating hypotheses: either fellow members of the opposition had killed Mr. Nemtsov to create a martyr or Mr. Nemtsov was killed by foreign agents aiming at destabilising Russia.

The death-rate among Mr. Putin’s foes is incredibly high: Alexander Litvinenko was poisoned in a London bar, Boris Berezowsky was hanged in his own London flat, Anna Politikovskaya was murdered in Moscow as well as her fifty less known Russian fellow journalists. Last Friday was the turn of Mr. Nemtsov. All these violent deaths were certainly no tragic coincidence. They actually fall in line with the very nature of the Putin’s gangster state which terrorises it’s own citizens and neighbouring states.

Maybe the famous Russian daily PRAVDA is right in arguing that Mr. Putin had no business in perpetrating such a heinous crime. But it’s worth reminding that as early as 2010 Mr. Putin accused Mr. Nemtsov and other opposition leaders of having stolen billions while in power and warned: “If they were allowed to come back they would sell off the whole Russia”. Quite recently Mr. Putin stated: “The line between opposition activists [Mr. Nemtsov among them – pk] and the fifths column is hard to see. They serve the interests of other countries and not the interests of the motherland”. The Russian media, almost all of them serving Mr. Putin’s interests, for a long time have been accusing opposition members of accepting lavish payments from Russia’s foes abroad. Maybe someone draw the ultimate conclusions and decided to personally punish Mr. Nemtsov, the paid traitor of the motherland according to Mr. Putin and his media. The Russians who in 85 per cent support Mr. Putin and and believe his propaganda have no doubts: Mr. Nemtsov deserved his fate and his murderer did Russia a favour.

The world leaders are shocked again. They were shocked likewise when Mr. Putin stopped the gas supply to Europe, when he invaded Georgia, when he annexed Crimea and started the bloodbath in Ukraine. Now they attempt again to rationalise and understand Mr. Putin as well as the recent developments in Russia, including the tragic fate of Mr. Nemtsov. Most probably again to no avail.

And how about learning from this old fable? A scorpion asks a frog to carry him over a river. The frog is afraid of being stung during the trip, but the scorpion argues that if it stung the frog, both would sink and the scorpion would drown. The frog agrees and begins carrying the scorpion, but midway across the river the scorpion does indeed sting the frog, dooming them both. When asked why, the scorpion points out that this is his true nature and he couldn’t resist the temptation.

Venerdì notte, nel cuore di Mosca, uno sconosciuto ha freddato Boris Nemtsov, già vice primo ministro russo e ultimamente un aspro critico di Vladimir Putin. Nemtsov, domenica 1° marzo, avrebbe dovuto guidare nella capitale russa una manifestazione contro la complicità della Russia nella guerra civile in Ucraina.

È una morte strana e molto sospetta. La tragedia è avvenuta sicuramente sotto gli occhi degli agenti segreti che seguivano costantemente Nemtsov. Per lo più è avvenuta nel luogo più sorvegliato di tutta la Russia: sotto le mura del Cremlino. E nonostante ciò l’assassino è riuscito a fuggire. La polizia è arrivata sul posto solo dopo 11 minuti.

Immediatamente dopo l’assassinio la macchina della propaganda di Putin ha formulato una serie di congetture assai strampalate. È stato ipotizzato un delitto passionale compiuto da uno geloso della ragazza ucraina con la quale Nemtsov s’incontrava da quattro anni, o un conflitto interno ai gruppi dell’opposizione russa per i soldi elargiti a loro favore con generosità dall’Occidente. È stata anche suggerita una traccia che riporti agli estremisti islamici. Quando Putin ha affermato che l’assassinio è stato una provocazione diretta contro di lui e la Russia subito sono state fornite altre due teorie di complotto. La prima dice che Nemtsov sarebbe stato ucciso dagli stessi oppositori di Putin per potergli successivamente dare la colpa; la seconda che l’assassinio è stato compiuto dai servizi segreti stranieri che mirano a destabilizzare la Russia.

Il tasso di mortalità fra oppositori di Putin è molto alto: Alexander Litvinenko – avvelenato, Boris Beresovski – impiccato a Londra, la giornalista Anna Politkovskaia – assassinata a Mosca come una cinquantina di altri suoi colleghi meno noti. Venerdì è stato il turno di Nemtsov. Quegli omicidi non sono dei crimini per caso. Seguono la logica dello Stato gangster di Putin, che terrorizza gli abitanti del proprio Paese così come lo fa con i Paesi vicini.

Non sappiamo se Nemtsov sia stato assassinato su un chiaro ordine di Putin. Ma già nel 2010 lo stesso Putin, in un’intervista televisiva, aveva spiegato che Nemtsov era un super ladro che non sarebbe dovuto ritornare al potere poiché, se così fosse stato, avrebbe rubato non solo dei miliardi ma anche l’intera Russia. Parlando dell’opposizione, il presidente russo ha chiarito di recente che essa costituisce la quinta colonna dei traditori della patria asserviti agli interessi di altri Paesi. Nei media russi da tempo Nemtsov, insieme ad altri attivisti dell’opposizione, veniva accusato di svolgere la sua attività prendendo dei soldi da Paesi stranieri. La pena capitale è forse la conclusione definitiva di quelle denunce. E i russi, che per l’85% appoggiano Putin e credono alla sua propaganda, sono convinti che il traditore del popolo abbia meritato quella sorte e il suo assassino abbia solo fatto un favore alla Russia.

I leader mondiali un’altra volta sono shoccati. Lo sono stati quando la Russia aveva chiuso i rubinetti del gas verso l’Europa, quando ha compiuto l’annessione della Crimea e quando ha iniziato il sanguinoso conflitto in Ucraina. Tutti cercano di comprendere che sta succedendo in Russia e le ragioni di Putin. È un errore, poiché la situazione è come quella favola della rana e dello scorpione. Lo scorpione chiede a una rana di lasciarlo salire sulla schiena e di trasportarlo sull’altra sponda di un fiume. La rana, temendo di essere punta durante il viaggio, si rifiuta; tuttavia lo scorpione sostiene che anche lui cadrebbe nel fiume e, non sapendo nuotare, morirebbe insieme alla rana. Così la rana accetta e inizia a trasportarlo ma a metà strada lo scorpione punge la rana condannando a morte entrambi. Quando la rana sente la puntura chiede allo scorpione il perché del suo gesto. E lui risponde: “È la mia natura”.

The cease-fire in Ukraine is notoriously broken by the separatists and Russia, but everybody turns the blind eye. Mr Putin can easily afford it, because he has many friends in the European Union.

Since the Minsk-brokered cease-fire entered into force on Feb.15th, the separatists and their Russian allies have conquered Debaltseve. The siege ended with a bloodbath. The Russian- Ukrainian border, where the OCSE observers haven’t yet been permitted to go, was crossed by at least one hundred Russian tanks and rocket launchers. At the moment the separatists attack Mariupol in order to open the land corridor between Russia and Crimea. Since the “Minsk 2” treaty was signed (Feb.12th), over one thousand people have died in the Ukrainian war. This is almost one fifth of all fatalities of the 10-month long conflict! But nobody except the Ukrainians and the US. sounds the alarm. The EU accepts this aberrant “Pax Putinae”.

President Putin knew he could easily get away with it, because he can bank on the support of his friends within the EU. On Feb.17th the Hungarian prime minister Victor Orban received Mr Putin with all honours in Budapest and sharply criticised “these EU countries which attempt to isolate Russia and impose sanctions harmful for everybody”. He even called the president of the European Council Donald Tusk (former Polish prime minister) the main promoter of this policy with a clear reference to the supposed Polish russophobia. Orban stated that Hungary as well as many other countries within the EU consider the come back to the full cooperation with Russia a very urgent necessity. In the most heinous episode of the visit Mr Putin laid a wreath of flowers in the Budapest cemetery of the Soviet soldiers who fell while brutally putting down the Hungarian Uprising of 1956 r. against the Moscow’s rule. In the context of the Ukrainian war this provocative gesture of Putin takes a more symbolic and sinister meaning.

Not only Mr Orban, but also the authorities of the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Austria and Cyprus would gladly sacrifice the whole Ukraine on the altar of future smooth business with Mr Putin. The EU locomotives – Germany and France – are not so generous, but practically have already accepted the annexation of Crimea aa well as the Russian policy of accomplished facts in Eastern Ukraine. In Italy not only the right-wing opposition also wants to sacrifice Ukraine and hopes that besides the improvement of the Italian-Russian trade exchange, it will help to turn Russia into an ally in the future war with the Islamic State. The Italian prime minister Matteo Renzi will go to Moscow in March to discuss with Putin the situation in Libya. Renzi tweets 20 times a day and gives at least five interviews, but keeps silent about the Ukrainian war.

On Feb.18th, the day of the Debaltseve bloodbath, the main evening edition of the public tv RAI news, which is for the Italians the main source of information of what is going on in Italy and abroad, did not even mention Ukraine. Neither in the RAI 1 nor in the RAI 2 editions. The most important Italian newspaper “Corriere della Sera” on Feb.19th devoted to Ukraine a quarter of it’s page number 25. Is this only the evidence of journalistic incompetence or idiocy on the part of so eloquent and sophisticated Italian press? It’s hard to believe.

As it turned out, the news from Ukraine has also troubles to penetrate the Vatican walls. Archbishop of Lviv Mieczysław Mokrzycki (former secretary of John Paul II and Benedict XVI) after the encounter with Francis on Feb.21st told the Vatican Radio that the pope had been completely unaware of the true situation in Eastern Ukraine and Russia’s role in the conflict.

La tregua in Ucraina è continuamente violata dai separatisti e dalla Russia ma tutti chiudono un occhio. La Russia, con gli amici che ha nell’Unione Europea, se lo può permettere.

Dal 15 febbraio, data dell’entrata in vigore del cessate il fuoco, i separatisti, e con loro numerosi militari russi, hanno attaccato e in 3 giorni conquistato la città di Debalcevo, annegandola in un mare di sangue. La frontiera tra la Russia e l’Ucraina, dove non sono ammessi gli osservatori dell’OSCE, è stata varcata da un centinaio di carri armati russi e da numerosi lanciamissili. Adesso i separatisti assediano Mariupol per aprire un corridoio con la Crimea. Dopo la firma dell’accordo “Minsk 2”, il 12 febbraio scorso, nell’Ucraina sud orientale oltre mille persone hanno perso la vita. È il 20% di tutte le vittime dei 10 mesi di guerra civile ucraina scatenata dalla Russia. Nessuno però suona l’allarme. Anche l’UE accetta quella curiosa “pax putiniana”.

Putin sapeva che l’avrebbe passata liscia, visti i suoi molti amici nell’Unione. Il 17 febbraio il primo ministro ungherese Victor Orban lo ha ricevuto con tutti gli onori a Budapest. Successivamente ha criticato quei paesi dell’UE che tentano per mezzo delle sanzioni economiche d’isolare la Russia. Orban ha indicato il presidente del Consiglio europeo, il polacco Donald Tusk, come principale promotore di quella linea politica. Ha affermato inoltre che l’Ungheria considera necessaria la cooperazione con la Russia. Il momento più vergognoso della vista di Putin in Ungheria è stato quando ha reso omaggio e deposto dei fiori al cimitero dove sono tumulate le salme dei soldati sovietici che avevano perso la vita nel 1956, cercando di soffocare la rivolta popolare degli ungheresi contro l’URSS. Nel contesto della guerra in Ucraina il gesto provocatorio di Putin assume un cupo valore simbolico.

Oltre a Victor Orban, anche i governi di Repubblica Ceca, Slovacchia, Austria e Cipro avrebbero dato volentieri l’Ucraina in pasto a Putin per poter continuare indisturbati a fare affari con la Russia. Le due locomotive dell’Unione, la Germania e la Francia, non sono così generose, ma in pratica hanno già accettato l’annessione da parte della Russia della Crimea e dell’Est Ucraina. In Italia non è solo l’opposizione di destra ad affermare che bisogna dimenticare l’Ucraina, togliere tutte le sanzioni alla Russia e attaccare insieme lo Stato islamico. Lo stesso premier Matteo Renzi, a marzo, si recherà a Mosca per discutere con Putin la situazione in Libia. Renzi, nonostante faccia venti tweet e rilasci cinque interviste al giorno, in merito alla guerra in Ucraina non si esprime. Gli italiani, in genere, la guerra in Ucraina non la considerano affatto.

Sempre in Italia il 18 febbraio, mentre i separatisti organizzavano la mattanza a Debalcevo, l’edizione principale dei telegiornali Rai, che – come dimostrano i sondaggi – sono la fonte principale delle notizie per gli italiani, non ne spendono nemmeno una parola, mentre il principale giornale italiano, “Corriere della Sera”, ne parla in poche righe a pagina 25. È difficile non sospettare che si tratti di una politica dell’informazione piuttosto che non dell’incompetenza dei giornalisti.

Dalle ultime notizie risulta che con la stessa difficoltà le informazioni sulla situazione in Ucraina arrivano in Vaticano. L’arcivescovo di Leopoli dei latini, monsignor Mieczyslaw Mokrzycki, dopo l’udienza concessa dal Pontefice di recente ha detto alla Radio Vaticana che papa Francesco non si rendeva conto della reale situazione in Ucraina e tanto meno del ruolo della Russia in quel conflitto.

The basic obstacle on the road to peace in Ukraine is Russian mentality. The outstanding Georgian philosopher Merab Mamardashvili (1930-1990), often referred to as “the Georgian Socrates”, observed: “The Russian norm is an extremely barbaric state of mind”. Intellectuals in the Eastern Europe enslaved by the Soviet empire after the World War II coined out a similar, very popular saying: “Russia is not a country. It’s a state of mind”. Nowadays the most important research institutes try to examine, analyze and explain this curious phenomenon. Without this precious knowledge it is impossible to understand what is going on in Ukraine.

The Russian is rightly convinced that he belongs to a great nation which has given to the world great writers, musicians and scientists. He rightly believes that Russia is a world power which liberated Eastern Europe from the Nazis and paid for it with the lives of 12 million Red Army soldiers. For these reasons the Russian thinks that the whole world owes him great respect and boundless gratitude. Hence, his country should enjoy special rights within the international community, including the divine right to interfere with the affairs of his neighbours and invade them any time, if need be. As the joke goes: “Which countries does Russia border? The ones she wants to”.

Within this vision of the world there is no room for the truth of the Soviet – Nazi alliance (Ribbentrop – Molotov Pact). The Russian does not comprehend that the Red Army did not liberate the Eastern Europe countries but enslaved and terrorised them. In addition the imposed communist economy brought about poverty and the imposed ideology – the total breakdown of moral and civilising values.

The fall of the Soviet empire and the Yeltsin’s “Time of Trouble” was a huge blow to the Russian national pride and to the myths the Soviets had believed in for so many years. Putin decided to return the pride to the nation. This is why the nation loves and supports him so overwhelmingly and unconditionally. Putin recreated the formidable communist propaganda machine and started to indoctrinate and mobilise the nation again against their old, mortal enemy: the West and particularly the USA. Nowadays the Russians again believe that they are under serious NATO threat. They also believe that there were the NATO secret agents (the Poles and Lithuanians) who fathered the fascist coup in Kiev. Moreover, they are convinced that the decadent and perverse West aims at corrupting and destroying Russia’s high moral and religious standards. This apotheosis of the old, mystical Russia is on pair with the glorification of the grim times of communism and Stalin. Maybe this is why the Russians feel so happy under the dictatorship of Putin. In any case they have never experienced true democracy and do not understand it. It was not by accident that the communist Russia did not evolve into democracy but into a gangster state ruled by the KGB colonel Putin.

The Russians firmly believe that the West wants to destroy them and their country militarily, economically and morally. Therefore they consider the annexation of Crimea and triggering the civil war in Ukraine by Putin as totally justified act of defence. What is terrifying, the Russians and their media are clearly very proud that the world is afraid of Russia. This sinister respect, enforced by power and threats, gives them a lot of satisfaction.

Putin is the creator and in the same time the hostage of his propaganda machine. He cannot turn back, even if wanted to. Besides, the military power is his only trump cart. The Russian GDP despite huge oil and gas export is a bit lower that that of Italy. The economy of today’s Russia is as inefficient and retarded as it was under communist economic folly.

L’ostacolo più difficile sulla via della pace in Ucraina è costituito dalla particolare (e non sempre compresa in Occidente) mentalità dei russi. Un eminente filosofo georgiano, Merab Mamardashvili (1930-1990), disse che “la Russia è uno stato mentale barbaro”. Gli intellettuali dell’Europa centro orientale, già assoggettata all’URSS, attenuarono quella diagnosi. “La Russia non è un Paese bensì uno stato della mente”, sostengono oggi in molti e il fenomeno viene analizzato da vari istituti di ricerca e di studi orientali, seri e riconosciuti. Senza capire l’insieme di assiomi inculcati ai russi per anni dalla pervasiva propaganda sovietica, che oggi è alla base del loro pensiero storiografico e geopolitico, non è possibile comprendere ciò che succede in Ucraina né quello che è successo in Europa dal 1945 in poi.

Un russo, non senza ragioni, è convinto di far parte di un grande popolo che ha dato al mondo numerosi e illustri scrittori, musicisti e scienziati. Crede inoltre, e non senza ragioni, che la Russia sia la potenza che aveva liberato metà dell’Europa dalla dominazione di Hitler al prezzo di milioni di vite dei suoi soldati. Per questi motivi ogni abitante del Paese è oggi fermamente convinto che il mondo intero debba alla Russia e ai russi stima e riconoscenza. Da tali convinzioni scaturiscono dei diritti spettanti alla Russia nell’ambito internazionale: il diritto di decidere delle sorti del mondo e soprattutto delle sorti dei Paesi vicini, che possono essere invasi in qualsiasi momento. Si dice che alla domanda con chi confina la Russia la risposta esatta sia “con chi vuole”.

Tale visione del mondo non lascia spazio alla verità, per esempio sull’alleanza tra l’URSS e Hitler (Patto Ribbentrop-Molotov del 23 agosto 1939). Un russo non prende in considerazione nemmeno che l’Armata Rossa abbia liberato una parte dell’Europa occupata dai nazisti per sostituirsi a loro perpetrando per motivi politici degli arresti di massa e delle esecuzioni sommarie, facendo crescere la povertà e incoraggiando il misconoscimento di qualsiasi valore universale.

La caduta dell’Unione Sovietica, la perdita del potere in Europa centro orientale e la crisi politica scaturita da Eltsin sono stati per il fiero popolo russo dei colpi molto duri, che hanno distrutto il mito nel quale aveva creduto per più di mezzo secolo. Oggi Putin desidera restituire ai russi il loro orgoglio. Ed è per quella ragione che l’85% dei suoi connazionali lo ama e lo sostiene. La potente macchina della propaganda è stata rimessa in moto con ancora più forza di convincimento. Il popolo è di nuovo mobilitato per sconfiggere il nemico, subdolo e potenzialmente letale, e cioè l’Occidente sotto la guida degli Stati Uniti, contro il pericolo militare costituito dalla Nato che essendosi insediata ai confini dell’impero (in Polonia e nelle Repubbliche Baltiche) stia tessendo delle trame minacciose, non paga di aver già fatto un golpe fascista a Kiev, nella previsione di un’offensiva massiccia contro la tradizione culturale russa. La propaganda di Putin, accompagnata dall’apoteosi dei tempi cupi di comunismo e di Stalin, fa sembrare la Russia come ultimo baluardo dell’integrità morale e valori tradizionali che l’Occidente, marcio e decaduto, vorrebbe distruggere. Forse non c’è da meravigliarsi però che i russi si trovino così bene con la dittatura. Non avendo mai conosciuto il sistema democratico, non capiscono i suoi meccanismi. Sulle rovine del comunismo, invece di un sistema democratico è stato istituito uno stato criminale governato da ufficiali dei servizi segreti con al comando il colonnello della KGB – Putin.

Un russo, indotto a credere di trovarsi sotto l’assedio dell’Occidente che mira alla disintegrazione economica e morale della Russia, è convinto che sia in gioco la sorte del suo Paese. Così nell’annessione della Crimea o nello scatenare della guerra civile in Ucraina vede solo la legittima difesa. E stupefacente però che i cittadini, così come i media russi, sembrino orgogliosi dell’angoscia suscitata nel mondo e che per loro il rispetto, anche se guadagnato con la forza e la paura, sia motivo di grande soddisfazione. Putin è al contempo l’artefice e l’ostaggio della propaganda che ha plasmato l’anima del suo popolo. Pur volendo, non può battere in ritirata. Il potenziale militare è l’unico punto di forza della Russia poiché il PIL, nonostante i miliardi ricavati dalle vendite di materie prime, è inferiore a quello dell’Italia. L’economia del dittatore Putin è inefficiente e arretrata esattamente come quella dell’epoca comunista.

The Friday’s desperate escapade of Angela Merkel and Francois Hollande to Moscow in an attempt to negotiate a solid peace agreement and put the Ukrainian war on the halt was bound to fail. Both politicians admitted they had undertaken the effort to keep a clear conscience and not to regret afterwards that they had not tried. Five hours long talks with Putin ended with a spectacular failure.

The idea was to work out a new agreement on the ashes of the old one signed in September last year in Minsk and never respected. The cease-fire has never been achieved. Since September pro-Russian separatists have pushed forward and civilians have become legitimate targets of artillery fire. A hospital, numerous residential buildings as well as people at a bus stop were deliberately hit. Hence it was hardly imaginable, the Moscow mission would change anything.  Furthermore despite clear and convincing evidence Russian president Putin still claims that Russia has not armed the separatists and never sent her soldiers to Ukraine. One cannot build an agreement or a peace treaty on such an outrageous lie. What in this context seems totally absurd, Merkel and Hollande left Moscow without achieving anything, but reassured Mr Putin that neither Germany and France, nor the European Union would arm Ukraine.

Friday’s Kremlin talks were at the same time the final nail to the coffin of the costly and pointless EU Common Foreign and Security Policy structure. One should also abandon dreams of the future truly common and loyal to it’s members Union’s foreign policy. The head of Union’s diplomacy, Italian girl Federica Mogherini did not fly to Moscow. Furthermore Merkel and Hollande worked out together a draft peace agreement for Ukraine, presented it first in Kiev and then in Moscow, but did not disclose it to their European partners, not even to the Baltic States or Poland, gravely endangered by their powerful, ruthless and aggressive neighbour. In other words German and Franch leaders negotiate with Putin without consulting their EU partners. The Polish defence minister asked whether he supported the Merkel-Hollande peace-plan for Ukraine answered bitterly: “I can’t support something of which I know nothing”.

If the French and the German media are to be believed, Merkel and Hollande in Moscow offered Putin to accept the new territorial gains of the separatists and to agree to a special, autonomous status of the Eastern Ukraine which might help the region to join the Russian Federation.  In effect Germany and France agreed to Putin’s accomplished facts policy. Though it must be said that the bargaining position of Frau Merkel is considerably weakened by the pro-Putin stance of the German left. The former and maybe the future French president Nicolas Sarkozy during a meeting of his conservative party referring to the Ukrainian conflict said on Saturday that the demands of Russia should be fully met. According to Sarkozy Ukraine should never join the UE or the NATO. He also accused the U.S. of an attempt to separate the Western Europe from Russia. The National Front of Marine Le Pen openly supports Mr Putin’s policy towards Ukraine.

The result of the coming new negotiations in Minsk (Merkel, Hollande, Putin and the Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko will meet on Wednesday) seems clear: the capitulation of Europe in front of the Russian foreign policy implemented with the AK-47 assault rifle and outrageous lies. Putin has managed to drive a wedge between UE countries and between western Europe and the U.S. Despite appearances, not only the Baltic States, Poland, Georgia and Moldavia have reasons to be concerned.

Il disperato viaggio a Mosca di venerdì 6 febbraio compiuto dalla cancelliera Merkel e dal presidente Hollande per giungere a una risoluzione del conflitto ucraino non poteva andare bene. Entrambi hanno affermato di averlo intrapreso per tranquillizzare la propria coscienza e non doversi rimproverare un tentativo mancato. Cinque ore di negoziati con Putin a Mosca (era ovvio) sono state un fiasco.

L’idea era quella di arrivare, sulle rovine dell’intesa stipulata a Minsk a settembre e rispettata da nessuno, a un nuovo accordo. La tregua prevista a Minsk non è mai stata raggiunta. Nel frattempo, la situazione è cambiata nella misura in cui i separatisti hanno ampliato considerevolmente i loro possedimenti nell’Ucraina sud-orientale e hanno preso di mira gli ospedali, le abitazioni e anche le persone in attesa dell’autobus. La Russia, contraddicendo le molteplici prove, continua a negare la fornitura delle armi ai separatisti così come l’invio dei propri soldati in Ucraina. Gli accordi e la pace non possono essere costruiti sulla base di tali lampanti menzogne. Ciò che sembra un’assurdità è che venerdì Merkel e Hollande sono andati via da Mosca senza aver ottenuto alcunché, ma rassicurando Putin che Francia, Germania e Unione Europea non avrebbero fornito armi all’Ucraina.

Il viaggio a Mosca di Merkel e Hollande è stato il colpo di grazia alla diplomazia dell’UE costruita con spese ragguardevoli, e la fine delle speranze di una politica estera comunitaria. La responsabile della PESC Federica Mogherini non è andata a Mosca. Merkel e Hollande, per di più, hanno elaborato congiuntamente un piano di pace, presentato a Kiev e a Mosca, ma tenuto segreto agli altri. Perfino alle Repubbliche Baltiche e alla Polonia, che si trovano sotto una minaccia diretta di aggressione da parte di Mosca. Per farla breve, Germania e Francia negoziano con Mosca al di sopra delle teste dei partner comunitari nei confronti dei quali dovrebbero essere tenuti alla lealtà.

A credere ai media francesi e tedeschi, a Mosca Merkel e Hollande hanno proposto a Putin di riconoscere le nuove conquiste territoriali dei separatisti e il loro carattere autonomo nella prospettiva di una futura federazione ucraina. La posizione della Merkel è senz’altro minata dall’atteggiamento filorusso della sinistra tedesca. In Francia, invece, l’ex presidente Sarkozy sabato ha dichiarato al congresso del suo partito che andrebbero accolte tutte le richieste di Putin relative all’Ucraina, la quale “non dovrebbe aderire né all’UE né alla NATO”. Sarkozy ha anche criticato la politica americana e accusato Washington di voler dividere l’Europa dalla Russia. Il Front National di Marine Le Pen è filorusso in modo ancora più marcato.

La fine del nuovo round di negoziati previsto a Minsk è quindi facilmente prevedibile: sarà la capitolazione dell’Europa davanti alla politica di menzogne e ai kalashnikov russi. Putin potrà inoltre ascriversi il risultato di aver diviso, con il conflitto ucraino, i Paesi UE tra loro e l’Europa e gli Stati Uniti. Se così fosse non solo le Repubbliche Baltiche, la Polonia, la Georgia e la Moldova dovrebbero oggi aver paura.

It took the downing of Malaysia Airlines jet to mobilize public opinion in the rich European countries against Vladimir Putin and Russian sponsored thuggery in eastern Ukraine. As if over thousand victims of the Ukrainian civil war were not enough. The Europeans, so far skilfully manipulated by their politicians and media who downplayed the conflict, suddenly realised that the Ukrainian tragedy is closer to their doorsteps than they had thought. The Russian produced and maybe also launched earth-to-air missile brutally terminated the European dream of peaceful Russia and her trustworthy, reasonable president. The pressure, anxiety and anger of the voting public have forced the European leaders to finally give up their pathetic lip-service in favour of more concrete steps against Russia.

The EU at last came up with less ridiculous sanctions. They will not ruin Russia and are rather a serious warning and a threat than a hit. Baltic States, Poland and Sweden, not only geographically most exposed to Russia’s aggression, expected tougher steps. France despite the sanctions will deliver two Mistral amphibious assault ships to the Russian navy as contracted. Russian private banks will be still able to launder their money in London through the City financial markets. Nevertheless, it is difficult to overestimate the importance of the steps taken on Monday in Brussels.

The EU countries finally agreed that the hitherto lenient EU policy towards Russia, enforced mainly by Germany, France and Italy, brought about the present huge political and human disaster. Today nobody can deny that part of the responsibility for the MA 17 flight tragedy rests on these EU leaders who opposed taking any serious measures against Russia. The imposed sanctions on one hand symbolise the fatal error of judgement not only on the part of present European leaders, but also their predecessors – Francois Chirac, Gerhard Schroeder and Silvio Berlusconi – for whom Mr Putin was “a democrat in his heart”, “almost a democrat” and “the dearest friend”. On the other – represent an embarrassing 180 degree turn in EU or rather German, French and Italian policy towards Moscow. The collective effort to domesticate the Russian bear dramatically failed. The call of the wild prevailed.

The downing of the Malaysian jet and the aftermath – outrageous Russian propaganda lies, Russian separatists looting and desecrating victims’ bodies, not allowing foreign experts on the site of the tragedy – must have opened the eyes of the Europeans on what today’s Russia and president Putin really are. European media, as if woken from a long stupor, nowadays express opinions which not so long ago on intellectual salons of Europe would earn one the label of a dangerous, mad with hatred russophobe.

Nowadays the whole Europe knows that Russia is a gangster, corrupted state run by ruthless, insidious leader who enjoys over 80 per cent popularity. And this what makes Russia and the former KBG colonel extremely dangerous. The great question is: what use Europe and the Europeans will make of this knowledge? Will they find courage and determination, readiness to scarify when there arrives a need for a real trade and economic showdown with Putin’s gangster state?

Trzeba było zestrzelenia samolotu MA 17 i 298 ofiar, by w końcu zmobilizować opinię publiczną bogatych krajów Europy przeciw Władimirowi Putinowi i sponsorowanej przez Rosję krwawej awanturze we wschodniej Ukrainie. Jakby ponad tysiąc wcześniejszych ofiar ukraińskiej wojny domowej nie było wystarczającym powodem. Europejczycy, dotychczas zręcznie manipulowani przez swoich polityków i media, bagatelizujących ukraińską tragedię, nagle zdali sobie sprawę, że ta wojna jest o wiele bliżej ich domu niż myśleli przedtem. Nacisk, niepokój i złość wyborców zmusiły wreszcie europejskich przywódców do porzucenia pustych słów i gestów na rzecz konkretnych kroków wymierzonych w Moskwę.

W końcu kraje Unii zdecydowały się na nałożenie nieco poważniejszych sancji. Nie zrujnują one Rosji. Są bardziej poważnym ostrzeżeniem niż silnym ciosem. Państwa bałtyckie, Polska i Szwecja, nie tylko geograficznie najbardziej narażone na rosyjską agresję, spodziewały się twardszych kroków. Francja mimo nowych sankcji dostarczy marynarce wojennej Rosji dwa okręty destanowe Mistral. Prywatne rosyjskie banki i wielu oligarchów będą mogli nadal prać swoje pieniądze i korzystać z usług w londyńskiej City. Mimo to trudno przecenić doniosłość kroków podjętych w poniedziałek w Brukseli.

Państwa Unii w końcu zgodziły się, że dotychczasowa łagodna, by nie powiedzieć tchórzliwa polityka wobec Rosji, narzucona głównie przez Niemcy, Francję i Włochy, doprowadziła do aktualnej politycznej i humanitarnej katastrofy. Dziś nikt nie przeczy, że część odpowiedzialności za śmierć pasażerów malezyjskiego samolotu spoczywa na tych europejskich przywódcach, którzy sprzeciwiali się jakimkolwiek krokom przeciw Rosji. Te nowe, konkretne sankcje symbolizują totalne fiasko europejskiej polityki wobec Rosji nie tylko obecnych przywódców, ale także ich poprzedników. Zdaniem Francoisa Chiraca, Gerharda Schroedera i Silvio Berlusconiego Putin „ma serce demokraty”, „jest przekonanym demokratą” i „najbliższym przyjacielem”. Przyjęte sankcje oznaczają zwrot o 180 stopni w polityce Unii, a raczej Niemiec, Francji i Włoch, wobec Rosji. Zbiorowy wysiłek oswojenia rosyjskiego niedźwiedzia zakończył się dramatyczną klęską.

Zestrzelenie malezyjskiego boeinga, kłamstwa rosyjskiej propagandy, zbezczeszczenie i okradzenie zwłok ofiar przez separatystów, nie dopuszczanie zagranicznych ekspertów na miejsce katastrofy, musiały otworzyć oczy Europejczyków na to czym jest naprawdę dzisiejsza Rosja i kim jest naprawdę Putin. Europejskie media, jakby nagle wybudzone z długiego snu, wyrażają opiniie, za które jeszcze niedawno na europejskich salonach przypinano łatkę niebezpiecznego, oszalałego z nienawiści rusofoba.

Dziś cała Europa wie, że Rosja jest skorumpowanym, gangsterskim państwem, którym rządzi bezwzględny, podstępny dyktator, który cieszy się ponad 80-procentowym poparciem swego narodu. I to właśnie sprawia, że Rosja i stojący na jej czele były pułkownik KGB są tak niebezpieczni. Pozostaje wielkie pytanie: Co Europa zrobi z tą wiedzą? Czy starczy jej determinacji i odwagi, gotowości do wyrzeczeń, jeśli trzeba będzie pójść z Rosją na prawdziwe handlowe i gospodarcze udry?

Petro Poroshenko overwhelmingly won Ukrainian presidential elections. Russian propaganda and Ukrainian separatists suffered a heavy defeat.

According to Russian propaganda machine there were the bloodthirsty Ukrainian neo-Nazis who toppled president Yanukovych and then seized power in Kiev. Not without a substantial help of the CIA and the Polish secret service. The alleged imminent invasion of Nazis from western Ukraine served the Moscow-sponsored separatists as an excuse to start a civil war in Donetsk and Luhansk regions. Moreover, the whole population of western Ukraine was portrayed as a bunch of Nazi-supporters.

This propaganda managed to influence some western media and analysts. The unfailing Putin’s friend Silvio Berlusconi told the Italian TV that the Russian president is right to defend his compatriots in Ukraine from Nazis who are in power in Kiev. Marine Le Pen expressed similar views. Many Polish right-wing politicians criticised the government for supporting Ukrainian Nazis, whose ancestors had murdered thousands of Poles during the war (Wolyn genocide).

The Ukrainian presidential elections showed that these fears were groundless, exposed the lies of Kremlin’s propaganda machine and brought shame on many Western politicians and commentators who shared Putin’s point of view. The far-right candidates who might be associated with neo-Nazi or fascist ideas did not even gain 3 percent of votes. A few days after the elections another Russian propaganda was lied bare. Among hundred separatists killed during the fight for the Donetsk airport there were 33 Russian soldiers. Last week Vostok Battalion from Chechnya arrived in Donetsk after having crossed the Russian-Ukrainian border. All the more, the self-proclaimed prime minister of the “Donetsk People’s Republic” Mr Alexander Borodai is a Russian citizen from Moscow. Hence Putin cannot longer claim that he and his troops have nothing to do with the separatists in southeast Ukraine and the separatists cannot pretend that they are the expression of spontaneous, anti-Nazi local movement.

Despite heavy fighting in southeast Ukraine, despite the constantly growing Russian infiltration, the politicians and media in Western Europe announced that Poroshenko’s election triumph is a victory of democracy and the sign of the imminent end of the crisis. Seemingly serious European leaders beam with happiness because Mr Putin announced that he would honour the choice of Ukrainian people. It is really difficult to find a worse-based optimism. Mr Putin often changes his mind and is no more trustworthy than his propaganda machine. All the more, his closest aids, prime minister Medvedev and foreign minister Lavrov, have already expressed their doubts about the legitimacy of the Ukrainian presidential elections.

Unfortunately, European leaders and the European Union do not want to see it. The good old Western Europe is weary and tired of the Ukrainian conflict and cannot wait to announce that the relations and business with Moscow are back to normal.

Ukraińskie wybory wygrał Petro Poroszenko. Przegrała je z kretesem rosyjska propaganda i sponsorowani przez Rosję separatyści w południowowschodniej Ukrainie. Od chwili obalenia prezydenta Janukowycza potężna machina propagandowa Kremla przekonywała, że w Kijowie władzę przejęli krwiożerczy naziści z pomocą CIA i polskich agentów. Właśnie obawą przed nazistami prorosyjscy separatyści tłumaczyli przejęcie władzy w okręgu Doniecka i Ługańska. Krążyły legendy na temat ogromnych wpływów, jakie skrajna prawica ma posiadać wśród mieszkańców zachodniej Ukrainy.

Propaganda okazała się bardzo skuteczna, bo w podobne tony uderzyła część zachodnich mediów. Niezawodny Silvio Berlusconi powiedział wprost, że jego przyjaciel Putin ma rację broniąc swoich rodaków na Ukrainie przed najazdem nazistowskich hord z Kijowa i Lwowa. Podobne słowa padły z ust Marine Le Pen (nota bene europejska skrajna lewica jak zwykle uznała, że za wszystkim stoi amerykański imperializm). Część polskiej prawicy uderzyła na alarm, że polscy politycy wspierając obecny rząd w Kijowie, wspierają ukraińskich nazistów, których ideowi antenaci dokonali ludobójstwa Polaków na Wołyniu. Rzeczywiście na kijowskim Majdanie w czasie protestów pojawiły się symbole UPA i portrety Stefana Bandery.

Prezydenckie wybory ukazały bezzasadność tych obaw i obnażyły kłamstwa rosyjskiej propagandy kompromitując przy okazji wielu wspierających ją świadomie i nieświadomie zachodnich ekspertów i polityków. Kandydaci skrajnej prawicy otrzymali w sumie niecałe 3 procent głosów. Kilka dni po wyborach runął kolejny mit propagandowy. Wśród setki separatystów, którzy polegli w walkach z ukraińskim wojskiem o donieckie lotnisko, było aż 33 rosyjskich żołnierzy. Okazało się więc ponad wszelką wątpliwość, że na południowym wschodzie Ukrainy wcale nie doszło do spontanicznego powstania mieszkańców przeciw nazistom z Kijowa, a do sterowanej z Moskwy awantury. Zresztą Aleksander Borodai, premier samozwańczej Donieckiej Republiki Ludowej, jest Rosjaninem z Moskwy. Co więcej, w Doniecku pojawił się przybyły z Rosji świetnie uzbrojony batalion Czeczeńców. Przedostał się przez granicę rosyjsko-ukraińską, na której stacjonuje 40 tys. rosyjskich żołnierzy.

Równocześnie wszyscy politycy i media Zachodu wraz z wyborem Petro Poroszenko na prezydenta odtrąbili zwycięstwo demokracji na Ukrainie i rychły koniec konfliktu. W euforię wprawiła ich obietnica Putina, że zaakceptuje wybór ukraińskiego narodu. Trudno o bardziej kruche podstawy do optymizmu, bo Putin jest mniej więcej tak godny zaufania jak rosyjska machina propagandowa i w każdej chwili może zmienić zdanie. Co więcej, jego pretorianie już mówią co innego. Za to rosyjska infiltracja na wschodzie Ukrainy eskaluje z każdym dniem. Unia woli udawać, że tego nie widzi. Europa jest już tym konfliktem naprawdę znużona i śpieszno jej, by znów prowadzić z Moskwą „business as usual”.

The worse has dutifully arrived. Secession of Eastern and Southern Ukraine and it’s submission to Kremlin is a matter of months if not weeks.

Only seven weeks ago Russia annexed Crimea and president Putin assured the West he would not go any further. As of today due to copycat actions well-armed Russian speaking and sponsored separatists, among them Russian soldiers, control 14 Eastern Ukrainian cities. The military counter-action of Ukrainian troops aiming to regain control together with clashes in Odessa last Friday brought about nearly 50 dead. Bloody civil war has started.

In the meantime Russia, Ukraine, the US and the European Union on April 17^th in Geneva agreed to “de-escalate” the crisis. Separatist “militias” were supposed to leave occupied buildings and lay down their arms. Nothing of the sort happened. Instead separatists in Slovyansk abducted OCSE mission members. German Chancellor Angela Merkel phoned president Putin and asked for the release of hostages. Putin demanded the withdrawal of Kiev government troops from Eastern Ukraine. In other words Putin wanted the Kiev authorities to give up large part of Ukrainian territory to self-proclaimed separatist Russian warlords. The next day, May 2^nd, the Russian president declared the Geneva agreement dead and blamed the government in Kiev for breaking it. Moreover, Russia made clear, it would not hesitate to cut off gas supplies to Europe, if needed.

This was the Ukrainian context of Angela Merkel’s trip to Washington last Friday. Since Putin within the last two weeks has used every dirty trick in the book, including blatant lies, verbal and military provocations, breaking all promises and agreements, and is now just one step from taking control over Eastern Ukraine, one might have hoped for a serious and adequate answer on the part of the leader of the biggest European economy and the leader of the most powerful country in the world. Instead, Angela Merkel and Barack Obama again used empty threats of future sanctions and promised to introduced them, but only if Russia interfered with the Ukrainian presidential elections, due on May 25^th.

The sad truth is, Russia has already done everything to make these elections impossible or to declare them null and void afterwards. Since the beginning of the Ukrainian crisis Mr Putin has been probing how far he can push. So far the US and the EU have offered him concession after concession. Crimea is already regarded a part of Russia. Eastern Ukraine according to tacit informal agreement has already become legitimate Russian sphere of influence. Gutless West is too divided and too selfish to stop Putin’s imperial ambitions. The next acid test to prove it will arrive very soon. On May 11^th the people of Donetsk region, the heart of Ukrainian industry controlled by separatists, will vote for independence and then will ask to join the Russian Federation.

Gorsze zgodnie z oczekiwaniami już nadeszło. Secesja i podporządkowanie Rosji Wschodniej i Południowej Ukrainy to kwestia miesięcy, jeśli nie tygodni.

Zaledwie 7 tygodni temu Rosja dokonała aneksji Krymu, a prezydent Putin zapewniał Zachód, że nie posunie się ani kroku dalej. Dziś dzięki akcjom bardzo podobnym do tych na Krymie dobrze uzbrojeni, mówiący po rosyjsku i wspierani przez Rosję separatyści, wśród nich nasłani przez Moskwę agenci i komandosi, kontrolują 14 miast we wschodniej Ukrainie. Kontratak sił ukraińskich  wraz ze starciami wywołanymi przez separatystów w Odessie pociągnął za sobą blisko 50 śmiertelnych ofiar. Rozpoczęła się krwawa wojna domowa.

W międzyczasie Rosja, Ukraina, USA i Unia Europejska 15 kwietnia w Genewie podpisali porozumienie, by rozładować kryzys. „Milicje” separatystów pod wpływem rosyjskiej perswazji miały opuścić okupowane gmachy rządowe i złożyć broń. Nic takiego się jednak nie stało. Za to separatyści w Słowiańsku porwali członków misji OBWE. Angela Merkel prosiła przez telefon Putina o pomoc w uwolnieniu porwanych. Putin zażądał w zamian, by władze w Kijowie wycofały swoje wojska ze wschodniej Ukrainy. Innymi słowy Putin chciał skłonić ukraiński rząd, by oddał sporą część kraju samozwańczym, sponsorowanym przez Moskwę lokalnym watażkom. Następnego dnia, 2 maja, Putin ogłosił śmierć porozumienia z Genewy oskarżając o złamanie go władze w Kijowie. Co więcej, Rosja dała wyraźnie do zrozumienia, że nie zawaha się w razie potrzeby wstrzymać dostawy gazu do Europy.

W takim kontekście wydarzeń kanclerz Angela Merkel poleciała w piątek z wizytą do Waszyngotnu. Jako że Putin w ciągu ostatnich dwóch tygodni użył wobec Zachodu i władz w Kijowie wszelkich możliwych brudnych trików z kłamstwem, prowokacją i łamaniem porozumień włącznie, a jest obecnie o krok od przejęcia całkowitej kontroli nad wschodnią Ukrainą, można było oczekiwać twardej i zdecydowanej odpowiedzi ze strony pani kanclerz Niemiec z najpotężniejszą gospodarką w Europie i prezydenta jedynej globalnej potęgi świata. Ale Merkel i Barack Obama znów sięgnęli po puste groźby przyszłych sankcji, zastrzegając przy tym, że zostaną wprowadzone, jeśli Rosja zakłóci przebieg wyborów prezydenckich na Ukrainie 25 maja br.

Smutna prawda jest taka, że Rosja już zrobiła wszystko, by te wybory uniemożliwić lub mieć powód, by ich nie uznać. Od początku kryzysu ukraińskiego Putin testował Zachód jak dalece może się posunąć. Jak dotąd, USA i Zachód idą na coraz większe ustępstwa. Krym jest już powszechnie uznawany za część Rosji. Zaś wschodnia Ukraina na podstawie milczącego, cichego porozumienia – za sferę niekwestionowanych wpływów Kremla. Zachód jest zbyt podzielony i zbyt egoistyczny, bo poskromić imperialne ambicje Rosji Putina. Kolejny test już za kilka dni. 11 maja ludność regionu Doniecka, przemysłowego serca Ukrainy, opanowanego przez separatystów, będzie głosować za niepodległością, a następnie samozwańcze władze z pewnością poproszą o przyłączenie do Federacji Rosyjskiej.