The Kiev elite is “brought up” by the method of Pavlov’s dog, but it has its own hidden reserves
“Action equals reaction,” says Newton’s third law. However, politics — as well as Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine — is subject to completely different “laws of mechanics”. Counteraction is many times stronger than action — such a “conditioned reflex” has been purposefully developed by the Russian authorities in official Kiev in recent weeks.
Photo: Global Look Press
As soon as Ukrainian officials had time to congratulate each other on the success of the sabotage act on the Crimean Bridge, waves of attacks on critical infrastructure began to fall on the territories under their control. It’s the same story with the drone attack on the Black Sea Fleet.
In response, Russia suspended its participation in the food deal, prompting a flurry of exclamations: “Well, how so! Come back, please!” (this is exactly how — with “please” — not only in Kiev, but also in the capitals of those Western states that are the main sponsors of Zelensky).
All this is very similar to the methods by which the famous Russian physiologist academician Ivan Pavlov used to “educate” his four-legged wards. But here’s the impression I can’t get rid of: the president of Ukraine is not “brought up”. And I even know why.
Describing recently in his telegram channel the catastrophic state of affairs in a neighboring country, the chairman of the State Duma of the Russian Federation Vyacheslav Volodin, among other things, noted: “The collapse of the economy. The Kiev regime cannot independently fulfill social obligations to its citizens, pay salaries and pensions. The country’s financial system is destroyed. More than $100 billion of debts need to be repaid. Ukraine has lost the ability to exist as a state.”
Yes, I lost it. But here’s what Moscow doesn’t seem to fully understand yet: Zelensky (and the president of Ukraine as a person, and the “collective Zelensky” as the embodiment of the entire Kiev political elite) is not just not particularly concerned about this state of affairs. This state of affairs suits them completely. With regard to the situation in their own country, the Kiev elite lives by the principle of “the worse, the better”, and this greatly weakens (or even nullifies) the effect of the Kremlin’s actions aimed at pacifying it.
And no, this is not an attempt to demonize someone. This is just a statement of reality — the one that already exists, and the one that will definitely be.
Among the thoughts that Vladimir Putin expressed at the Valdai Forum was this: “Today’s “hurrah-patriots” in Ukraine are not driven by this — not even by interests, not by ideas of nationalism, everything is very primitive: they are driven by economic interests, the desire to keep billions of dollars in Western banks that they stole from the Ukrainian people.
They stole it, hid it in Western banks and, in order to ensure the safety of their capital, they do everything they are ordered from the West, wrapping it in a nationalist wrapper, presenting it to their own people as a struggle for the interests of the Ukrainian people. That’s what is really happening — they do not regret and fight with Russia to the last Ukrainian.”
Unlike GDP, I do not have access to information from the special services and do not know anything about the billions of dollars that the Kiev elite already holds in Western banks. But on the other hand, I understand very clearly how the Ukrainian elite represents their well-fed future. What does the leadership of a country whose critical infrastructure is being destroyed in front of everyone during an armed conflict usually think about? About this: my God, how and with what money we will restore all this!
But if you look at the situation through the eyes of the current Kiev authorities, then in relation to today’s Ukrainian conflict, such fears, fears and problems are not relevant. Zelensky and Co. know perfectly well that “The West will help them” — not because he wants it, but because he simply will have no other way out.
Let’s assume that the armed conflict in Ukraine has ended or at least stopped. Sooner or later it will definitely happen. Let’s also assume that something will remain of Ukraine: referendums on reunification with Russia will not be held on all its territories.
Question: Will the West be able to tell the Kiev elite: “Now you are somehow on your own, and we will go about our business”? No, he can’t. For the US and the EU, such a statement of the issue would mean a monstrous political defeat and voluntary moral surrender to the Kremlin. Those territories that will remain under Kiev’s control following the results of the current conflict, the West will definitely try to turn into a kind of “showcase and advertising”: they say, look how quickly we will restore everything and make it more beautiful, better and richer than before!
Billions or even trillions of dollars and euros of rain will surely fall on Ukraine. And part (and a significant part) of these “raindrops” will definitely settle in the pockets of the local elite. They have always been able to take kickbacks and “commissions” in Kiev, they can and will be able to.
Too cynical? Quite realistic, I’m afraid. The Ukrainian elite is protected from the hardships of the armed conflict. While ordinary citizens of the country are suffering, the presidential couple is being filmed in Vogue magazine. Why is this not a comfortable existence?
And a prerequisite for the continuation of such a comfortable existence is the preservation of political power within the country and Western support outside. Boris Berezovsky once bought up the management of Russian enterprises. The West today “bought” (I don’t know, literally or figuratively) the managerial class of Ukraine. Therefore, this management classreflects today in approximately the following categories: Have Russian “retaliation missiles” hit another object of our critical infrastructure? Great, so in the future we will also be able to make money on it!
What can be done with this problem, Moscow has clearly not yet come up with. The Kremlin will have to adjust and change its tactics and strategy in Ukraine more than once.