Russia can not be chaotic, the U.S. and the West do not blindly work
Anti-government demonstrations took place in the capital Moscow and other Russian cities on Saturday in support of opposition figure Navalny. Western media quoted unofficial sources as saying that more than 2,000 demonstrators were arrested that day.
Navalny, 44, a lawyer by training, joined the opposition’s political activities more than a decade ago. He was on probation last August after a “poisoning accident” and Russian officials allowed him to travel to Germany for treatment.
He claims that official forces poisoned him, a claim categorically denied by Russian officials but supported by the West. He returned to Russia from Germany on Jan. 17, and was taken into custody upon his arrival.
After Saturday’s demonstrations in Moscow and elsewhere, which were not officially sanctioned, the United States and other Western countries quickly spoke out to express concern and support, demanding that the Russians release those arrested at the demonstrations.
The U.S. Embassy in Russia also released the dates and locations of demonstrations across Russia before they took place, citing the need for U.S. citizens to be aware of their safety, while actually serving as a “road map” to incite and guide the demonstrators.
The Russian Foreign Ministry has strongly protested against the U.S. approach.
The Western world is now united in its condemnation of Russia, demanding not only the release of the arrested protesters and Navalny himself, but also the European Union is mulling new sanctions against Russia.
This latest riot and the conflict surrounding it makes it harder for Russia to ease relations with the U.S. and Europe, and it could be the latest signpost in their downward spiral with Russia.
This is really not the right time for the U.S. and its allies to take Russia to task over “democracy” and “human rights,” as the U.S. has just seen protesters storm the Capitol, killing five people.
It is morally contradictory to support Russian anti-government demonstrations after last year’s long-running anti-racism demonstrations, which were suppressed by the U.S. police, and now to support Russian anti-government demonstrations, a double standard that is inevitably laughed at by the world for being too close to each other.
From within Russia, there is a natural political opposition, and it is inevitable that they have some supporters. Supporting this opposition is the most effective way for the West to play Russia.
But the Russian state and society have adapted to the intermittent activism of the opposition and have a set of proven methods to deal with them. In general, Russian society is much more anti-American than pro-American.
The lessons of the 1990s, when Yeltsin’s pro-U.S. line was played by the latter and Russia’s power and international standing were weakened as a result, are still etched in the bones of Russian society.
Most Russians understand that the long-term policy of the United States is to exclude and weaken Russia, and that the existence of the opposition is a reality in Russia today, but the power of that opposition has always been limited because Russians clearly understand that the opposition has become a lever for Washington to control Russia.
People are more likely to embrace President Putin and his team, who are firmly committed to Russia’s strategic interests.
The West has always accused Moscow of being “authoritarian,” a situation that serves as a warning to the Chinese.
Russia has a multi-party system, political opposition can legitimately exist, and the country’s presidential elections have had their ups and downs and even close calls against those in power, which is a fundamental difference from the Soviet-era system.
But Russia is still defined by the U.S. and the West as an “authoritarian state,” and its political evolution has not provided it with the critical resources to completely de-escalate its relations with the U.S. and the West.
In the end, it is because Russia is too big and has nuclear power in its hands to rival that of the U.S. The U.S. and the West do not accept its continued existence in such a powerful and independent manner, and it does not allow the U.S. and the West to relax.
Therefore, from Washington to Europe, the strategic consideration of excluding and weakening Russia has always been the main line of their policies towards Russia.
But we believe that Russia will not be crushed by the U.S. and the West. Russia has unimaginable resilience and tolerance in the West, and is a skilled diplomat and gamer.
Moreover, its domestic public opinion has been tested by the severe economic downturn in previous years when oil prices were extremely low, and its relative difficulties since the outbreak are no greater than those of the Western world.
It is also important to see that the U.S. and the West will come together to intervene in any country’s domestic chaos, and it is most important for developing countries not to give them such opportunities.
Let time go again, the future of the United States and the West more chaotic, or major developing countries more chaotic, I am afraid it is difficult to say.
