This is my another translation of most recent Boris Stomakhin’s work. Though a lengthy and enigmatic one, it definitely deserves attention as one of the few worthy alternative opinions on poisoning of Navalny and russian politics in general.
So, Navalny has made another new “investigation” with all names (real and false) of FSB agents which ostensibly were trailing him during all his trips across Russia with a purpose to poison him. Has named all FSB internal structures (like Main Center for Special Technologies) which in the regular order authorities of people are engaged in poisonings objectionable.
It looks like more than serious as for the most part as media says, was conducted by Bellingcat group with participation of The Insider, CNN, Der Spiegel and El Pais. It looks very solid. But…
As it says, Alexandrov “accidentally turned on his real phone while on his operation” which “revealed his locations in Novosibirsk and Tomsk”.
Think what you want, but it’s just like in Arthur Hailey’s ‘Evening News’, when one of Crawford Sloane’s family kidnappers turns his phone on just once, violating an order of his boss, which helps the protagonist to find their entire den…
But such bookish coincidences still could do. There’s something more important, more essential, that doesn’t allow to believe Navalny’s revelations.
THE MOTIVE!!!
The same as before. Total absence of any. For the motive of this attempted assassination is absolutely unclear.
Navalny’s 2016 attempt to run for president is not a reason at all: in 2012 Limonov was forced out of elections simply by Putin’s pigs, without any poisonings. At first it was OMON-guarded “renovation” in hotel rented for petition gathering, then rejection of those petitions by
Central Election Commission as “gathered not at officially registered address”, and then approval of CEC decision in all courts.
That’s it, no need for poison.
And besides Limonov, there was more than enough characters, rather famous, who tried to run for Russian presidency. Leonid Ivashov, for example. The Colonel General that once was in command of CIS military cooperation headquarters (russian chauvinist, imperialistic revanchist and obscurantist) is definitely not some hillbilly trash. (Even not Navalny whose only status was a lawyer, and he was deprived even of this one) Tried in 2011 too. There was a silent denial, no poisonings, no murders. And not only him alone. Russian police-bureaucratic machine worked perfectly in 2011, and in 2012, and in 2016, and it stays that way. They find falsified signatures when it’s needed, courts would always support the state by default (even if the plaintiff is a Colonel General) and if protesters will try to make trouble as was in 2019 in Moscow, jackboots will be summoned. Then it was OMON, now – Putin’s “dogguard”, very effective against troublemakers armed only with paper cups. And no need for secret poisonings.
Navalny was allowed to run for mayor of Moscow in 2013 to create at least some intrigue on these sorry “elections” and no poisonings were necessary. Not even with frail percent of votes he received. Somehow, there was no need to eliminate such a dangerous competitor of Sobyanin. And in fact mayor of capital city is not some pissant. In any country, it is a noticeable political character, quite often with actual presidential ambitions (as Luzhkov was). Which sometimes become satisfied (Jacque Chirac, for example).
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So the plot of this story with already TWO :))) poisonings supposes by default that Navalny is a REAL dissident that poses a REAL threat to the system. While it’s not like that, to say the least. From the very beginning. Cause after all those bombshell revelations, in the end of his current investigation Navalny offers “smart voting” as a primary mean to fight against Putin’s regime!!! :))))) Perhaps he’s really an idiot, huh? Well, if not, it’s just impossible to believe that Putin would deliberately murder his own, such valuable henchmen like Nemtsov and Navalny who mastered the skill of blowing off all protests’ steam into whistle.
Not to mention that all those facts, names, dates and so on, provided by Navalny, are absolutely uncheckable for an average reader who doesn’t have access to illegally obtained databases. Turns out that the average reader should just take Navalny’s word for it, though he has an interest here. Because the average reader, especially living not in Russia, will never obtain all this info of tickets purchase, flights, cell phone billing and so on secretly, by friendship or for monetary compensation as Navalny did (according to his version). Also it’s hard to miss how handy corruption turned out to be for him. The very corruption he claimed to fight against for all those years, risking his own hide. Because to sell (or even give for free) service databases and classified information not intended for publication is nothing but corruption.
KGB for sure knows how to kill and poison. There is no doubt in its murderous capabilities and lack of sentimentalism. Litvinenko has exposed Development of Criminal Organizations Directorate, an internal organization inside FSB in which he served under command of general Hoholkov. Besides its own organized crime, it was actively engaged in “development” which meant political murders of personalities dangerous to the regime. Particularly Dzhokhar Dudaev, for this murder Hoholkov himself was awarded.
But Dudaev was really and actually dangerous for Kremlin! Unlike Navalny.
The latter won’t mobilize anybody for real actions. All he can do is lead some bare-handed schoolkids, unarmed and defenseless, under police batons. And call his fans of all ages to participate in another Putin’s bloody farce, so-called “elections”. Which, as he tries to convince his dupes over and over again, can be won in a smart way, therefore, it’s just mandatory to come and vote. Again, Navalny calls dupes to take ballots from hands of Putin’s regime, stained by blood of Chechens, Georgians, Ukrainians, Crimean Tatars and sign them with submissive loyalty. (However, by new rules anybody can take a ballot – neither a passport, nor a signature at receiving are necessary anymore.)
That is, regardless of a winning candidate, an additional support from Navalny to make the travesty of Putin’s “elections” look more legitimate. Propaganda is bent in such a way as it’s not a shameful farce with results known in advance, but real elections which can change something if voted as Navalny says…
And what all these “investigations”, all these revelations of corruption mean, for which Navalny has become famous after he changed his tunes from “russian nationalist” to “liberal” and “professional corruption fighter”???
In fact to fight against corruption in Russia, rescuing its funds from plundering by thievish officials, means by default to consider the state which resources you rescue YOUR OWN ONE. Your own, native, habitual beyond any questions. Navalny is flesh of flesh of Russia, he was born from its soil and nourished by the same “traditional values” (slavery, serfdom, autocracy, totalitarianism, imperialism and so forth) as all other natives of this land. The same values that dominate in heads of authorities, “elites” (actors, writers, sportsmen etc), as well as common population, “deep people” as they were named by Surkov. And of course a myth of bad authority (Putin and his gang) and good people “deceived” by bad, malicious and thievish Putin’s officials. Navalny and Putin share the same common, basic fundamental values and the same electorate – lowlife scum longing for “great country”, “social justice”, the USSR, a full set of populist platitudes. From there Navalny starts his strategic line of protection and rescue of everything that should be destroyed and scrapped without mercy.
Navalny was never hiding that he wants to become the president instead of Putin. And what russian president would want to have his state weak, ailing, tied by hands and legs by some human rights, personal inviolability, private property and so on? No way. Is Navalny worse than Putin to limit his own power? Here, his diehard Big Government, imperialistic “opposition” agenda becomes absolutely clear. Though the only way to eliminate corruption is the abolition of government control over economy, business and in general all areas of life, reduction and whenever possible elimination of bureaucracy carrying out this control, letting loose all processes previously regulated by bureaucracy, you won’t hear a word about that from Navalny. Indeed! That would lead to weakening of the state, decrease of its power over an individual and perhaps destruction of the very state, president of which he plans to become…
Therefore, Navalny is an enemy of freedom. For he helps to keep what must be ruthlessly destroyed: the state named Russian Federation as it is. Doesn’t matter if governed by Putin or Navalny. It doesn’t give in to any reforms, but on the contrary alters, “re-educates” any authority that initially does not adhere to its immemorial serfish traditions. Forces such an authority to mutate, to change towards “traditional values” of this Moscow Horde, a direct successor of Golden one. That’s why considering the outcome of all numerous attempts to reform Russia (it was tried no less than 18 times, and the last of them, the most dramatic and far-reaching took place between 1987 and 2000 – failing literally before our eyes) another reformation of Putin’s shameful Russia to some “Wonderful Russia of the Future” is out of question. Only its full and unconditional termination, dissolution, disintegration, disappearance from History, erasing it from the world map permanently.
The historical experience keeps proving unceasingly that Russia is irreformable. It instead devours all its reformers, forces them to turn into imperialists and totalitarianists, sucks in all attempts together with their instigators as Grimpen Mire, not changing at all itself. It is incorrigible and hopeless. As in old Soviet dark joke, “the doctor has told are fit only for the morgue so you are going there”. The only revolutionary slogan and proper recipe for Russia. Regardless of ideology, any “oppositionist” who carries out his politicial activities with prospect of conservation of Russia in its present borders as subject of international law and next repainting of its facade to some “Wonderful Russia of the Future” is a collaborator and direct supporter of Putin’s regime. Because Putin’s Russia of 2020 with all its uncountable crimes of last 20 years is just that very “Wonderful Russia of the Future” of which quixotic democrats and perestroika supporters were dreaming in 1990s. And there won’t be any other Russia as long as it exists, not even in the most distant future. It simply will pass through short repeating “thaws” in circles just to come back to its original condition – a furious cannibalistic dictatorship with mass political repressions inside and military aggressions outside. In which it exists now and existed before, in the end of Soviet era, in its beginning, during Tsarist times, and all its history. For such is its nature.
Survival of REPEATED poisoning with the most dangerous “Novichok” substance, subsequent quick recovery and return to normal life, sports and social networks, plus an unprecedented heap of political profits, reputation boost on a global scale, and so on and like that – no, it just can’t be that way! Any adult with even a slightest life experience simply won’t believe such fairy tales with happy ending.
Navalny’s fans, for a long time competing with Putin’s ones in aggression, usually attack any critics of their idol, coming in rabid packs screaming “Ya just envious!!!” :)) If we believe their poisoning story it was unclear until now, what’s to envy here? That he was poisoned and went into coma? But now, when The Times tells us about second poisoning, then yes, there is something to be envious about. Is Navalny some kind of ghoul? Or Duncan McLeod? They keep trying but he survives again and again. Immunity to Novichok is a very rare feature, a reason for envy indeed.
Seriously, Skripal was a genuine “traitor”. There was reason in his Novichok poisoning, especially abroad, such is their KGB tradition. But for Yandarbiev, their REAL enemy, they chose a bomb. Rokhlin, rumored to plan a military coup, was also killed in rather simple way without any poisons. Navalny doesn’t give the slightest reason to poison him, especially with Novichok, and especially within Russia. It sounds delirious and doesn’t match any common sense at all. Especially taking into consideration his strangely fast recovery, his speeches in EU Pairlament with propositions to impose sanctions not on Russia, and not even Putin’s administration but on some petty “oligarch” like Usmanov (which is neither oligarch, nor he has any real power in Russia, however, russian boors will be pleased that the rich will have such a problem), plus his “smart voting” idea which he has not outgrown, plus world-scale PR campaign, skyrocketing glory in all western MSM, patronage of German chancellor and so on and like that, like the Fate herself has made Navalny an indisputable king of “opposition” whom nobody would dare to question. No, all that doesn’t come together, doesn’t form this fine version which the world MSM together with Navalny want to impose us…
And don’t start throwing “conspiracy theory” accusations favored by Navalny’s fans. On the contrary, Navalny’s version looks like conspiracy much more. Dumb FSB tries its best and fails to poison one single Navalny, an idol of the masses, the hero, the leader and beacon for all progressive humankind, One And Only No-Alternative Leader of Opposition in Russia. A version that doesn’t converge with the facts and has no obvious motives. Try to poison him with Novichok twice not clearly for the sake of what, let him survive in the end and then arrange world-scale PR campaign – really, it’s hard to think up a bigger conspiracy theory….
And by the way, how and why unfinished Navalny was allowed to go abroad while they could hold him for days and even weeks is a separate interesting question :))) In Russia, all foreign trips in any situation are under control of Kremlin’s FSB border guards.
Actually, the enchanting delirium supposed obviously and only for PR is the POISONING as method. Of all their enemies who were a real trouble for KGB-FSB, they have poisoned Ibn al-Khattab in 2002, who was unreachable in the mountains of the Chechen Republic. Also Sobchak in 2000 – successfully and silently. For Sobchak incarceration was out of options, he would have been dangerous even in prison, remembering everything that he knew about Putin. Besides Litvinenko and Skripal, “traitors” from KGB-FSB, which has such a tradition…
All others who represented even the slightest, even symbolic threat to this regime in Russia were simply jailed, not poisoned. Like Airat Dilmukhametov and Rafis Kashapov. Lawyer Mikhail Trepashkin who revealed FSB apartment bombings of 1999 has served his 4-year term. And here out of the blue comes the version that Navalny, absolutely harmless to KGB, was poisoned by Novichok twice but survived… :))))))))))))))))))
But “harmless” is still a soft definition. The motive of those suspected poisonings is absolutely unclear! Moreover, for FSB it would have been absolutely counterproductive to kill its own agent, whose promotion cost them much money and time, which they needed as completely controllable “leader of opposition” in Russia. There’s enough that Konstantin Borovoy called Navalny like that. The person knowing The System from within, to put it short.
And people from the same organization who were flying with him all across Russia (and somehow he strangely didn’t notice their mugs) were simply his security, plainclothes companions. Doesn’t such an important agent like Navalny need bodyguards according to his status??!.. However, bodyguards are always protection on the one hand, and on the other they can have their own superiors… If you remember, Indira Gandhi has been assassinated by her own Sikh guards in 1984. And Stalin in his last years most of all was afraid of his own MGB security guards. So they were trailing Navalny covering such a valuable agent privately, and now (after a permission of his superiors, of course) he ditched them. Now they are declared unlucky poisoners…
Let alone that super-duper-megacool “leader of opposition” in such a totalitarian, fascist state which Putin’s Russia is, could never repeatedly get away with administrative arrest not exceeding 30 days as punishment for politicial activity, and have TWO subsequent probation terms IN A ROW. It just can’t be, anyone who was in grinder of Russian “justice” can confirm. Second “court” would have counted the first probation term as aggravating circumstances and sentenced him to a real jail-time. But it did not, Navalny is beyond the rigor of Russian “justice”. Unlike his brother, who got all the trouble cause he has no FSB-imposed immunity. All that was happening with Navalny for all those years, from Kirovles case till second poisoning aboard the plane (according to Times’ version) is called “legend creation”. Which means making a convincing story of “victim of regime” to make dupes believe and follow him… to be perfectly clear, keep running in circle of useless “elections” and rallies like hamsters in a wheel.
A release valve that blows off all protesters’ steam into harmless whistle, redirects people’s efforts to infinite, toothless, useless meetings and similarly, obviously losing “elections” game on all levels – that’s what Navalny is. So-called “leader of opposition” under full control of authority that dexterously flushes all the protests, allowing Putin’s KGB to control everything that demonstrates even a slightest potential for protest in Russia. If the motive of his supposed poisonings is absolutely unclear, the motive of all that KGB-arranged worldwide PR campaign of “a victim of unsuccessful KGB poisoning” is clear-cut. After that “poisoning”, his repute amongst Russian “opposition” gonna skyrocket and become absolutely unquestionable. And with such a honorable leader there will be more control upon “opposition” scene. As a matter of fact the same story that was with Evno Azef and Georgy Gapon, whose reputation used to be unquestionable too.
And finally, for those who think that “Navalny at least does something, unlike you”. An idol for millions of ruskies, Joseph Stalin, told in 1927 about his bunch: “This staff can be removed only by civil war”. And he was absolutely right here. That’s the real price to pay for removal of Stalin, his staff, and all their legacy that prevails in Russia now.
ONLY. BY CIVL. WAR.
My comment:
Maybe Mr. Stomakhin’s version of events is not the ultimate truth. Maybe Navalny was poisoned, like Kavkaz Center staff supposed, by some rogue KGB faction. In my opinion that could be a group of fanatics who sincerely believed in official story and considered their comrade Navalny a genuine “enemy of the people”. And where they had enthusiasm in spades, they lacked in skills and proper poison that would have done the trick. Then, Putin’s buddies (both in Russia and in Germany) seized an opportunity to show this dumbed-down world a “miracle” of Navalny’s survival and his “genuine” democratic agenda.
Which in its essence is indeed nothing but rabid chauvinist warmongering imperialist obscurantism. Not so long ago, during another russian encroaching upon foreign land, Navalny had a typical ruskie chauvinist fire-farting hysteria openly expressing his desire “to launch a cruise missile on rodents’ HQ”.
Such is the nature of russian democracy, and such are the leaders ruskies gonna elect despite all efforts of Western democracy dummies.
One thing is certain in all that poisoning story: one should NOT, under any circumstances, believe ruskies regardless of their slogans. Russia is not only a country of serfdom and chauvinism, it’s also a country of bullshit and fake. As it was said long ago on some political message board, if ruskie tells you two times two equals four, you would wanna check it with a calculator. Like country, like “opposition” , which again and again turns out to be KGB b#tches. Or better to say, KGBitches.