Putin has Turned Lenin’s Slogan on Its Head: Now, it's Peace to the Palaces and War on the Huts, Russians Say

Paul Goble

Monday, August 15, 2022

 – Putin has come up with another political innovation: he’s reversed Lenin’s slogan and declared peace on the palaces and war on the huts, Russians say, adding that he has also change the government policy of carrots and sticks: Now, it beats with sticks and then takes away the carrots.

            This is the latest in a collection of new jokes and anecdotes assembled by Moscow journalist Tatyana Pushkaryova (publizist.ru/blogs/107374/43468/-). Among the best of the rest are the following:

·       Serious Russian officials say that in Ukraine, “everything is going according to plan,” even though they have no idea what the plan is; but they and the deep people are convinced that the bloodshed there is an almost sacred sacrifice, pleasing to Christ, Allah and Buddha given that the Russian prophet Ramzan Kadyrov has said so.

·       Moscow has another reason to ban Wikipedia. It reveals that one American who criticizes the US and praises Moscow is in the pay of the Russian government. No one should be allowed to find that out, at least not in Russia.

·       Russia denies shooting missiles at Odesa but says that two of the four fired hit port facilities. If Russia didn’t fire them, then Ukraine must have; and that raises the critical question: how come Russia hasn’t defeated a country that seems committed to shooting at itself?

·       Under Russian law, the Orthodox church can take a building away from a school or a museum if it once used it even 100 years ago; but the Russian people can’t take away from an oligarch factories he illegally stole just 20 years ago.

·       Moscow keeps adding to the list of unfriendly countries because it is simpler to do that than to invade them and besides some of them are where wealthy Russians hide their wealth.