In Russian jails one is not allowed to keep a diary. Is this only in Russia? The inmates are also allowed only a few basic medical supplies and even those are often taken away. If one asks for a doctor, the likelihood of him showing up is small. 

My Godson

This is my Godson Christian Arseni, son of Anastasia Kurbatova, and nephew of Kristina Kurbatova, who died on 26th of October 2002 during the Moscow theatre siege.  She was only 13 years old. Kris was named after her. A beautiful boy we're proud of and pray for his great future. In America. 

NEW PROJECT

It looks like I'll be writing a screenplay based on Alexander Shmukler's novel Tetrada Fallo, about American heart surgeon operating on a Russian orphan with a seemingly deadly heart condition and then adopting her. I had a meeting with the author and it went well. Can't wait to start on it, and, hopefully, see it through. 

My anger can be explained

The popular notion in Russia is that America is no longer the major power and the new global leader is about to emerge. According to the consciously delusional  political analysts on the government TV channels it, of course, should be Russia. Because, yes! - the world should definitely follow the country where you might be lucky enough to find an incorrupt judge. Where the doctor will treat you like shit or not treat you at all unless you put some bribe money on the table. Where the only things solidly built are jails.

 

As our saga continues...

Patrick Swayze died yesterday after suffering from the pancreatic cancer, the same desease that took the life of my dear friend, the great Russian actor Oleg Yankovsky only 4 moths ago. A desease that is very hard to detect and has the lowest survival rate of all cancers. RIP wonderful Patrick Swayze. 

CONTINUED

 

The main problem of this country is not directly linked to the actions of the government but to the lack of actions from the people Just walking to the metro and getting on it you get the picture how much the before-the-crisis economic boost affected people’s lives. Not much is the answer. Like in the early 90s people are standing on the pathway selling colourful bathrobes (made in China), old skies and dry mushrooms. Stray dogs are sniffing at people’s bags looking for food. People are asking for money before you get into the metro, on the metro before you get on the train and on the train. Old women in headscarves, men in military uniform and kids. Some seem to cry from embarrassment.

Blunt assassinations of political opponents, attorneys, and journalists have become a norm. The announcement on the news of yet another assassination do not provoke a shocked reaction and blend easily with the dinner.

 Lies. When you are a person in power and you know you will not have to answer for what comes out of your mouth, you can say pretty much anything. Promises, threats, it all goes down without a hitch. 

Corruption has reached an unthinkable scale. Court system is not working. Justice is absent from it even as a concept.

Indifference. Russian people seem to have no faith in their own freedom. Their mentality genetically altered into submission. In general, people in Russia are unable to stand up for themselves, their constitutional rights and their freedom.

 

THE REAL STATE OF RUSSIA

By Natalia Pelevine

The effects of the economic crisis are becoming more tangible by the day. Rouble is weakening against both the US dollar and the Euro. Prices on the products of basic necessity are going up while people are losing jobs. All this while on the evening news Prime Minister Putin claims that rouble will become a reserve currency and that everything will turn out jolly well. Those who still have their jobs haven’t had their salary paid in two-three months. My neighbour, driver for a private textile company, my friend, journalist of one of the top selling newspapers and my buddy, Special Forces officer stationed in the problem region of Dagestan-all had their salaries held back. Private businesses are disappearing at the same scale they appeared in the early 90s. Stray dogs are sniffing at people’s bags looking for food. You see people asking for money before you get into the metro, then before you get on the train and on the train. Old women in headscarves, men in military uniform and children. According to official information during the last week of the number of unemployed has risen by 93 thousand now reaching 1,735 million people.

 

When the world has first entered the crisis zone, Russian officials were quick to call Russia ‘an island of stability’. It is still unclear what this statement was based on, what is clear is that it was false. Those in power have been choosing their words more carefully since then but are still attempting to paint a rosy picture using an old and reliable formula that goes like this: no matter what happens Russia is becoming stronger and will come out on top while America disintegrates. Very few believe what they’re saying and least of all themselves. The main problem of this country is in lack of action from the people more so than the actions of the government. When the government lies, no one calls their bluff and holds them responsible. There is no way of really knowing what’s happening with the economy because everyone knows aware of the games being played in the shadows. Corruption does not allow the economy to be transparent and therefore understandable accessible to the masses. Government in the meantime has gone back to trying to distract people with information about Russian enemies, oligarch Berezovsky and others. 

The paradox of this country has been and still remains as follows: no one knows what is going on and what the real situation is, with power division and economy among other things, except for those physically present in Kremlin.

Will this crisis have any political consequences remains to be seen. For now, it appears, Russian people should count solely on their own survival instincts.

 

CHEAP

In Moscow a Night of Shopping took place last week. This meant that throughout the night all major boutiques, from D&G to Burberry, hosted a herd of millionaires, millionaire's wives and lovers and a range of local celebrities.  The latter shopped, drank champagne,  devoured houre devres and posed for pictures. All this on the backdrop of millions of people are not being paid their $300 salaries, the production on many industrial objects is stopped leaving millions out of work; people ate facing cold and grim winter. What can become of a country where the combination of the two is perfectly OK?

Thoughts

Проблема России, исторически: 

Если человеческая жизнь ничего не стоит, то какое может быть отношение к смерти.

9/11

A very wet day in NY as we remember 9/11. The world eight years on is unstable and the tensions are running high. Those people trapped there before the building collapsed, making their last calls. Who would your last call be to?

Sadly, nothing new. My play about the Moscow theatre siege was banned last April after one performance.

GQ’s Provocative Article on Russia Will Be Hard to Find in Russia

By RICHARD PÉREZ-PEÑA

Published: September 4, 2009

Vladimir V. Putin consolidated his power in Russia a decade ago, in part by taking a hard line against Chechen separatists, whom the government had blamed for a series of bombings. In a long investigative article in the current issue of GQ, the writer Scott Anderson explores the possibility that the bombers actually had been working for the Russian government.

But those who have the most at stake in the matter, the Russian people, will be hard-pressed to read the piece. Condé Nast, publisher of GQ, decided not to send copies of the magazine to Russia, to post the article on GQ’s Web site or to include a translated version of it in any of the four magazines it owns in Russia, including a Russian version of GQ.

National Public Radio first reported the company’s moves on Friday, and obtained a memo by a lawyer for Condé Nast that goes so far as to decree that the article should not be publicized, reprinted in any of the company’s dozens of overseas magazines, or shown to Russian officials, journalists or advertisers anywhere in the world.

Maurie Perl, the chief spokeswoman for Condé Nast, declined to comment on any limitations the company had placed on the article, or the reasons for them. But, she said, “we’re mindful of the laws and issues in the countries we publish in.”

Unlike some publishers, Condé Nast routinely withholds articles from its Web sites to encourage people to buy the company’s magazines, including The New Yorker, Vanity Fair and Vogue. Most of the content in its publications abroad is original, but they do sometimes use translations of articles the company has published in the United States — and interest in Mr. Anderson’s article in Russia certainly would have been high.

Gawker.com, the media gossip and news site, posted images of the article, asked Russian-speaking readers to translate it, and began posting the translation.

A hunt for suicide bombers in Ingushetia.

Two cars and a truck loaded with explosives and driven by suicide bombers have reportedly entered the Republic of Ingushetia. The special operation to hunt them down is underway. It is likely that during the time since Russia has proclaimed the anti-terrorist operation in the North Caucasus finished, the rebel forces trained and prepared a whole number of 'martyrs'. President Medvedev has declared that the operation in the Caucasus was over at the time when i kept hearing from my sources that people are 'going to the mountains' i.e joining the guerrilla fighters in their dozens weekly. I was told that the problem for them right now is the lack of ammunition for all those willing to join them. This is the reality. The reality the government refuses to admit. The price of this denial will be, i fear, many lives of regular people. As always.   

FIVE YEARS AFTER BESLAN

The pain in us lives on but the Russian government and the media are ignoring the anniversary of this tragedy. The fact that it's not surprising doesn't make it less outraging. I will be calling my friends who lost their children in the school siege on the 3rd, because for the next 3 days they will be at the school, reliving what they went through and, most importantly, their children went through 5 years ago. They sit there without food or water for 3 days. And we grieve with them.