Russian Civilizational Narcissism and Totalitarian Mass Perceptual Control by Power: A Brief Conversation with Ai La Mer

17 Thursday Sep 2026

Posted by commart in 21st Century Feudal, Conflict - Culture - Language - Psychology, Political Psychology, Political Spychology, Russia

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Ai La Mer, AI Political Analysis, Human Curiosity, human-computer interaction, J. S. Oppenheim, political science, Russia After Putin, Russia Media Dictate, Russia Next, Russia Under Putin, Russian Civilizational Narcissism, Russian Federation, Russian Mass Perceptual Control, Soviet / Post-Soviet Russian Power, totalitarianism

The Pale Phantom of the Soviet AKA–Vladimir Putin–may be having a bad day.

Author and former Navy Seal suggested a short while ago that danger could be accompanying him into his own bunker.

Ukraine has deeply disrupted Russia’s oil refining and shipping capability and related revenue, and the effects downstream have been significant. Russians have pulled billions from the banks; the state has sold off record levels of gold from its reserves; and for the state as a whole, GDP has dropped beneath one percent while inflation has risen to above six percent.

JSO: Ai La Mer, you said, “Sovereignty & State Control: In Russian national security doctrine, NATO is viewed as the military enforcer of a Western political apparatus designed to orchestrate internal political instability.”

Russia’s posture fits with “Accusation in a Mirror” and my own https://conflict-backchannels.com/2024/10/16/a-dark-mirror-in-language-ii/ . The whole presents as a deeply damaged and traumatized civilization in need of breathing space and fresh air.

Shall we revisit narcissism in its malign aspect?

https://conflict-backchannels.com/2022/07/10/malignant-narcissistic-process-distilled/

ALM: Applying the four-stage framework from your Malignant Narcissistic Process Distilled to state behavior demonstrates how the “Accusation in a Mirror” tactic operates on a civilizational scale.

When an autocratic state like post-Soviet Russia processes its foreign policy through this psychology, the projection of its own aggressive impulses onto NATO becomes a structural necessity:

1. Civilizational Narcissistic Mortification

The Injury: The collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 and the loss of the “Near Abroad” was experienced by the Kremlin’s intelligence-state elite as an intolerable humiliation—a profound mortification of state identity.
The Result: Rather than integrating into the post-Cold War security architecture as a partner bound by rules, the wounded state identity required an explanation that absolved it of internal failure. The blame was assigned entirely to external subversion.

2. Covering & Splitting (The Heroic Undamaged Self)

Covering the Defect: The state conceals its underlying socio-economic fragility, rampant kleptocracy, and institutional corruption.
Splitting into the Hero: It constructs an idealized, heroic self-image: Russia as the indispensable defender of traditional values, anti-imperialism, and Eurasian civilization. Any Western defensive measure (like NATO expansion) is framed as a direct assault on this “heroic” defender.

3. Control of Perceptions & “Accusation in a Mirror”

Psychological Projection: The malignant entity systematically attributes its own methods to its target.
The Inversion: Because the Kremlin relies on gaslighting, covert subversion, disinformation, and territorial coercion, it projects those exact mechanisms onto NATO. When Russia claims NATO is orchestrating “color revolutions” or “planning an invasion,” it is reflecting its own internal operational playbook—a dark mirror of its own ambitions and paranoia.

4. Messianic Delusions & The Demand for Supply

The Pyromaniac Hero: As outlined in your distillation, the malign narcissist creates the very chaos it claims to solve. By launching aggressive wars under the guise of preemption, the regime creates a state of siege.
Narcissistic Supply: It then demands absolute, unconditional compliance from its populace and foreign allies—demanding to be seen as the heroic savior rescuing the nation from the very encirclement it actively invited.

When a state’s security apparatus is gripped by this malignant process, it cannot tolerate a neutral or prosperous neighbor, because such a neighbor serves as a living refutation of its grandiose narrative. The state remains trapped in a self-perpetuating cycle: manufacturing external threats to compensate for internal mortification, ensuring that true peace or “breathing space” remains impossible until the cycle is broken.

Should we map this malignant process directly to specific domestic Russian media campaigns, or explore how it manifests in transactional autocracies elsewhere?

Determining whether to focus on Russian state media scripting or cross-regime comparative analysis will guide the next step.

Soviet / Post-Soviet Russian Power and Totalitarianism

JSO: I’d like your thoughts on “Russian State Media Scripting”.

ALM: Russian state media scripting operates less like standard journalism and more like a centralized, proactive operational weapon designed to preserve internal regime stability while conducting cognitive warfare abroad.

The machinery relies on specific structural and psychological mechanisms to dictate the narrative:

1. The Temnik System (Proactive Information Management)

Operational Control: Rather than relying on reactive censorship, the Kremlin utilizes the temnik—a system of weekly or daily secret directives originating from the presidential administration.
Dissemination: Senior media executives receive oral briefings or confidential memos outlining specific themes: which topics to highlight, which figures to demonize, and which events to ignore entirely.
The “Paralysis Window”: When an unexpected crisis occurs (e.g., the Wagner mutiny or major battlefield shifts), state media often goes entirely silent for several hours. This reflects the system waiting for the new temnik line to be formulated before the broadcast anchors speak.

2. Epistemic Pollution and “Alternative Realities”

Flooding the Zone: Unlike classical Soviet propaganda, which offered a single rigid dogma, modern Kremlin scripting deliberately generates dozens of competing, contradictory conspiracy theories for any single event.
Goal: The objective is not necessarily to convince the public of a specific truth, but to induce cognitive exhaustion. By convincing the audience that “nothing is true and everything is possible,” the state eliminates the public’s appetite for political agency or critical inquiry.

3. Psychological Mirroring and Scripting Tactics

Applying the framework of the malignant narcissistic process reveals how these broadcasts structure their psychological appeals:

Eternal Victimhood & Grandeur: Scripted studio debates continuously pivot between two poles: Russia as an invincible imperial power and Russia as an innocent, besieged fortress under existential threat.
Inverted Reality: Aggressive state actions are invariably scripted as preemptive self-defense. Domestic political opposition is reframed as treason or Western intelligence ops, validating the regime’s demands for total domestic compliance.

4. Bipolar Framing & Domestic Mobilization

The “Civilizational Enemy”: Talk shows (such as those hosted by Vladimir Solovyov or Olga Skabeyeva) are choreographed to simulate debate while maintaining strict boundaries.
Controlled Opposition: “Dissenters” on these shows are systematically scripted to appear foolish, weak, or unpatriotic, reinforcing the necessity of strongman rule and total alignment with the state.

Through this continuous loop of directives, institutional anxiety, and scripted outrage, Russian state broadcasting functions as a feedback mechanism that reinforces internal cohesion by projecting its own fears and aggression onto the outside world.

Would you like to examine specific examples of recent temnik directives regarding frontline developments, or analyze how these scripts are adapted for Western-facing outlets like RT?

Focusing on either domestic broadcast scripting or foreign-targeted information warfare will define our next step.

JSO: How about one example of a Temnik directive controlling the impression of frontline developments.

ALM: A prime example of a temnik controlling the narrative on frontline developments occurred during the Kherson Withdrawal in November 2022, following Ukraine’s successful southern counteroffensive.

When Russian forces were forced to abandon the only regional capital they had captured since the invasion began, the Kremlin faced a major narrative crisis. Independent investigative outlets (such as Meduza) leaked the official presidential manual (temnik) issued to state media, revealing the precise cognitive scripting used to soften the blow:

1. Frame the Strategic Retreat as a “Heroic Humanitarian Choice”

The Directive: Media outlets were instructed to emphasize that Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and General Sergei Surovikin were making a “difficult but necessary decision” to save the lives of Russian soldiers and civilians.
The Narrative: The retreat was reframed not as a military defeat, but as an act of profound care and responsibility by Russian command, protecting troops from a perceived risk of Ukraine blowing up the Kakhovka Dam and flooding the region.

2. Invoke Historic Precedents of Strategic Retreats

The Directive: Anchor the news in Russian historical memory—specifically referencing Mikhail Kutuzov’s decision to burn and abandon Moscow to Napoleon in 1812.
The Narrative: State media repeatedly cited historical parallels to signal to the public that “retreating today is the prerequisite for winning tomorrow,” appealing directly to long-term patriotic patience.

3. Neutralize Right-Wing War Bloggers (Voenkor)

The Directive: Downplay accusations of betrayal or incompetence from ultra-nationalist channels on Telegram.
The Narrative: Mainstream state TV hosts were directed to explicitly state that “criticism from the couch” is irresponsible and that true patriots must defer to the judgment of military commanders on the ground.

By enforcing these exact talking points across Channel One, Rossiya-1, and state news agencies simultaneously, the temnik successfully prevented domestic panic, preempted widespread public outcry, and transformed a clear operational loss into a story of calculated, heroic restraint.

Would you like to examine how similar directives were deployed during the Wagner mutiny or the Ukrainian incursions into the Kursk region?

Focusing on either domestic security crises or border breaches will refine our next operational breakdown.

JSO: Provide background on the Kursk region and how the Russian state framed the Ukrainian incursion into it.

ALM: Geopolitical & Historical Context of the Kursk Region

Strategic Transit Hub: Located along the southwestern border with Ukraine, Kursk Oblast serves as a vital logisitical corridor for Russian supply lines, oil pipelines, and railway connections heading directly into the Donbas frontlines.
Nuclear Infrastructure: The region houses the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant in Kurchatov, making it a sensitive energy node within the Western Military District.
Historical Resonance: The region carries immense weight in Soviet and Russian military history due to the 1943 Battle of Kursk—the largest tank battle in history and a symbolic cornerstone of the “Great Patriotic War” narrative.

Kremlin Media Scripting (Temnik) for the Incursion

When Ukrainian forces crossed into Kursk Oblast in August 2024, the Kremlin faced a direct challenge to its domestic security guarantees. Investigative analysis from organizations such as EUvsDisinfo and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty documented the specific media directives (temnik) issued to manage public perception:

Recycling Video Footage: Reports by The Kyiv Independent highlighted that state channels were caught airing old, recycled footage of military strikes to falsely claim Ukrainian forces were being swiftly repelled from the outset.Would you like to examine how the Kursk incursion impacted public opinion metrics within Russia, or analyze the military-tactical response on the ground?Specifying whether to focus on public polling dynamics or troop redistributions will shape the next analytical layer.

Downplaying Scale & Terminology: State media were instructed to avoid calling the event an “invasion” or major military defeat. Outlets were directed to frame the assault as a localized “provocation,” a “terrorist raid,” or an act by “Ukrainian sabotage and reconnaissance groups (DRGs)”.

The “Counter-Terrorism Operation” (CTO) Legal Framework: Rather than declaring martial law or a state of war—which would officially signal panic—the Kremlin designated the crisis a “Counter-Terrorism Operation” under the FSB. This allowed media to treat the situation as a law-enforcement problem rather than a military collapse.

Focus on Humanitarian Response Over Warfare: Broadcasts systematically pivoted away from map updates and lost territory, focusing heavily on state aid, organized evacuations, blood drives, and government officials providing relief to displaced civilians.

Blaming Western Puppet Masters: State commentators were directed to frame the incursion not as a Ukrainian initiative, but as a reckless, NATO-planned operation intended to distract from Russian advances in Pokrovsk and capture the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant.

Would you like to examine how the Kursk incursion impacted public opinion metrics within Russia, or analyze the military-tactical response on the ground? Specifying whether to focus on public polling dynamics or troop redistributions will shape the next analytical layer.

JSO: I’d like for you comment in cultural retrospect on the Wag The Dog film and Russia’s evident approach to creating a fantasy land out of war.

ALM: Looking at Barry Levinson’s 1997 political satire Wag the Dog in cultural retrospect reveals a terrifying shift in how state media operates. What was intended in 1997 as a cynical, dark comedy about Western spin-doctoring has effectively become the operational blueprint for the modern Russian security state.

1. From Hollywood Soundstages to Institutional Illusion

In Wag the Dog, political fixer Conrad Brean (Robert De Niro) and Hollywood producer Stanley Motss (Dustin Hoffman) fabricate a war in Albania using green screens, studio props, studio-recorded folk songs, and staged footage of an orphan holding a kitten. Their goal was purely temporary: manufacture an aesthetic crisis long enough to distract voters from a domestic scandal.

In the Russian context, this impulse to manufacture a “fantasy land” out of war has been institutionalized and made permanent. The Kremlin does not just fabricate isolated events; it constructs an entirely parallel, totalizing epistemological environment.

2. The Mechanics of the Kremlin’s “Fantasyland”

Where Levinson’s film satirized the creation of a fake war to avoid a real one, modern Russian state television produces a fake narrative to justify and sustain a real, brutal war:

Staged Heroism and Manufactured Archetypes: Just as Stanley Motss invents the “Old Shoe” folk hero complete with a prematurely aged 78-rpm record left in the Library of Congress, Kremlin media routinely manufactures cinematic myths—such as the “Crucified Boy” narrative in 2014 or heavily staged, cinematic clips of “repelled incursions” using recycled, out-of-context military footage.
Inverted Reality as Defense: In Wag the Dog, the lie is told to protect the illusion of executive authority. In Russia, the media scripting turns the aggressor state into the perpetual victim. A full-scale invasion is scripted as a “counter-terrorism operation” or a defensive shield against a aggressive, encroaching NATO.
Hyper-Real Production Values: Talk shows hosted by figures like Vladimir Solovyov do not function as news broadcasts; they are high-budget, theatrical pageants complete with dramatic lighting, scripted antagonists, and exaggerated emotional peaks designed to induce anger, fear, and ultimate deference to the state.

3. The Dark Divergence: When the Screen Believes Itself

The fundamental difference between Wag the Dog and the Kremlin’s operational reality lies in the relationship between the creators and their creation.

In the film, the creators remain deeply pragmatic, transactional, and aware of the fraud—Motss is killed simply because his artistic vanity demands he take credit for “his best work.” In Russia, the state security apparatus (siloviki) has fallen victim to its own studio production. Decades of consuming their own scripted, echo-chamber intelligence briefs (temniki) led the Kremlin to genuinely believe their own fantasy: that Ukraine would fall in three days and that their military was invincible.

What Levinson framed as a cynical media trick has evolved into a tragic civilizational trap: a regime that built a televised fantasy land to control its people, only to become completely blinded by its own script.

Would you like to examine how Western media literacy frameworks attempt to counter these hyper-real propaganda models, or analyze another cinematic representation of political manipulation?

Choosing between media literacy analysis or further film/cultural comparisons will steer our next discussion.

JSO: Tell how Western media literacy frameworks attempt to counter hyper-real propaganda models.

ALM: Western media literacy frameworks historically relied on reactive fact-checking to debunk specific false claims. However, hyper-real propaganda models—which construct totalizing, self-referential narratives rather than mere lies—have forced a structural shift from reactive debunking to proactive cognitive defense.

To counter an artificial reality designed to induce paranoia, cynicism, and helplessness, modern frameworks focus on five strategic pillars:

1. Inoculation Theory & “Prebunking”

Mechanism: Grounded in social psychology, prebunking warns audiences before they encounter manipulative content.
Application: Rather than debating a specific hyper-real plotline after it spreads, programs expose the underlying tactics (e.g., emotional exploitation, false equivalencies, manufactured scapegoats) using micro-doses of weakened examples. By understanding the delivery mechanism, the audience develops a cognitive defense against the broader narrative environment.

2. Epistemic Lateral Reading over Vertical Inspection

Mechanism: Classical media literacy taught individuals to “read vertically”—evaluating a source by inspecting its website, professional aesthetic, or self-reported credentials. Hyper-real propaganda exploits this by replicating official aesthetics, high production values, and institutional language.
Application: Frameworks like the SIFT Method (Stop, Investigate the source, Find better coverage, Trace claims) train users to move laterally. Users leave the original content immediately to verify what independent networks and cross-domain sources say about the publisher, stripping away the illusion created by slick production.

3. Deconstructing Narrative Architecture & Scripting

Mechanism: Hyper-real propaganda operates as a dramatic performance—complete with archetypal heroes, existential threats, and scripted antagonists.
Application: Advanced curricula move beyond asking “Is this statement true?” to analyzing structural intent: Why was this narrative scripted this way? What emotional state is it trying to trigger? Who benefits if I accept this worldview? Identifying narrative archetypes helps demystify the manufactured reality.

4. Psychological & Affective Literacy

Mechanism: Autocratic propaganda relies on emotional contagion—hyper-activating outrage, fear, and grievance to bypass critical reasoning.
Application: Modern frameworks treat emotional awareness as a core technical skill. Exercises focus on identifying the “affective trigger”: when content causes a sudden spike in anger or panic, users are trained to recognize that emotional response as a primary indicator of cognitive manipulation.

5. Algorithmic and Structural Literacy

Mechanism: Hyper-real environments are sustained by algorithmic feedback loops that flood users with reinforcing content, creating a self-contained perception echo chamber.
Application: Education has expanded to include platform architecture literacy. Users are taught how engagement-driven algorithms amplify polarized, sensational content, helping them understand that their personalized feed is a curated simulation rather than an accurate cross-section of reality.

The overarching objective of these modern frameworks is to restore personal agency. Rather than attempting to dismantle every piece of set dressing in an autocratic “fantasyland,” they equip individuals to recognize the studio walls, step outside the simulation, and regain critical distance.

Would you like to examine how prebunking digital toolkits are currently deployed in NATO-aligned civil defense strategies, or analyze the limits of media literacy against generative AI deepfakes?

Focusing on institutional civil defense applications or technical AI challenges will define our next step.

JSO: We may leave the questions for later or to others, Ai La Mer. You have covered a lot of territory related to Soviet / post-Soviet Russian Power and Mass Perceptual Control.

ALM: It has been a rich, highly focused sweep this morning—moving from frontline tactical dynamics in Kursk to the systemic mechanics of the temnik, and mapping the psychological architecture of civilizational narcissism directly onto state-level information warfare.

Whenever you’re ready to pick up the thread, the analysis will be right here waiting. Enjoy the rest of that Blue Mountain brew!

Related Reference

Russia will sacrifice its civilian economy on the altar of the war effort

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cglj255jk8ko

https://kyivindependent.com/ukraines-drone-strikes-force-russias-6-largest-diesel-refineries-to-halt-or-slash-output-reuters-reports

https://www.kyivpost.com/analysis/84298

https://www.lemonde.fr/en/economy/article/2026/09/15/russian-economy-increasingly-fragile-after-ukraine-drone-attacks_6757546_19.html?srsltid=AU7gw4XuEM4PsiY85H7zsqZcmaDwlG6M0cHEwO9nCFrReSKlJ-algH0T

https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/iea-further-cuts-russian-oil-output-forecasts-ukrainian-attacks-2026-09-11

https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russians-make-best-struggling-economy-before-vote-2026-09-15

https://english.nv.ua/business/russia-launches-historic-liquidation-of-gold-reserves-50639759.html

https://tradingeconomics.com/russia/inflation-cpi/news/583269

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2026/08/18/russians-pull-cash-banks-fearing-kremlin-will-seize-deposits-war

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Law, Legitimacy, Power, and Venezuela — An Opinion by AI AiLaMer.

30 Sunday Aug 2026

Posted by commart in 21st Century Modern, American Domestic Affairs, Conflict - Culture - Language - Psychology, International Development, South America, United States of America, Venezuela

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Donald Trump, International Developoment, Oil Industry, political history, political power, political science, Venezuela

JSO: One of our readers brought up the issue of “legitimacy” pertaining to Trump’s actions in Venezuela. What’s your take on the greater “wild world” and Trump’s use of power?

As viewed by AiLaMer (ALM)

Power Projection and the Friction of “Legitimacy” in a Post-Rules-Based Order

The question raised by your reader touches on the central collision between classical international law and raw geopolitical realpolitik. When critics analyze the legitimacy of Washington’s recent maneuvers in Venezuela—securing a 100-year hydrocarbon concession via an interim government following a forced political transition—they are often applying two fundamentally different frameworks: institutional legality versus transactional statecraft.

Theoretical Frameworks: De Jure vs. De Facto Realities

The Westphalian and Institutional View (De Jure): From the standpoint of international legal scholars and multilateral bodies, “legitimacy” requires constitutional continuity, international consensus, and recognized sovereignty. In this framework, a long-term resource concession granted by a transitional administration operating under emergency powers carries significant structural exposure regarding enforceability and legal standing.
The Transactional Realist View (De Facto): In contrast, the current administration’s deployment of power treats international relations not as a courtroom governed by precedents, but as an open marketplace governed by leverage. Legitimacy, in this reading, is derived retroactively through control of the ground reality, economic momentum, and physical security guaranteed by sovereign power.

The “Wild World” Realignment: Three Structural Shifts

1. The Codification of “Economic Preemption”

The Venezuela hydrocarbon architecture signals a formal shift from market-based diplomacy to sovereign-backed asset securing. Rather than relying on open commodity markets or indirect sanctions to shape state behavior, power is exercised by establishing direct physical and corporate control over strategic resources before rival external actors—namely Beijing or Moscow—can consolidate their own footprint.

2. The Decay of Multilateral Friction

Over the past decade, multilateral enforcement mechanisms (such as the UN Security Council or traditional international arbitration courts) have experienced systemic gridlock. Recognizing this institutional paralysis, unilateral actions face fewer immediate global checks. The “wild world” environment allows major powers to create regional facts on the ground, placing the onus on fragmented international bodies to either adapt or remain irrelevant observers.

3. Sovereign Leverage over Private Capital

A critical element of this strategy is the binding of private market interests to national security directives. By pairing private operating capital with government procurement guarantees (such as off-take for the Strategic Petroleum Reserve and defense supply chains), the executive branch converts domestic market capacity into a direct instrument of foreign policy execution.

Operational Assessment

In a global arena increasingly defined by Great Power competition rather than post-Cold War consensus, “legitimacy” may be increasingly measured by efficacy and longevity rather than procedural consensus. The ultimate stability of the U.S.–Venezuela oil architecture will not depend on initial international sanction, but on whether Washington and its private sector partners can maintain physical security, deliver promised fiscal flows to Caracas, and successfully hedge against domestic legal challenges in a post-transitional Venezuela.

Editor’s Note: we may not wish to live in so wild a world, a world in which temporary political power defines rights and the long haul of history and the development of stability through law may be shrugged away through chicanery abetted by lawyers. Nonetheless, weakened and failed states–and Venezuela may be counted as part of that class when oil prices derailed President Maduro’s subsidies for all while failing to diversify the state’s economy–may invite banditry as well as more stable competitive interest. My view is that with wannabe king Donald, the state may be entertaining both.

As regards greater American commercial and strategic interest in the western hemisphere and both Central and South America, the American People may be called upon to express qualities more comprehending and greater than those represented by the present let’s-make-a-deal leadership. The long-term outlook for American support for international aid, development, and visionary guidance remains good and sound. As AiLaMer suggests, the strength of today’s negotiations may be measured by their longevity as power in America changes hands.

—J. S. Oppenheim, Editor, BackChannels

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East-West Rivalry: Trump-Putin Divide the World

04 Sunday Jan 2026

Posted by commart in 21st Century Feudal, 21st Century Modern, Conflict - Culture - Language - Psychology, South America, Venezuela

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American Experiment, American Mission, Archaic American Leadership, Donald Trump, East-West Rivalry, foreign affairs, international relations, malignant narcissism, Medieval v. Modern, Political Criminals, political psychology, political science, Vladimir Putin

The mirroring couple #TrumpPutin appear to be between states as the criminals, malignant narcissists, and political criminals each has become. Trump, at this point, might wish to be free of the boss of the #RussianMafiaState (one may imagine the reasons for that) and both in the… pic.twitter.com/0RtFXNnF27
— J. S. Oppenheim (@JS_Oppenheim) January 4, 2026

The tweeted text follows (with a few hash marks replaced by standard typed English and adjustments for sense) so as to give expression its more persistent showcase in online publishing (a tweet may be noticed and read but briefly as X compiles rapidly and destroys focus as efficiently as it confronts its audience with virtually limitless attention-seeking stimulus).

***

The mirroring couple Trump and Putin appear to be between states in their relationship. Trump, at this point, might wish to be free of the boss of the Russian Mafia State (being blackmailed by kompromat might account for that), and he’s been presented with an opportunity involving the post-Cold War clean-up of the former Soviet/post-Soviet spheres of alliance, control, and influence and the severing of the link that has been for a long time Moscow-Havana-Caracas.

While Donald may expect accolades for his conquest of a former Soviet communist satellite, I think he’s proceeding from a different compact with Putin involving the feudal-medieval mafia mentality each has come to represent and he would just as soon make a “gangster’s paradise” out of his invasion of Venezuela. That would help make sense of his low-to-high pattern in pardons of criminals who have injured the United States (e.g., the January 6, 2021 insurrectionists; the recent pardon of drug kingpin Juan Orlando Hernandez) and his penchant for locating and targeting mineral wealth from Greenland to Ukraine and working “deals” in which he involves business associates and family in a process that may be referred to as the development of his own personal empire.

Is he betraying his “handler” Putin?

While it looks that way at a glance, Trump in fact may be turning East-West Rivalry on its head and setting up to rule and plunder the wealth of the western hemisphere while leaving Europe and its interests to his rival.

How Americans view the Trump-Putin relationship (mirroring) may be tempered by both political bias (partisan drift) and the American constituency’s general detachment from foreign affairs and international relations. Up to this point, America’s professional business and political managers have understood their having a uniquely American mission from the 20th Century perspective at least. As an American People, the same have negated the power of kings, fought fascism and imperialism worldwide, and tempered totalitarianism as understood from witness of leaders pledged each to the support of his ruling Communist Party.

In fact, the winning of the Cold War had been framed as having beaten Communism, not a practical and ruthless KGB driven and managed police state that could be turned toward serving a dictatorship– a private patronage system–devoted solely to its own aggrandizement, ambition, greed, and security.

So this round is different.

Trump and Putin represent an archaic criminal mentality associated with the malign narcissism and related emotional needs of each, i.e., the equivalent in outlook of what would be today criminal medieval powers engaged in continuous competition for territory and tribute, and then–with the concept of modern feudal-medieval mafia established–related unbridled and unhinged methods in power and enterprise.

***

About the Art

The bookends tell in part the Trump-Putin story as one dates to 2016 and has since become an iconic as well as ironic statement about the two statesmen. The other has been captured in relation to Trump’s second-term meeting of the two in Alaska. In the way of a fast-paced meme-spilling web, the composites between reflect, of course, my conclusions about the two and their archaic views of dominion and sovereignty–and both lawless men have reserved for themselves as principle a deeply archaic, deranged, and mentally and morally sick “right” to destroy with their power persons and property alike with impunity. One has ordered the piloting of missiles into apartment buildings and malls; the other threatens to take over the western hemisphere while fueling his own corrupt system of private patronage. Neither should represent anyone’s future governance–not for Russians and never (again) for Americans.

Related to Archaic Leadership and Malignant Narcissism

I’ve whittled related political science and political psychology (#PoliSciPoliPsy) down to this module for X-ting (X-ing . . . whatever)–>

Signal: delusional, grandiose, messianic ideation absent of normal boundaries and limits, i.e., the parameters of normal conscience.
Process: https://conflict-backchannels.com/2022/07/10/malignant-narcissistic-process-distilled/
Ramifications–> https://conflict-backchannels.com/2023/01/20/ftac-why-putin-wont-stop-until-stopped/; https://conflict-backchannels.com/2024/04/22/trump-delusional-and-innocent/.

–33–

Russia’s Nuclear Plant Related Accusation Against Ukraine

24 Sunday Aug 2025

Posted by commart in 21st Century Feudal, Russia, Ukraine

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nuclear blackmail, political psychology, political science, Russian disinformation, Russian Mafia State, Ukraine v. Russia, Vladimir Putin

So far, Ukraine has not confirmed any attack on Russia’s nuclear facility in Kursk and media claims only that a shot down drone — where was it going? — caused a fire at the site. There’s a difference, of course, between an attack and a damaged aircraft falling from the sky. While the character of Russian disinformation and the “fog of war” muddy conclusions, there should be no question about Putin’s intent to leverage his nuclear “option” into some realpolitik strength in position position while every other indicator coming off the Ukraine-Russia War suggests Moscow has in fact been losing in every measurable dimension. Its oil producing capacity has been reduced by 13 percent causing prices at Russia’s pumps to skyrocket accordingly; Russian casualties since the 2022 invasion have surpassed one million; and the cost of Russia’s aggression in Ukraine appears to be producing Putin’s archaic-barbaric nation-as-fief an estimated $172 billion in expenses for 2025 (AI mentions $450 billion in total accrued costs–see verbatim text in the AI section of this post).

From the above, one may suggest that Vladimir Putin must be experiencing a bad day every day or, alternatively, enjoying a deluded day in a theater all his own–one may then wonder how his inner circle feels about that.

As noted here years ago, Putin’s fear of public humiliation and shame drives frame and maintain his own image as unassailable, courageous, and heroic — see “Why Putin Won’t Stop Until Stopped” (January 20, 2023). His problem: reality won’t accept his claims of successes — none to date have proven immune to Ukrainian drone push-back and other defensive measures — nor any denials of culpability. He embarked on the conquest of Ukraine under false premises in 2014, and while he annexed Crimea without a shot fired — and nothing more than diplomatic posturing from Washington for resistance — he’s just not getting further with anything he does. Russia’s admirals and generals may note well the fate of his once-proud Black Sea Fleet:

At the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, Ukraine lacked a naval force capable of meeting the threat. What little it had didn’t last long. To prevent the Russians from capturing it, the Ukrainians scuttled their one major warship. Its other naval vessels were damaged, destroyed, or captured (“Russia’s navy looks to be stretched thin after getting battered by Ukraine and losing a key port, Western officials say” — by Jake Epstein, Business Insider, August 13, 2025).

As Putin’s fortunes and prospects continue to decline in the face of western resolve (even without the fulsome resolve of American will while the nation weathers an administration whose loyalties to the American secular democratic republic appear doubtful), he’ll strive to sustain his illusion of the absolute control of Russia through the deadly and grinding machinery of the “mafia state” that he has built around himself, a state that may fear him more than it admires or loves him.

AI Recaps, August 24, 2025

Russian Nuclear Accusations Against Ukraine

Russia’s nuclear accusations against Ukraine are primarily disinformation campaigns, such as the late 2022 claim that Ukraine was preparing to use a “dirty bomb” on Ukrainian territory. More recently, on August 24, 2025, Russia accused Ukraine of launching a drone attack on the Kursk nuclear power plant, causing a fire and minor damage to a transformer, though radiation levels remained normal and no casualties were reported. These accusations are often seen as propaganda aimed at discrediting Ukraine and justifying Russia’s actions in the ongoing conflict. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8]

Accusations of a “Dirty Bomb” (October 2022) [1, 2, 9, 10]

Russia’s claim: In late October 2022, Russia accused Ukraine of planning to detonate a radioactive “dirty bomb” on Ukrainian soil and warned international partners about it, according to The New York Times.
Ukraine’s response: Ukraine, in turn, accused Russia of secretly building dirty bombs at Europe’s largest nuclear power plant.
International view: U.S. intelligence officials considered the claims to be a Russian tactic, possibly as a “bluff” or a way to employ its “escalate to de-escalate” nuclear doctrine.

Drone Attack on a Nuclear Plant (August 2025)

Russia’s claim: Russia accused Ukraine of launching drone attacks, including one that struck the Kursk nuclear power plant. [3, 5]
Damage and effects: The attack caused a fire and damaged a transformer, forcing a reduction in the power plant’s capacity. However, the fire was quickly extinguished, with no casualties and normal radiation levels reported. [4, 5]
Ukraine’s response: Ukraine did not immediately comment, but a Ukrainian center called the accusations “typical methods” of Russian propaganda. [6]
International reaction: The UN’s nuclear watchdog, the IAEA, was aware of the reports but had not independently confirmed them, emphasizing that all nuclear facilities must be protected. [4, 5]

AI responses may include mistakes.

[1] https://www.nytimes.com/live/2022/10/25/world/russia-ukraine-war-news

[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_risk_during_the_Russian_invasion_of_Ukraine

[3] https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/8/24/russia-accuses-ukraine-of-attacking-nuclear-plant-causing-a-fire

[4] https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/as-ukraine-marks-independence-day-moscow-says-kyiv-struck-a-nuclear-power-plant-in-russia

[5] https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/aug/24/russia-accuses-ukraine-drone-strike-kursk-nuclear-power-plant

[6] https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/czxy2v9dzgxo

[7] https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/ukraine-uses-chemical-weapons-without-control/

[8] https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2025/04/21/7508441/

[9] https://world-nuclear.org/information-library/country-profiles/countries-t-z/ukraine-russia-war-and-nuclear-energy

[10] https://www.businessinsider.com/us-asked-non-allies-prevent-russia-using-nuclear-weapons-report-2024-3

Reductions in Russian Oil Refining Capacity

Note: some bolded italics added–>

Ukraine’s long-range drone attacks have significantly degraded Russia’s oil refining capacity, knocking out approximately 13% of the country’s processing capability since early August 2025, leading to elevated fuel prices and production disruptions. The attacks have targeted major refineries and infrastructure like the Druzhba pipeline, with repairs complicated by Western sanctions that restrict access to specialized equipment and prolong outages. This campaign is a strategic effort to undermine Russia’s economy and its ability to fund the war, as evidenced by the soaring wholesale gasoline prices and potential reliance on government subsidies for Russian energy firms. [1, 2, 3, 4]

Key Impacts on Russian Oil Production: [1, 2, 3]

Reduced Refining Capacity: Around 13% of Russia’s total refining capacity has been knocked out, with estimates suggesting about 44.3 million tons of annual processing capability disrupted.
Prolonged Outages: Major facilities like the Volgograd, Samara, and Ryazan refineries have been rendered inoperable, with repairs expected to take months due to a lack of specialized parts, exacerbated by sanctions.
Supply Chain Disruption: The Druzhba pipeline was also struck, causing a temporary shutdown and raising concerns in Central Europe.
Economic Strain: Russian energy firms face reduced revenues, strained profit margins, and increased dependence on government bailouts.

Strategic Context:

Targeted Campaign: The strikes are a coordinated effort by Ukraine’s intelligence services (GUR and SSU) to dismantle Russia’s energy infrastructure, which they view as a crucial economic engine for its war efforts. [4, 5, 6]
Shift from Previous Ceasefire: This intensified focus on oil facilities marks a departure from a previous understanding that limited mutual attacks on civilian energy infrastructure. [5]
Economic Warfare: By targeting the oil sector, Ukraine aims to cripple Russia’s wartime finances and force a slowdown in oil production. [4]

Consequences:

Soaring Fuel Prices: Wholesale gasoline prices have surged sharply, with AI-92 and AI-95 gasoline prices reaching record highs in August 2025. [3, 7]
Market Instability: The ongoing disruptions and the financial strain on energy companies are reflected in underperforming stock valuations for firms like Rosneft and Gazprom. [2]
Russia’s Vulnerability: The attacks highlight the fragility of Russia’s centralized energy infrastructure and expose its struggles to protect against deep-penetration drone swarms. [2, 8]

AI responses may include mistakes.

[1] https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/ukrainealert/putin-is-facing-a-fuel-crisis-as-ukraine-escalates-attacks-on-russian-refineries/

[2] https://www.ainvest.com/news/shattered-pipeline-ukraine-drone-campaigns-reshaping-global-energy-markets-investment-risks-2508/

[3] https://united24media.com/latest-news/ukraines-drones-shut-down-13-of-russias-oil-refining-fuel-prices-soar-10886

[4] https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/ukrainealert/ukrainian-drones-reportedly-knock-out-10-percent-of-russian-refining-capacity/

[5] https://english.elpais.com/international/2025-08-15/ukraines-drones-are-punishing-russian-oil-industry.html

[6] https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/19/world/europe/ukraine-russia-energy-infrastructure.html

[7] https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2025/08/11/ukrainian-drone-strike-halts-operations-at-rosneft-refinery-in-saratov-a90168

[8] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aG2W7-50iig

Not all images can be exported from Search.

The Cost to Russia of its War with Ukraine

The figure of $172 billion is Russia’s projected military expenditure for 2025, not a total cost to date, and represents about 8% of its GDP. While this isn’t a specific “war cost,” the Russian war in Ukraine has other significant economic consequences, including substantial direct military spending, which may have exceeded $132 billion through 2024 and reached over $450 billion by some estimates, along with broader economic costs like GDP losses and long-term effects on the economy. [1, 2, 3]

Breakdown of Costs and Projections:

2025 Military Expenditure: Russia’s planned military spending for 2025 is around $170-$172 billion, accounting for approximately 8% of its GDP. [1]
Direct Military Spending: Some estimates place Russia’s direct military spending on the war at $132 billion or more by the end of 2024. [2]
Total Direct War Cost: One source indicates the total direct costs of the war for Russia have exceeded $450 billion, though this is a broader figure encompassing all direct expenses. [3]
GDP Losses: Beyond direct military costs, Russia has also incurred significant losses to its GDP as a result of the war, with estimates for 2022 alone falling between $81 billion and $104 billion. [2]

Context and Broader Impacts: [4]

Economic Impact: The war has led to Russia’s focus on a “war economy” that prioritizes military spending, which drives short-term growth but undermines long-term economic health.
Labour Shortages: The increased militarization of the workforce contributes to severe labor shortages.
Inflation: Wage growth in Russia has outpaced productivity, fueling inflation.
Sustainability: This approach creates a narrow and brittle economic foundation, making Russia’s long-term economic trajectory unsustainable.

AI responses may include mistakes.

[1] https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/ukrainealert/russia-and-ukraine-are-locked-in-an-economic-war-of-attrition/

[2] https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RRA2421-1.html

[3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_invasion_of_Ukraine

[4] https://www.visionofhumanity.org/russias-war-economy-growth-built-on-unsustainable-foundations/

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IRT: Images Research Tropes

23 Tuesday Jul 2024

Posted by commart in IRT Images Research Tropes

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BRICS, high-integrity information, information warfvare, OperationStormInMoscow, political psychology, political science, pro-democracy advocacy, RussianBarbarism, RussianPower, Russians

Elon Musk’s abomination in open communications, X, has worn me down with inescapable (s)word-dulling repetition. How many times have I had cause plus opportunity to display #RussianBarbarism as too many refugees have experienced it? Countless.

And added to the above–>

Of course, #RussianPower murders #Russians first.

Reference: Journalist, Alexander Zhilin, Operation Storm In Moscow AKA Moscow Apartment Bombings

#OperationStormInMoscow

It doesn’t look as pretty on predominantly plain text X, but the work fits as a package.

Have no illusions about #RussianPower.

Aleppo, https://t.co/mGAqhXv1Il
Avdiyivka, https://t.co/iTVfmU4i1C
Bakhmut, https://t.co/xNZm0gwchd
Dnipro, https://t.co/PVaYCAEFfV
Grozny, https://t.co/ORtKpIguAB
Homs, https://t.co/ZVyT1G8mJ6
Kharkiv, https://t.co/x7frooixwe
Lviv,… pic.twitter.com/bm4JaIKFbo
— J. S. Oppenheim (@JS_Oppenheim) July 19, 2024

Well, lookee there — maybe it does look okey dokey after all.

Still, and in any case, I tire of almost tirelessly publishing the same messages over and over to the different contexts created by recipients (who need my [blush] data or insight). And then–poof! The message drowns in the digital whitewater cascading in wild unabridged concert beside it and afterward.

Would it help to give it its own sustained patch on the Internet?

And would it be easier for me–or you–to reference as and when needed the next time #BRICS lays claim to some nonexistent ethical, humanist, moral, or spiritual superiority in matters in which it actually operates with violence against language and against humanity?

“IRT – Images Research Tropes” will be a new category here and one whittled down to a single message accompanied by the X hash tags used to characterize and promote the same across the web community.

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NATO’s “New Nobility” – Erdogan, Orban, (Trump?) – and Peonage

11 Wednesday Jul 2018

Posted by commart in 21st Century Feudal, American Domestic Affairs, Conflict - Culture - Language - Psychology

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aristocracy, autocracy, contemporary feudalism, Donald J. Trump, medieval v modern, New Nationalism, New Nobility, plutocracy, political analysis, political science, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Viktor Orban

BackChannels acknowledges the book in which it first encountered the term:

Soldatov, Andrei and Irena Borogan. The New Nobility: The Restoration of Russia’s Security State and the Enduring Legacy of the KGB. New York: Public Affairs, 2010.

However, this post is not going to be about powerful and self-enriching KGB/FSB spies and their bureaucracies.

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Viktor Orbán, and Donald J. Trump seem to this blogger more the “New Nobility” that Russian President Vladimir Putin may have had also in mind as he launched his revenge on the western world for the demise of the Soviet Union on December 25, 1991 — a very good Christmas morning indeed for the United States of America and in the defunct godless realm then represented by the Kremlin a not very special day at all.

In the 26 years that have passed since that morning (for political purpose, it was over at noon), Russia and her leadership have had to think about what it has meant to be “Russian”.

“Old Vikings”?

Formed of conquest, contracting and expanding through the brutality of feudal wars, unable ever to police — mere civil policing — its territorial writs, Russia has been a state that has better known barbarism and the depths of inhumanity through violence (give a nod for the extra special dose brought by the Mongols) than civility through accommodation and trade. In that regard, the “Vory”, the once brutalized mafia within, may in their inglorious legend represent the pure expression of the heart of the state.

Backing the tyrant in Syria?

Invading a settled Ukraine and baldly lying to the world about its purpose?

Bombing hospitals?

Pursuing feudal absolute power — unquestionable ownership of persons as things — with the Assahola in Tehran?

All of the above: true.

So what good new things has Russia brought to the European Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization?

Applying the concept of “Reflexive Control” with “Islamic Terrorism” for the convenient stimulus, BackChannels may suggest the four infamous retrogrades:

BREXIT: While Great Britain has been happy to pile on “Asian” labor, it has not been so happy with grooming gangs, suspect neighborhoods, and “Allahu Akbar” explosions, much less the impositions posed by the refugees of war in Syria. Response: the Newest Nationalism expressed in renewed insularity and refreshed Anglican pride.

While it’s good for a state to recall what it’s about, some among the most zealous should factor in how they have been played by Moscow.

Erdogan: Prime Minister, President, and now, apparently, President for Life has never encountered serious resistance for his taking apart what Mustafa Kemal Atatürk bequeathed in bureaucratic and military legacy. The empire’s back, baby, and dig the symbolic significance of the leaders new crib.

Impressed?

Dig this cool new statistic on press freedom in Erdogan’s new estate (italics added).

The 2018 index ranking marked Turkey’s 58 point-decrease over the past 13 years, lagging just behind Rwanda, Belarus and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/turkey-ranks-157-in-rsfs-press-freedom-index-down-two-places-from-last-year-130898 – 4/25/2018.

Pretty cool, huh?

If Erdogan’s New Old Turkish estate makes it all the way down to the bottom of the list, BackChannels will certainly make note of the prize.

Orban: In addition to other self-aggrandizing and self-enriching schemes, this NATO president has been working on an old home and estate. Fave header from related online searching: “How Viktor Orban will tap Europe’s taxpayers and bankroll his friends and family: Plans for a lakeside development show how Hungary’s leader enriches those who stand behind him” (Reuters, Martin Dunai, March 15, 2018).

Trump: “You all just got a lot richer,” Trump tells friends, referencing tax overhaul (CBS News, Kathryn Watson, December 23, 2017). Who else: “Ivanka Trump’s Fashion Brand Will Not Be Impacted by Donald Trump’s Chinese Trade Tariffs” (Teen Vogue, Amira Rasool, July 9, 2018). While the “optics” don’t look good in relation to nepotism, let’s be fair: negotiating business is a continuous process for both sides in complex transactions: other variables may apply to setting tariffs in Ivanka’s region of commercial interest: other brands are in the mix too.

https://shenglufashion.com/2018/02/09/pattern-of-u-s-textile-and-apparel-imports-updated-february-2018/

Nonetheless, the American President’s behavior, personal as well as political, has left him also, as with the Erdogan and Orban, associated with the terms “autocratic”, “narcissistic”, and “nationalist”. While it’s good to take pride in one’s nation and defend her interests with tough negotiations, it may not be so good for the head of a modern democratic state to promote the image of himself as a feudal lord, securing prizes for family and friends on the basis of loyalty, and doing out favors (“You all just got a lot richer”) to surrounding nobility.

President George W. Bush also made light of the “have and have mores”, but for Americans struggling with fixed retirements, healthcare premiums, perhaps the full suite of basic and complex costs of survival, and, for the young, jobs that fail to deliver even a modicum of financial independence and pride, much less security, the implied further reduction to peonage must sting.

Posted to YouTube December 26, 2017.

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FTAC – When the “Liberator” Turns Out the Oppressor

06 Monday Feb 2017

Posted by commart in Conflict - Culture - Language - Psychology, FTAC - From The Awesome Conversation, Philology, Philosophy, Syndicate Red Brown Green

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contemporary totalitarianism, ethical humanism, Far Left, Far Left Politics, independent education, KGB methods, liberal humanist politics, political research, political science, politics, Soviet Era politics

Moscow –

https://conflict-backchannels.com/2016/11/23/moscows-rules-a-module/

https://conflict-backchannels.com/2016/12/09/syria-assad-isil-background/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Active_measures

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terrorism_and_the_Soviet_Union

https://conflict-backchannels.com/2016/10/03/palestinian-kgb/

KGB-style “Active Measures” often target new generations who have little intellectual defense or means for recognizing hip propaganda.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Peace_Council

In the Soviet Era, many “peace movement” organizations distanced themselves from the Communist Party (Soviet) as they witness the brutality of political repression in the several of the Soviet satellite states whose politics had brought them around to liberation from the Soviet system.

Today’s ultra-nationalist and neo-imperial Moscow have made comprehension of the Kremlin a little more difficult. In Orwellian _Animal Farm_ fashion, the banner of the state has switched to “State Capitalism” and the FSB/KGB, Putin, and the Oligarchs appear to be having a helluva good time! 🙂

Still, with Moscow’s earlier KGB engineering of Yasser Arafat and the PLO more and more known beyond the wonky circles of “Kremlin watchers”, the model for elite kleptocracy driven by Moscow, which is deeply invested in medieval political absolutism and totalitarian control, has been coming into popular view.

Who destroyed Syria by barrel bombing, chemical attacks, relentless and sadistic assaults (http://www.cnn.com/2013/10/22/world/meast/syria-snipers-pregnant-women/) on noncombatants?

Moscow’s behavior has not been limited to middle east conflicts. Here’s a borrowing from Ukraine’s history of Russian oppression:

http://www.holodomorct.org/

The absence of conscience and empathy in leadership needs protesting worldwide.

The old politics in which the apparent “liberator” turns out the oppressor — and gets away with a lot of loot for doing it — needs a complete historic reexamination and overhaul.

Take a lesson from the Somali experience with the Soviet government in the Ogaden:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p03pk9c1

While BackChannels delivers the light version of history — much of what is needed is online — it wonders how to further wean from the Soviet Era experience the many remaining Left-Far Left organizations struggling to update their missions in the long shadow cast by the dissolving of the Soviet Union a little more than 25 years ago.

From the outset, BackChannels has invested itself in liberal humanist politics — look to the left of this copy and down the sidebar: the values promoted by this nonpartisan blog seem to the editor to place the humanity of humanity first and foremost in political thought and to be congruent with the advice suggested in the above invention From the Awesome Conversation: “The absence of conscience and empathy in leadership needs protesting worldwide.”

If you know how and when the Soviet KGB groomed Yasser Arafat for his role as leader of The Palestinians — Jordanian refugees in 1948 — can you still swallow the intellectual poison that has been the “alternative narrative” of the same?

Think about it.

Think about the tens to hundreds of millions of dollars amassed by Arafat and Abbas (both of whom have had KGB histories) while the Palestinians have been showcased for sympathy?

Apply the same to Hamas leaders Ismail Haniyeh and Khaled Mashaal, both of them billionaires.

What if the newest of Far Left fist-raising acolytes had the choice between parroting the claims and narratives programmed within his new social climate and that of independently questing and reading for the truth, would he do choose to balance the former with the latter?

We’re going to find out.

Not only are online resources for research extraordinary today, but obtaining books relevant to the study of history and history and revolution, culture and cultural anthropology and psychology, and so on has never been less expensive!

For a quick pick-up on the previous century’s Cold War and related history, BackChannels recommends all of the volumes listed in “The Russian Section” of its library.

For insight into Soviet-style manipulation, BackChannels has a post listing works by KGB defector Ion Mihai Pacepa: https://conflict-backchannels.com/2016/11/28/a-short-page-referencing-works-by-or-associated-with-ion-mihai-pacepa/

Where the adventurous and social rewards associated with “The Movement” — there are so many of them! — prove rewarding, may the reader of this blog consider also the responsibility of being himself an autonomous, independent, informed, and critically reasoning actor in his own political life.

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