The Daily Vertical: Turning Passports into Weapons

Date 2017/10/10 15:47:03 | Topic: Opinion

To understand current events in Ukraine-Russia relations, one has to consider that there is a bill in the Russian Duma – offered by MP Konstantin Zatulin [pictured] – that would effectively legalize – at least from the Russian viewpoint – not just meddling but almost complete control of Ukraine.

 


In one of his excellent “Window on Eurasia” postings, the lead paragraph by Russia expert Paul Goble said on September 14, 2014:

 

“Konstantin Zatulin, the director of the Russian Institute for CIS Countries, has bluntly described Moscow’s war aims in Ukraine as directed toward the establishment of complete control over Ukraine’s foreign and domestic policies and a privileged position in that country for the Russian language and the Moscow Patriarchate.”

 

Zatulin’s bill, should it become law, could be used as a weapon to help Vladimir Putin achieve his dream of a return to something closely resembling the Soviet Union. Is the bill just a new demonstration of Konstantin Zatulin’s anti-Ukraine fixation – or is it perhaps a measure dreamed up within the Putin regime with Zatulin serving merely as a willing and motivated front man?

 

RFE’s Brian Whitmore has some thoughts on the subject in today’s Daily Vertical podcast at the link below:

https://www.rferl.org/a/daily-vertical ... nto-weapons/28783991.html

 

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Editor’s Note: Anyone who has the slightest doubt about Russian intentions toward Ukraine – and any other sovereign state it chooses to subvert – is recommended to read the complete text of the Goble commentary referenced above; access it at:

http://www.interpretermag.com/russias ... l-over-kiev-zatulin-says/

 

 





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