Rotting in a high-security Russian penal colony, 46-year-old Russian dissident Alexi Navalny managed to get the word out through his attorneys, who post his rermarks on Twitter. Navalny questioned whether or not the Russian army exiss because of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s attempt to recruit special army troops from Russian prisons. Navaly, whose anti-corruption organization landed him in Russian prison, has little influence over events on the ground in Russia, let alone Ukraine. Navalny openly challenged Putin, accusing him of widespread corruption for years before taking ill in Siberia, claiming he was poisoned with Soviet nerve agent Novochok by the FSB, formerly the KGB. Navalny almost died but was lucky enough to get flown to Berlin where his was saved, spending months recovering in Germany. Navanly was warned to stay away from Russia.
Ignoring the best advice, Navalny returned to Moscow Aug .25, 2021after his recovery only to get promptly arrested, then sentenced by a Moscow court Feb. 2, 2021 to three years in prison. Because of his rebellious activity, Navalny was hauled back to court March 22, charged with more crimes, and sentenced to nine years, where he currently serves out his sentence in a Russian penal colony. “As an inmate of a maximum-security prison, I too would like to give my opinion on the recruitment of criminals for the war,” Navalny told his attorneys, who posted his thoughts on Twitter. “I think the first thought of any convict who say this video was: Dear God, if they are recruiting us for the war, then what is the state of the regular Russian army?” Navalny asked. “Does it not exist at all anymore,” continuing to infuriate Kremlin authorities. Navalny likes to use his sarcasm in prison.
Navalny was once a campaign issue for Biden, demanding that Putin let him out of Russian jail. Biden actually spend more time demanding Putin release Navalny than trying to strike a prisoner swap for WNBA basketball star Brittney Griner or former marine Paul Whelan, both of whom currently rot in Russian prisons. Whether Biden can complete a prisoner swap for Griner’s release is anyone guess. Putin made Navalny a campaign issue because he hinted that he would go after Putin in his presidency. Biden called Putin as “soulless killer” March 18, 2021, the same day Secretary of State Antony Blinken and National Security advisor Jake Sullivan met with China at a summit in Anchorage, Alaska. Starting off on the wrong foot with Putin, things went from bad to worse after Putin placed near 100,000 troops near the Ukrainian border to get Biden to negotiate a new security arrangement.
Months of stalled talks on Ukrainian security ended when Putin moved the Russian military into Ukraine Feb. 24, seizing more Ukrainian territory over the last seven months. So periodically Navalny likes to make sensational comments from prison hoping that his movement can still keep going. Asking if there’s anything left of the Russian army, Navalny caters to the anti-Putin crowd that would like to see Ukraine, with U.S. help, defeat the Russian military. Navalny heard bits-and-pieces from his attorney about how the war is going. Everything he hears gives him hope that either Ukraine will defeat the Russian Federation or a coup will take place tossing Putin out of office. Navalny gets his hope from pure fantasy delivered by his attorneys, promising to spring him out of his long jail sentence well before his term ends. Navalny stays in the news to give other anti-Putin dissidents hope for revolution.
Western officials say the Putin has incurred devastating losses of troops and equipment in the Ukraine War. Western intel gives dissidents like Navalny false hope that Putin’s close to getting tossed out of office. But any real look at the Ukrainian battlefield, proves that Russia, not Ukraine, has made the most inroads in the seventh month of war. Zelensky has lost 25% of sovereign territory, especially losing the entire Black Sea coast and all its ports. No one from the U.S., U.K., EU or NATO admits to catatrophic losses by the Ukrainian military. When Putin decided to leave the Kharkiv area in the Northeast, Zelensky said it was a glorious victory over Russian forces. Yet with announcements today that Russia would hold independence votes in Donetsk, Luhansk and Kherson, Kiev mentioned nothing. Based on Zelensky’s big win in Kharkiv, you’d think it would carry over to other parts of Ukraine.
Putting Navalny back in the news quipping about what happened to the Russian army, recruiting from Russian prisons, the anti-Putin media hopes to make a case for revolution or failure in Ukraine. Any honest look at Ukraine has Putin with a commanding advantage over Kiev, with Russian troops taking over all of Uraine’s Black Sea coast and all its ports. So, if Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Mark Miley is correct, why has Russia seized so much strategic land in Ukraine? Kiev denies all losses to the Russian Federation giving the press the impression that Ukraine has made more headway especially in the Northeast or Kharkiv region. All look at catastrophic losses to the Black sea coast and ports proves that Putin, not Zelensky, has made military gains in Ukraine. Western sources only report on Russian failures and Kiev’s successes, leaving the public duped into thinking Ukranie is winning the war.
About the Author
John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news. He’s editor of OnlineColumnist.com and author of Dodging The Bullet and Operation Charisma.
