Russian behaviour towards the West

How do you evaluate Russian authority and behaviour towards the West, mainly U.S. and U.K.?

Recent facts acknowledged that Russian agents are harassing Russian staff working for British agencies which aim to dilvulge British culture as well as education exchanges throughout the world.

Does Russia really pose risks to international community as it does not operate under terms agreed on international laws and special treaties?

Prez1dent wrote:

Hey man! As a Russian I can say that Russia isn't afraid of the West but the West is afraid of Russia and its power

Nicely said, compatriot!!!

Very little is to add!

Anonymous wrote:

But, does Russia has it so-called power on its hands or this's just a matter of momentum? As a greater petroleum producer and mineral resources it has been enjoying a boom on commodities prices over the past years, but could we call that a substantial basis founded on solid fundamentals? Actually, I don't see multi-partisan political institutions going on in today's Russia. Is it really a democracy or a 21st century dictatorship ?

Dear Anonymous,

Well, let me answer this for you. It is hard to deny that Russia has greatly relied on its mineral resourses for years but by now it is no longer the single option and within the nearest future it will not be the only one, I assure you.

We all have a strong feeling about domestic stuff. I cannot speak of others, but we prefer domestic food - even European making in this sphere is not good enough. I prefer to pay more (even twice as much) for chiken bred in the neighbouring town than for cheap american one. How about that? That's not silliness, but safety. If you have means, you can choose, cannot you? Call it patriotic, why not ...

As for "multi-partisan political parties", we do have a lot - about 10 contested the seats in the State Duma, but only three got in. Pretty democratic, I think. I suppose, the answer is pretty simple. The minority parties are not straong and have no backing - voting for them is wasting your vote. The only thing they will do is take care of themselves and whine that if they had had more votes, they would have done something. Suprisingly, it was the first lesson of democracy we learned. Democrats (once who claim to be - right-wing) have disgraced themselves over the years - the troublesome 80-s and 90-s are strongly associated with them. People wil NEVER EVER forgive them two things - robbing us of our savings (8 years ago) and loving America (sorry, guys - no ill feelings, on my part) more than Russia. They made us ashame of being Russian - and I hated them for that. Putin and what he stands for make me proud again and I like it.

Anonymous wrote:

How do you, specially the russians, evaluate the fact that every free public manifestation has been 'dismantled' and prohibited severely if we are talking about freedom of speech?

That's what I like best about modern Russia - everyone talks about freedom of speech or rather lack of it - normally on central TV and radio stations in prime-time broadcasts ha-ha!!! Make no mistake about it we, Russians, like to talk and whine, rather typical.

Why is there so much fuss about it? The truth is that politicians who claim to be harassed by the governmet forget one VERY IMPORTANT thing - they are under the impression of not being listened to - because practically NOONE wants to hear them. When I see them on TV even in the news section - I turn to another channel.

Dismantling free public manifestation - do you mean Kaparov's mascarade? - well, I think, if anything, these manifestations are certainly not FREE. Youngsters who attend them get paid - enough to buy beer and have fun and look cool. Did you - with your freedom of speech - hear about it? I guess, not.

Kasparov is nobody and he has no support but some foreign (guess whose - ha-ha-ha) backing. For us, he is a visitor - the person who has  hardly ever set foot on Russian soil. He is foreign to us, I guess he speaks English better than Russian.

Come think about it - a non-Russian (nationality, I mean), US-loving citizen of the world wants to be a president of Russia - well, with all my imagination I can never imagine that - he is so obviously American, that his chances are nil.

For years we, USSR citizens (not a typo), were made dump that made us see more and farther and hear much more than people say - we were made to read between the lines. Most of us are very good at it. So we look at Kasparov and see ... I don't want to say not to embarass you.