GANDHINAGAR: A new podcast investigates Russian President Vladimir Putin’s chilling disregard for dissenters, which has now reached a fever pitch, with human rights campaigners warning of a return to Stalinist brutality.
British Political Prisoner Faces Grim Fate
Vladimir Kara-Murza, a British-Russian citizen imprisoned in Siberia, faces a bleak future. Bill Browder, a vocal critic of the Kremlin, warns of a high possibility of Kara-Murza’s death in captivity unless immediate action is taken.
Echoes of Stalin:
Kara-Murza is just one of a staggering 700 political prisoners currently languishing in Russian jails – nearly triple the number held during the Soviet era’s waning days. This alarming surge coincides with a series of events painting a grim picture of Russia’s descent into a totalitarian state
- The death of Alexei Navalny, a prominent opposition leader, under brutal conditions in a labour camp.
- The targeted assassination of Maxim Kuzminov, a defector and helicopter pilot, on Spanish soil.
- The sham election granting Putin a six-year extension of his iron grip on power.
Navalny’s Popularity: A Catalyst for Crackdown?
Misha Glenny, a renowned expert on Russian affairs, believes Navalny’s growing public support may have been a key factor in Putin’s shift towards Stalinist tactics this year. The war in Ukraine further fueled anxieties within the Kremlin, prompting a harsher response towards dissent.
Escalating War in Ukraine:
On the war front, Putin continues to escalate the conflict. A new wave of 150,000 fresh conscripts joins the ranks, adding to the nearly 600,000 already enlisted. This move suggests a potential large-scale offensive along the eastern Ukrainian front.
Faltering Western Support:
Meanwhile, Western support for Ukraine remains riddled with inconsistencies. Germany’s refusal to provide long-range missiles, delays in US military aid approval by Congress, and limitations on the EU’s proposed aid package raise concerns about a unified Western response.
Putin’s Calculated Cruelty:
Exploiting this lack of Western unity, Putin seemingly feels emboldened to continue his murderous reign. Boris Bondarev, a former Russian diplomat who resigned in protest against the war, believes Putin views his opponents as insignificant threats and relishes showcasing his absolute power through their elimination.
A Regime Defined by Brutality:
Bondarev points to a long list of Putin’s silenced critics, including journalist Anna Politkovskaya, ex-FSB agent Alexander Litvinenko, and opposition leader Boris Nemtsov. He suggests these killings serve as a chilling reminder of the regime’s ruthlessness.
Kara-Murza: A Symbol of Resilience:
Despite the dangers, Vladimir Kara-Murza returned to Russia after the Ukraine invasion, even after surviving two FSB poisoning attempts. He bravely condemned the Putin regime as “a regime of murderers” and urged the West to recognize its true nature. Now, he faces a harsh 25-year sentence for fabricated charges of “treason.”
Failing Diplomacy:
British efforts to secure Kara-Murza’s release have proven futile so far. While the UK imposed sanctions on Russian officials and FSB agents linked to his detention, there are no signs of a prisoner exchange. Further complicating matters, the individual Putin desires most in his custody, a trained assassin named Vadim Krasikov, currently resides in Berlin.
The fate of Kara-Murza and countless others hangs in the balance as Putin’s regime tightens its grip. The world watches with growing concern as Russia descends further into a chilling state of tyranny and impunity.