RUSSIAN FEDERATION SITREP 23 JULY 2020

RUSSIA AND COVID. Latest numbers: total cases 795K; total deaths 12,892; tests per 1 million 178K. Russia has done 26 million tests (third after China and USA); among countries with populations over 10M it’s second in tests per million and of those over 100M first. Russia claims to have a working vaccine that is safe and reliable and that produced antibodies in all who were tested. Mishustin expressed confidence to the Duma. In an amazing development Newsweek actually published this "What Russia Got Right About the Coronavirus—and What It Can Share With The World".

KHABAROVSK. Two weeks ago the FSB arrested Sergey Furgal, governor of Khabarovsk Region, on suspicion of organizing murders in 2004 and 2005. He was one of the few governors not from the pedestal party but from the LDPR. Furgal was quite popular and there have been significant protests. Doctorow discusses the background: one of his conclusions is that there are misgivings in the Russian Far East about Moscow’s closeness with Beijing. Protest numbers have probably been exaggerated, but are still significant. Perhaps the appointment of another LDPR member as acting governor will calm things down. We will see. A terrorist plot in Khabarovsk was just prevented: would it be too cynical to wonder whether Moscow is telling the good citizens of Khabarovsk how valuable it is to them?

RUSSIA INC. Despite everything, Russia’s FOREX and gold kitty keeps growing – now worth 569 billion USD. Of course, quite a bit is the increase in the price of its gold holdings (about 2300 tonnes).

RUSSIA-EXERCISE. Snap combat readiness test of Southern Military District. Kinzhal launch. Video. Not aimed at anybody or anything, just routine, blah blah blah, but, should anyone be watching…

CHINA. Another conversation between the two presidents about their "comprehensive strategic partnership”. China FM Wang told Lavrov the USA had "lost its mind, morals and credibility”.

NYT BIAS. Historian David Foglesong has written a piece about the long-time Russophobia of the NYT: "propaganda…is not necessarily untrue.… It is a method of emphasis calling attention to that which it is desired to have known”. It is desired to have known. Free media indeed.

WESTERN VALUES™. Today’s bloviation: "America is fundamentally good… America, uniquely among nations, has the capacity to champion human rights and the dignity of every human being made in the image of God, no matter their nation… And to the world, America is the star that shines brightest when the night is the darkest…”. And so on. Does any other country say this sort of thing routinely?

MEDDLING. The CIA has been authorised to make cyberattacks on other countries including Russia. You only do this if you think you’re better at it than your targets; otherwise you’ve just stuck a kick me sign on your back. Are the Americans better at this? Doubt it.

NORDSTREAM 2. Washington is going all out in sanctions; Berlin is determined to finish it. Well, Washington is going to lose this one; then what?

AMERICA-HYSTERICA. All lies. "The statements by Mr. Strzok question the entire premise of the FBI’s investigation of the Trump Campaign and make it even more outrageous that the Mueller team continued this investigation for almost two and a half years. Moreover, the statements by Strzok raise troubling questions as to whether the FBI was impermissibly unmasking and analyzing intelligence gathered on U.S. persons.”

STEELE. Troubles are catching up to him. He just lost a court case in the UK against two Russian bankers over claims he made in the infamous Dossier. The fines plus court costs may bankrupt his company. And more revelations about the worthlessness of the sources of the junk in the famous Dossier. Bit late for this to come out – anybody with a bit of nous knew it was garbage from the start.

BUT THEY’RE STILL AT IT. The UK report is the same old crap from the same old sources (Steele too!) – don’t pay it any attention. GIGO. Flying vampire bats with smart phones. (And Soviet stars – natch.)

NUGGETS FROM THE STUPIDITY MINE. Today’s story is that Russian big wheels were getting the vaccine months ago, I guess we’re supposed to forget last week’s story that Russia was trying to steal our vaccine.

THE EMPTINESS OF FORMER FLAPS. Why do Russia’s enemies fall from balconies? Oops! Can we re-write that?

HISTORY. "Canada’s Nazi Monuments". And don’t think there aren’t policy implications today.

© Patrick Armstrong Analysis, Canada Russia Observer

patrickarmstrong.ca