At least we have each other

Edward's weekly news roundup & open thread (June 11, 2023)

A hero of our time (source: No Context Russia)

Namaste. Welcome to Edward Slavsquat’s Weekend Link-Dump & Open Thread. You have permission to shill any and all links in the comments section.

Let’s begin.

News from Russian media

• The grain deal has revealed its cards: Are the goodwill gestures over? [Tsargrad]

• Georgia’s economy, the SMO, and future prospects for Tbilisi-Moscow relations [ritmeurasia.org]

• Rospotrebnadzor has officially lifted all remaining COVID restrictions imposed at the federal level, including: enhanced disinfection protocols in catering establishments and shops; mandatory medical supervision of Chinese citizens, or individuals returning from China; mandatory testing for COVID-19 for residents of the Amur Region, the Jewish Autonomous Region, the Khabarovsk, Primorsky and Trans-Baikal Territories; and conducting laboratory tests for coronavirus for people arriving Europe who came with symptoms of a cold. [RBK]

• Dental services in Russia have risen in price over the year. In a number of regions, according to Rosstat, prices for fillings have accelerated to 70%, for crowns—up to 130%. For prostheses, price increases have exceeded 250% [RTVI]

• “Banks issue consumer loans because they have no other way to earn money. Citizens take them, since there are no other options to get hold of money—the economy is rapidly collapsing. You don't need to be a financial genius to predict the imminent collapse of such a strange model of relations between the population and business. And given the rapid growth in loan defaults, the death song of the Russian banking system can already begin to be sung.” [Free Press]

• The number of victims from the destruction of the dam of the Kakhovskaya hydroelectric power station has grown to 77 people. [Nakanune]

• “If parents and teachers [buy into] the ‘innovations’ of the globalists in the education of Russia, it will be bad for everyone—both families, individual children, and the state as a whole … The way out of this digital cesspool is actually quite simple: if you don’t want the ‘legalized [digital] slavery’ of your children, demand compliance with Constitutional Articles on privacy, on the inadmissibility of experiments on citizens of the country, and the processing of their personal information without their consent.” [Katyusha]

• What should you do if the Russian government refuses your request to have your data removed from the UBS (Unified Biometric System)? [Anna Rudneva]

• Nearly half (47.2%) of Russian families said they were not ready for unexpected expenses, such as urgent medical expenses or unplanned repairs. This follows from the results of a comprehensive study of the living conditions of the population, conducted by Rosstat in 2022. [Vedomosti]

• “I do not want to engage in open criticism, but I cannot agree with the thesis that we have a high availability of medical care. We have a problem [with accessibility to healthcare], and it is a colossal problem. As a person who constantly travels to the regions, I can say that it is almost impossible for residents to meet with specialists, including gynecologists. In some cities there are mobile teams of medical specialists from large cities, but they come once a year, once every two years—there are such cases. In the Far East and the North, the situation is much worse … If we talk about infertility statistics, then just over the past decade, female infertility has increased three times, male infertility has doubled only officially. I think this does not reflect the objective situation due to the under-examination of men.” [Nakanune]

• The gasification of Russia’s regions is not economically feasible. [Ng.ru]

• The head of the Central Election Commission, Ella Pamfilova, said that the Central Election Commission received applications from 31 subjects of Russia to conduct remote electronic voting (DEG) in the elections in September. [Kapital-rus.ru]

• The Federation Council approved at a plenary session on June 7 the law on the denunciation of the treaty with Ukraine on the Sea of ​​Azov and the Kerch Strait. The bill to denounce the treaty was submitted to the State Duma by Russian President Vladimir Putin on May 24. The explanatory note states that Ukraine withdrew from this agreement on March 25. In addition, the accompanying documents say that with the accession of the DPR, Zaporozhye and Kherson regions to Russia, the shores of the Sea of Azov and the Kerch Strait now belong only to the Russian Federation. As a result, the agreement had to be terminated. [Vedomosti]

• An SMS message about mobilization will not be equated to receiving a summons. This was stated by the head of the State Duma Defense Committee Andrei Kartapolov in an interview. On June 5, the Ministry of Defense presented a project on informing citizens about mobilization. It follows from it that it is proposed to send notices of subpoenas in three ways: on the State Services portal, in the taxpayer’s personal account, and via SMS. This will help to notify citizens faster, the department concluded. [Kommersant]

• In Moscow, Yandex has started testing “robo-taxis”—cars controlled by artificial intelligence. A trip in a robotic taxi will cost 100 rubles, and only users over 18 years old will be able to participate in pilot project. According to current laws, there will be a test driver in the car who will monitor the safety of the trip. The company’s press service explained to TASS that “several dozen autonomous vehicles, including robot taxis for residents” now operate in the district of Yasenevo, without specifying the exact number. [TASS]

Links from around the interwebs

• Amarynth responded to my objections to the theory that the “6th column” is undermining trust in the Russian government. I don’t really feel compelled to comment on his response—I think anyone who reads this blog understands my position—but I do thank Amarynth for keeping things civil, and I am hoping we’ll be able to engage in fruitful, constructive dialogue in the future. [Global South]

• Political satirist CJ Hopkins facing criminal prosecution [Off-Guardian]

• Profiles in Courage: Prof. Dr. Sucharit Bhakdi [Margaret Anna Alice]

How Edward met Russia’s #1 chess player: UNLOCKED!

On June 5, I published a story about how I met Russian super grandmaster Ian Nepomniachtchi.

For better or worse, the story is mostly true, although parts were exaggerated to give it some added flavor.

I paywalled the post about halfway through the story—it was a blog-experiment. But as an early Father’s Day gift to my readers, the paywall has been lifted—non-paying subscribers (Boo! Hiss!) can now read the rest of my strange chess tale.

I probably should have warned you all (especially newer readers) that I planned to post this story. I’m guessing more than a few of you were highly surprised by it, but hopefully in a good way.

Sometimes I like to escape the mostly terrible world of Current Events, and type about more playful things. I appreciate that most of you did not subscribe to this blog to be assaulted with my attempts at literature, but I suppose you will just have to tolerate it. Luckily for you, it happens very rarely.

If for some reason you were offended by my Chess Story, let me just stress that it was meant as an exercise in ritual self-deprecation (which I think helps maintain a healthy level of humility and unpretentiousness).

More importantly, it was written as an ode to the beauty and grandeur of Russian Chess—specifically, the tens of thousands of talented young Russians who continue their country’s proud chess legacy.

These are very bright young lads and ladies, who are worthy of our admiration. Your correspondent—possibly the world’s most successful and intelligent blogger—had to study day and night just to reach parity with his preteen opponents.

The references to heavy drinking may have been off-putting to some, but if you’ve ever spent any amount of time around professional chess players, you will know this is nothing out of the ordinary. Actually, I’m sorry to report that was the not-exaggerated part of the story.

Anyways, meeting Nepomniachtchi was a true honor, and chess is a very beautiful, maddening game.

By the way: I have received several requests for the Return of Harut (who is a 100% real person, and is almost surely zooming around Yerevan in his famous party van as I type these words). I have a general outline for Part IV of Cringey Casablanca baking in my noggin, but I will need to lock myself in a room for 18 hours, with plenty of hookah, to get it down on paper.

While you wait in sweaty anticipation, you can always reread Parts I, II & III of my “truthful retellings of my ongoing presence in the Caucasus.”

Edward’s recent media appearances

• On June 6, I had the honor of joining Jesse Zurawell on his excellent TNT program. Most of our 1-hour discussion focused on Russia’s performance at the recent World Health Assembly in Geneva.

• I had a delightful chat with John Oloughlin on June 8. We also spoke about Moscow’s relationship with the WHO, but also touched on other Russia-related issues. My internet spontaneously combusted around 15 minutes into our conversation, but thankfully we were able to resume our talk after I made an offering to the WiFi gods. Watch Part I and Part II of our discussion.

• Last night I chewed the fat with my old pal Regis Tremblay. We covered a range of topics, including how Russia is covered in the alternative media, my current assessment of the SMO, Prigozhin’s feud with Shoigu, and other fun things. Our chat is available on YouTube, Bitchute, and Rumble.

Currently there are no Edward Media Appearances scheduled for next week, but I would be happy to speak on your podcast, etc. My contact information can be found on this blog’s About Page.

SUMMER OF BLOG-LOVE SUBSCRIPTION SALE!

Every day, 10,000 Substack authors beg you for money. Many of them have extremely compelling pitches; there must be at least one or two who even offer to meet you in an unlit alleyway, and give you a foot massage.

Well, Edward Slavsquat is currently offering a 30% discount on yearly subscriptions. That’s $38 for 12 months of Exclusive Blog Fun.

(If you subscribe now, there is still time to ask a question for the Q&A, which I’ve poured my heart and soul into. It will be published tomorrow, and you better read it. Twice.)

And here’s my pitch:

This blog has almost single-handedly widened the Overton window for Russia-related reporting in the Western alternative press—at a time when the bizarrely narrow range of alt media’s Russia coverage was in desperate need of a “reset”.

Just a few of Edward Slavsquat’s numerous blog-accomplishments:

• Most objective observers will confirm that this blog completely obliterated the popular myth of Sputnik V’s “safety” and “efficacy”. In fact, I receive semi-regular messages saying: “Yes, we get it—Sputnik V is trash like all the other Big Pharma shots. Can you please write about something else?” Nein. But, eventually, yes. I am slowly typing An Unauthorized History of Sputnik V, and once I am done with this project, I think we can finally close the book on this gross genetic slurry.

• This blog provided extensive and extremely well-cited information about the true nature of the Russian government’s disastrous COVID measures, specifically mandatory vaccination policies, QR codes, and the suspension of routine medical care—policies that were either ignored or denied by 99.9% of Very Serious Russia Pundits, before ol’ Edward came a-knockin’.

• I don’t think Westerners even knew who Herman Gref was before I started making fun of him and his dumb bank. I used my extensive research on this weirdo to write an in-depth feature for Unlimited Hangout, which makes a very strong case for why it’s a tad bit premature to declare Russia has freed itself from Davos-inspired high jinks.

• This is one of just a handful of blogs that provides regular updates on highly pertinent Russia-related issues that never seem to get any coverage in the Western alternative press—everything from CBDCs, to Sustainable Development Goals, to the country’s very worrying demographic crisis.

I am also deeply humbled that many of my blog posts and articles are translated into other languages. I’ve seen my work (or iterations of it) translated into German, French, Italian, Spanish, Czech, Bulgarian, Dutch, and Turkish.

(By the way: You are welcome to republish or translate anything I write. You do not need any kind of permission, ever.)

But the greatest honor has been having my writings translated into Russian. From time to time, the excellent Anna Rudneva shares the contents of this blog with her Russian-language audience. I have also seen translations of my posts on Russian-language Telegram channels, which is very cool.

I understand that sometimes I infuriate my readers, because I relentlessly attack many Russia-related sacred cows—but that’s what bloggers are supposed to do. Our only function is to pester and annoy people with uncomfortable questions. We are truly the lowest form of human life.

It’s also important to remember that we are all slowly dying, and the internet is stupid, and we are living in very interesting and terrifying times, which challenge us to rise above the daily poo-slinging, and seek a higher truth that no blog can provide.

So, to be honest, you should really not give me money. Instead you should uninstall your internet, and reconnect with Nature.

I will give you a foot massage if you sub, though.

That’s my pitch, the end.

Have a very relaxing Sunday, friends—

riley