Russia has warned its citizens they might be “hunted” if they travel to the US or other Western countries. But this warning reeks of projection and gaslighting — now the hallmarks of Russia’s dealings with the West. After all, Russia has turned arresting Americans and other Westerners on trumped-up charges into a cottage industry, using them as bargaining chips in a twisted Cold War game.
Clearly, this decree isn’t about protecting Russians. It’s about saving Putin from the dictator’s fate that just befell Assad in Syria. To do so, he’s trying to sell Russians the big lie that Pyongyang and Beijing are the new New York and London.
Of course, Putin is already leaning on Kim Jong Un for weapons and soldiers to fight his losing war in Ukraine. Now, he’s making his Russia like Kim’s North Korea (aka, the hermit kingdom). Except that telling Russians not to travel to the West is like telling kids not to eat candy. Naturally, they’ll sneak sweets — because life in Putin’s wannabe hermit kingdom is so bitter. So good luck with that, Putin.
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