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Crazy time in Moscow

A meeting of the Russian Security Council was televised this morning, although it was apparently recorded earlier. ????

Wow. This extraordinary Russian Security Council meeting is absolutely bonkers and does give you the sense Putin’s lost his mind. Seems we’re close to Russia actually recognizing Donetsk and Luhansk “people’s republics” as independent and Moscow officially sending troops to help.

Also, recognizing Donetsk and Luhansk as independent here and officially helping militarily will mean the end of the Minsk agreements. The situation on the ground from there can change rapidly and significantly.

Dmitry Medvedev speaking now, says Donetsk and Luhansk “people’s republics” are “territories that Ukraine does not need” and that Zelensky doesn’t want to reintegrate because he would like to be reelected and the voters of Donetsk and Luhansk would not vote for him.

Medvedev also reminds Putin of Georgia in 2008 and recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia when he was Russian president. See where this is going?

Medvedev says Russian people support recognition of DNR and LNR, including the military component. “These are not only Russian speakers, these are Russian citizens,” he says.

Matvienko: Ukraine is just territory, to Russia it’s our people. Ukrainians have become hostage to the West’s anti-Russian project. Biden snapped his fingers and Shokin was fired. So if the US wanted to solve the question in Ukraine they could.

Russian FSB director Patrushev says Russia can only negotiate with the US about Ukraine. Everyone else will fall in line. He adds that US’s ultimate goal is to destroy Russia.

Originally tweeted by Christopher Miller (@ChristopherJM) on February 21, 2022.

More:

Putin speaking to his security council now and rattling off the history of the Ukraine conflict from Moscow’s perspective. None of them – and these are all Russia’s most senior officials – are allowed within 20 yards of him.

Putin on remarks by Scholz and others that Ukraine isn’t going to join Nato any time soon because it’s not ready. “This isn’t a concession. This is part of your plan!”

He says Macron said the US position had changed but couldn’t explain how.

If anyone has any doubts, this ends with Russia recognizing the Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics. It’s a matter of time.

Putin used to sit officials around a table and at least act like there was a discussion – now they just look like schoolkids reporting to the principal.

Dmitry Kozak, Putin’s top official for the Minsk talks, say they have been going nowhere since they were agreed in 2015.

“Neither the west, nor Ukraine need Donbas,” he says. “They want to put the brakes on the situation.”

Alexander Bortnikov, head of the FSB, now talking about accused Ukrainian attacks on Russian territory. He claims they have captured a Ukrainian soldier.

This is just utterly surreal

Sergei Shoigu, the defense minister, now talking about more alleged Ukrainian attacks on Donetsk.

Neither he nor Kozak look particularly thrilled about this.

This obviously has implications for much more than the Donbas – Shoigu says Ukraine could get nuclear weapons and pose more of a threat than Iran or North Korea, due to their Soviet-era knowledge.

Putin asks if they should recognize DNR and LNR. Medvedev – remember that guy? – says it’s clear Ukraine doesn’t want them and won’t fulfill the Minsk agreements under any circumstances.

“These aren’t just Russian speakers, these are citizens of the Russian Federation,” Medvedev says. “If things continue this way, the only way out is to recognize the sovereignty of these territories.”

He says the Russian people will support it.

Nikolai Patrushev, head of the security council and probably the most hawkish of Putin’s confidants, is speaking. “We need negotiations, but only with the US. Everyone else will do what they tell them.”

“They are hiding their true goal – to destroy the Russian Federation.”

Sergei Naryshkin, head of foreign intelligence, suggests using potential DNR/LNR recognition as a threat to make Ukraine fulfill the Minsk agreements.

Then it gets astonishing.
Putin: speak clearly, do you support recognition?
Naryshkin: I will
Putin: You will or you do?
Naryshkin: I support bringing them into Russia.
Putin: That’s not what we are discussing! Do you support recognizing independence?
Naryshkin, flustered: Yes

I just can’t believe I’m watching this. You half expected Putin to feed Naryshkin and Mishustin to the sharks when they tried avoiding saying they supported recognizing the DNR

A long line of officials – some enthusiastically, some looking terrified – urge Putin to recognize the DNR.

Putin says, “A decision will be taken today.”

Then the TV cuts out. It’s like the finale of the Sopranos.

What the hell did I just watch????

Originally tweeted by max seddon (@maxseddon) on February 21, 2022.

That. Was. Nuts.

Ukraine’s foreign minister responds.

This is surreal to say the least. I don’t know what to say to that except “stay tuned.”

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