JVLV: “ I’M AFRAID PUTIN WLL KILL ME; HE UNLEASHED THE WAR IN UKRAINE ” BORIS NEMTSOV, By Jiri & Leni Valenta, 2-28-15

The murder of Boris Nemtsov, Russia’s leading opposition leader,  might be a turning point in Russia’s history. It is a major blow to Russia’s democratic movement and to those who supported a peaceful resolution of the Ukrainian conflict.   The man who died in a carefully planned,  mafia- style killing 200 meters from the Kremlin, while walking with a Ukrainian companion, received  16 bullets, likely four  for each of his children.   The witty, handsome politician I met in Moscow  years  ago, was a radical reformer, a former deputy prime minister under Boris Yeltsin.   

The timing:  Nemtsov was about to lead a major demonstration protesting  the Kremlin´s  continuous intervention in the Ukraine.  As an objective scholar,  I caution there is no proof available that Putin ordered  Nemtsov’s murder.  However, Putin, a Christian autocrat who  is not an anti-Semite, has  surely created the present atmosphere in which pathological, chauvinistic and anti-Semitic voices, like that of Alexander Prokhanov, support the  ongoing  interventionism of Russia at her periphery and the nationalistic, authoritarian wave at home. 

Nemtsov  was a supporter of former Ukrainian president, Viktor Yushchenko.  Yes, the same Yushchenko whose face was disfigured with dioxin poison by an unknown assailant in the 2004 election.  Yushchenko, who nevertheless won that election against the pro-Kremlin, Viktor Yanukovych, is an advocate of EU membership for the Ukraine.  Yanukovych, who narrowly won the 2010 Ukrainian election with Putin’s support, fled Kiev twice (2004 and 2014) because of corruption.   Overthrown  by a genuine, popular revolution in February 2014, as demonstrated convincingly in Foreign Affairs  by Alexander Motyl, the  departure of Putin´s stooge brought on the Crimean invasion.

Unlike some American apologists of Putin, like Stephen Cohen, who  defined  the regime change in Kiev as a “coup,” and others who likewise blame the west,  Nemtsov knew that what happened in Ukraine was a genuine revolution. Yanukovych was unanimously dismissed by parliament, including his own party  .In the spirit of Andrey Sakharov, and Alexander Yakovlev( the real father of perestroika as posited by Richard Pipes in a new biography)  Nemtsov also believed that the transcendence of Ukraine to genuine democracy would encourage a  similar change  in Moscow .To him, America was not Russia´s nemesis, but its hope.

 Unfortunately, that hope has not yet been fulfilled, partly because of  President Obama´s failed policy of “strategic patience.”   Already in the  April 21, 2014 Kyiv Post,  JVLV advocated defensive arms for the Ukraine and tougher energy  sanctions.  An unrestrained Russia, willing to invade other countries with illegal force,  upsets the world order and cannot be tolerated.  We also suggested Russia still could  still become  a potential ally against ISIS as we proposed in The National Interest.  It is in Russia´s national interest.

Nemtsov  was surely not thrilled with  Andrea Merkel’s  (Minsk II) appeasement of Russia based primarily on German elite business interests  and gas forever!  The only viable solution is to counter Russia by providing defensive arms  to Ukraine.

There are other Russian intellectuals who favor democracy.  May God preserve them.

Jvlv.net    @JiriLeniValenta