Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of the Russian Federation Dmitry Medvedev addressed Kommersant with his new article, titled:
Five short polemical theses
Kindly note that this is a machine translation and we may edit for nuance as is necessary.
1. Ukraine is in search of its own identity and a special path, composing its own separate history (although the same history teaches that this takes centuries). But Ukrainian leaders, especially top officials, are people who do not have any stable self-identification. Unhappy people. Who are they, what country are they citizens of, where are their roots, what is their historical identity, ethnic background, and what gods do they pray to? Who do they feel like? Are they “schiria” Ukrainians? “Europeans”? The Russians? Jews? Tatars? Hungarians? Karaites?
The current president of this tortured country is a man with certain ethnic roots, who has spoken Russian all his life. Moreover, he worked in Russia and received significant funds from Russian sources. Nevertheless, at some point, when he became the head of state, out of fear of getting another “Maidan” directed against his personal power, he completely changed his political and moral orientation. And in fact-he gave up his identity. He began to fervently serve the most rabid nationalist forces in Ukraine (which, admittedly, were always there, but made up only 5-7% of the active population).
One can only imagine how disgusting it was for him to perform such a moral “somersault-mortale”. This is reminiscent of the crazy situation when representatives of the Jewish intelligentsia in Nazi Germany would have applied for service in the SS for ideological reasons.
Of course, this situation causes a daily “cognitive dissonance” in his soul and actions. Moreover, you can not be sure that at some point when the political situation changes, they will not come for you to sew a yellow star on your back. He must endlessly maneuver between various forces: radical nationalists (“Nazis”, as they are commonly called there), the Muslim part of the population, primarily Tatars, moderate apolitical Ukrainians and Russians, representatives of other ethnic groups— so that his neck does not break. That is why there are bastard documents like the “law” on the indigenous peoples of Ukraine. That is why he shows himself to be a greater nationalist than the most radical of them.
He had to integrate into the “pantheon of heroes” of this part of Ukrainian society. Shout along with them: “Glory to the heroes!” Accept the unconditional authority of such scoundrels as “great Ukrainians”. Pray for the blessed memory of the terrorists and Judeophobes Bandera and Shukhevych, whose followers today call themselves a significant part of the political elite of Ukraine.
Everyone knows the mournful calendar of Bandera and policemen of that period: the summer of 1941, when after the capture of the city of Lviv by German army units, about 6 thousand people died in two of the largest Jewish pogroms. This is the extermination of Russians, Ukrainians, Jews, Poles in the Yanova Valley, Podkamna. These are the White Church, Babi Yar and Volyn massacre.
And here is a quote from previously unpublished materials…
“A gang of murderers broke down doors and windows, broke into apartments, shot, cut and killed people with axes and knives — including young children, old men and women, after which the corpses were loaded onto carts, taken away and buried in pits. In order to hide their crimes, some families were burned in barns and burned corpses were buried in pits. All these terrible atrocities were accompanied by massive looting of property belonging to tortured families.”
Documents from the Archive of the Russian Ministery of Defense
He is clearly disgusted to indulge in these sentiments, the whole history of his life, the life of his family, revolts against such an abomination. A normal, decent person just wouldn’t be able to do it. But, alas, it is necessary. Otherwise, they’ll smear their brains on the walls. He is very afraid and does not like these people, but he is forced to preach their ideologies, defend their views that are repugnant to him. A man turned inside out.
How can you negotiate and negotiate with them in this situation?
No way.
2. Ukrainian leaders of the current generation are completely independent people . Much has already been said and written about this, including in a well-known article by Vladimir Putin. The country is under direct foreign administration. Moreover, this management is much tougher than the interaction of the USSR with individual socialist countries in a certain period. The USSR gave its geopolitical allies sufficient scope to shape their domestic policy, realizing that otherwise it could end in tragic events such as the Hungarian demonstrations in 1956 or the Prague Spring of 1968. Simple pragmatic logic. In Ukraine, the dependence is complete-from cash injections into their economy (handouts from the United States and the EU) to direct leadership of the Ukrainian special services (from their American patrons). But if the USSR needed good relations with the countries of the socialist camp and the Warsaw Pact (including for joint “building socialism”), then the United States does not need anything from Ukraine, except for confrontation with Russia, total containment of our country and the creation of what was aptly called “Anti-Russia”. This means that such an alliance is extremely fragile and will eventually crumble to dust. Hopes for membership in NATO and the European Union are also ephemeral, for obvious reasons. Ukraine itself has no value on the line of direct confrontation between Western forces (including potentially military ones) and our country. There are no fools to fight for Ukraine. And it’s pointless for us to deal with vassals. Business must be conducted with the overlord.
3. At the head of Ukraine are weak people who strive only to fill their pockets. Moreover, it is desirable, just in case, to save money in a foreign offshore company. We know many of them quite well. There was no leader who could sacrifice himself for the sake of Ukraine, and not try to monetize his stay in power, and it seems that he will not be yet. On the contrary, when it comes to making a profit, hatred of Russia and the desire to join the EU and NATO give way to selfish motives, when a Muscovite with money is an enemy, but his money is more important than hostility. I recall the words of one of my colleagues in the well-known “pre-Maidan” period. To my question: “why does namesake participate in the elections, he has no chance?” – the answer followed, which surprised me very much at the time: “Don’t you understand, this is the last opportunity for him to raise money from the election campaign.” Comments are unnecessary. Nothing has changed since then. Contacts with such weak people are unproductive. They will sell at any time for five kopecks.
4. The senselessness and even harmfulness of relations with the current leaders of Ukraine also lies in the fact that ignorant and unnecessary people are at the head of this country. They are constantly changing their position to please their overseas masters and the political situation. This is how they understand the art of diplomacy. Homegrown talleyrands. They sign the Minsk agreements, negotiate in the “Normandy format”, and then — after internal turmoil in the Rada, on the square or the Central Office from across the ocean-they turn their position in a completely different direction. Yes, compromises are possible in politics, sometimes some deviations from the established line, but not to the extent that the agreed approach changes to the diametrically opposite one. And we and our partners are constantly being lied to and evaded from our decisions. And it’s not about the specific name of a particular manager. This is the position of all Ukrainian negotiators, their line of conduct, modus operandi. Such” partners ” in international relations, who compete in constant lies, do not and cannot be trusted. This means that negotiations with them are absolutely meaningless.
5. Then the eternal and main question arises: what to do in this situation? But nothing. Wait for the appearance of a sane leadership in Ukraine, which is aimed not at total confrontation with Russia on the verge of war, not at organizing moronic “Crimean platforms” created to fool the country’s population and pump up its muscles before the elections, but at building equal and mutually beneficial relations with Russia. That’s only with such a leadership of Ukraine and it is worth dealing with. Russia knows how to wait. We are a patient people.
I think about the EU when I read this article. One must of course remove the Bandera thing, id est, the Bandera thing will be named the anti-Bandera in the EU. Anyway, methinks the Ukraine is very much the EU in extremis. Fabula de nobis narratur.
”At the head of Ukraine are weak people who strive nly to fill their pockets. Moreover, it is desirable, just in case, to save money in a foreign offshore company.”
Poor buggers, these Ukros. Leaders very much like the Euro-trash who still won’t have them.
It seems there is a translation-mistake:
“2. Ukrainian leaders of the current generation are completely independent people.”
Shouldn’t it be “completely dependent” ?
Hmm…is he saying he disapproves of Nuland being permitted to visit Russian representatives…and or just emphasising the point that although it seems to be “confirmed” today that agreement between both Russia and USA that UN Resolutions and Minsk must be implemented..Ie special status for Donbass…nothing will happen unless USA has a proven volte face and removes the current Ukrops government? Russia is challenging the non agreement capable west? Hope so.
Note Normandy 4 leaders “met “the other day.
BERLIN, Oct 11 (Reuters) – German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron had phone calls on Monday with the presidents of Ukraine and Russia to discuss the conflict in Ukraine, and agreed their foreign ministers should meet, the German government said.
The two West European leaders spoke first with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on the implementation of the Minsk Agreements aimed at bringing about a peaceful resolution of the conflict in Ukraine.
Then, Merkel and Macron spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin, urging him to progress with the peace talks, the German government said.
“The interlocutors agreed to ask their foreign ministers to meet soon to achieve this,” the German government statement said.
(Clearly Z M and M are still self delusional) reading the below
https://www.president.gov.ua/en/news/prezident-ukrayini-obgovoriv-z-kanclerom-nimechchini-ta-prez-71025
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a video conference with Federal Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel and President of the French Republic Emmanuel Macron.
The Ukrainian President thanked Germany and France for their unwavering position in support of Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty, as well as for their active participation in the Normandy format negotiations so far. He also expressed hope for the same active participation in the future.
The parties discussed further steps for a peaceful settlement in Donbas, as well as preparations for the next Normandy Four Summit.
The interlocutors expect this summit to be constructive and lead to agreements on coordinated successive steps that will ensure the establishment of sustainable peace in Donbas. The leaders of the three states discussed proposals for agreements that could be considered at the Summit in the Normandy format.
The President of Ukraine informed about the security situation in the east of the country, as well as about the efforts of the Ukrainian side to achieve peace.
The German and French leaders commended the important practical steps taken by the Ukrainian side to resolve the conflict. They assured that their states will continue to make all necessary efforts for a peaceful settlement in Donbas.
The participants of the meeting noted the importance of the parties’ compliance with the commitments made in Paris in December 2019, and agreed on the need to discuss in detail the state of their implementation during the next Summit of the Normandy Four.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron have promised to raise these issues during their talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
And usual tricks by Ukraine yesterday
Donetsk, Oct 12 – DAN. Coordinator for the OSCE in the Contact Group subgroup on political issues Sylvie-Agnes Bermann presented at the Tuesday video conference a new version of the DPR Road Map for unblocking the negotiations, Donetsk People’s Republic Deputy Foreign Minister, DPR representative in the political subgroup Natalia Mikhailova said.
DPR representatives said that the document was in the works after the previous session of the political subgroup on September 28. Back then, it was also announced that the draft Road Map was sent to the OSCE for circulation between all the participants. Ukraine did not receive the document. The discussion was derailed.
“At today’s session, the coordinator for the OSCE (Sylvie-Agnes Bermann – eds Donetsk News Agency) presented an updated document on the Road Map, but no substantive work was done as Ukrainian representatives kept looking for pretexts to avoid substantive discussion,” Mikhailova said in comments on the current situation in the subgroup.
Berman supported the Republics’ proposals for phased discussion of Road Map provisions, but Kiev representatives began philosophizing about the essence of the Minsk Agreements, the number of “windows” in the online conference, delegations’ membership, capacity of participants and other procedural and technical issues, she said.
“Thus, even the new OSCE mediator sees that it is Ukraine that bears full responsibility for obstructing the preparation of the consolidated Road Map project in accordance with the Contact Group instruction, and in general, for the sabotage of the peaceful settlement in Donbass,” the DPR representative said.
Ukraine, its leadership, all its stakeholders in military, intelligence, oligarchs and ideological militia leadership is united in pursuing national suicide.
Equipped with inhuman Russophobia, financed by Russophobic US, UK, EU, NATO and Khazarian tribalists in US and Canada and Israel, the conditions on the ground will not change an inch. They haven’t for seven years. It will be another seven or ten or whatever number of years before the pain suffered by Ukrainian citizens changes the paradigm.
Only if the Ukies launch an attack on Russia in Donbass or Crimea will facts on the ground change.
We see Afghanistan has taken 20 years for the facts on the ground to change.
It took 13 years for facts on the ground in Vietnam to change.
Ukraine is an inexpensive weapon for the West to support and use against Russia and Belarus. Why would they cease to support it?
It is gift that keeps on giving.
Sanctions, dead and injured Russians, infowar propaganda, and encouragement to a otherwise pathetic alliance (NATO) and pie in the sky hopes for the Eastern Euros, Baltics and Scandinavians who think one day Russia will fall apart and be devoured by the West.
If you were the US Dept. of State, you would be crazy to give up the Ukraine.
And since it is worth zero to Russia, the suitcase with no handles is left to dry out in the summer, freeze in the winter, and take a long, long time to fall apart into total uselessness.
That is its Maidan Destiny. Time is not on its side.
Outstanding! I could never have gotten to the point nearly as well! That’s what I call calling things by their name, looking reality in the eye and grasping it for what it really is!
Actually I am a bit surprised such an accurate, even hard, article came from Mr Medvedev.
Brazilian elites and middle class seems envious of Ukraine fate. They are working tirelessly to reproduce the ukie outcome in Brazil.
BTW, facts on the ground will change more quickly than NATO can handle.
Agree with sentiment from Ulrich, Ukraine is just another hostile vassal that belongs to the hegemon. It’s a little more actively hostile in it’s formative years having lost a considerable amount of it’s territory, and will probably be even more so when it loses most of the rest as it breaks up.
TEP.
The translation is incorrect.
“Ukrainian leaders of the current generation are completely INdependent people” should be “Ukrainian leaders of the current generation are completely DEPENDENT people”
“Украинские руководители нынешней генерации — люди абсолютно несамостоятельные”
Source:
https://www.kommersant.ru/doc/5028300
A sometimes confusing peculiarity of the Russian language. The prefix “ne-” is a negation of the word to which it is attached. In this case “самостоятельные” which means roughly “who are self-supporting”, by preceding it with a “ne-” becomes “who are not self-supporting”. Meaning “dependent” of course but getting there in a round-about way.
English does the same with the prefix “un” and “non”.
I assume therefore that a machine translation from English to Russian might make a similar mistake?
Ukies keep stirring the pot.
https://rusvesna.su/news/1634135909
Timed for Nuland’s talks in Moscow.
The capture of a representative of the Luhansk People’s Republic in the Joint Center for Fire Control and Coordination, which was carried out today by the Ukrainian Armed Forces on the contact line in Zolote, may have the most unpredictable consequences for the situation in the Donbas. This is what the Donbass military commanders and representatives of the Republic say.
After the appearance of shocking information about the captivity, the authorized representative of the LPR in the Contact Group Vladislav Deinego at a meeting of the Contact Group demanded the immediate release and return of the representative of the LPR in the Joint Center for Control and Coordination, which was captured today by Ukrainian militants in Zolotoy.
Details were also provided by the representative of the LPR in the Trilateral Contact Group for negotiations on Donbass, Rodion Miroshnik, commenting on the situation in his Telegram channel.
“An employee of the LPR JCCC was captured when the work agreed with the command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine was being carried out.
Today, at 11: 00, during the cleaning of the T-13–16 highway within the Zolotoe breeding area, 100 meters south of the bridge over the railway, armed servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine came out from the Ukrainian side, fired about 10 shots into the air from automatic weapons, and captured the observer of the LPR Representative Office in the JCCC, Andrei Kosyak, and took him away in an unknown direction.
At the same time, the observer was wearing appropriate equipment with the identification marks of the JCCC (a helmet in a blue cover, an armband, patches on a bulletproof vest).
Ukraine tries to justify itself, but it turns out very clumsy and absurd!
Today’s VFU raid in Zolote underscores that Ukraine is a terrorist state that does not fulfill any of its obligations, including respect for the immunity of employees of the Joint Center for Control and Coordination.
All the guarantees given by Kiev are worthless, and the version put forward by the Ukrainian Armed Forces about the alleged intelligence activities of a JCCC employee is absurd!
The observer was captured in the area between two checkpoints of the Zolotoe crossing, which, due to Kiev’s fault, will not work in any way. He oversaw the work being carried out on this site. The version that an employee of the Center conducted reconnaissance at the crossing does not stand up to any criticism.
VFU tries to justify their crime, but it turns out very badly and clumsily. Meanwhile, the JCCC employee continues to be forcibly detained by Ukrainian armed groups, ” Miroshnik writes.
Military commander Mikhail Andronik in his Telegram channel “Warrior of the 2nd category” believes that the incident can provoke a lot of bloodshed.:
“Listen, this is already over the edge! Ukraine continues to destroy the already few instruments of control and settlement of the military conflict in the Donbas.
What has happened is just another step towards great bloodshed. I repeat once again: these steps were taken and are being taken only by Kiev.”
Famous Russian military correspondent ” KP. ” Alexander Kots stressed that the representative of the Republic was lured by Obama.
“Let’s call a spade a spade. Ukraine tricked a representative of the LPR JCCC into a trap and abducted a Russian citizen in broad daylight.
As Dmitry Anatolyevich says there: “Russia knows how to wait, we are patient people”… ” – wrote Kotz in his author’s Telegram channel.
Lieutenant Colonel of the reserve of the People’s Militia of the LPR Andrey Marochko, in turn, in a comment to the republican information center, said that the President of Ukraine Vladimir Zelensky crossed the red line, allowing the abduction of an officer of the LPR representative office.
“I believe that Zelensky today, by allowing the abduction of an employee of the LPR representative office in the JCCC, crossed the red line, becoming even worse than (ex-President of Ukraine Petro) Poroshenko, since even Poroshenko did not allow himself such a thing,” Marochko said.
Meanwhile, photos of documents and weapons of the abducted representative of the Republic appeared on Ukrainian resources.
https://rusvesna.su/news/16341…
I’m obviously not as well informed about the Ukraine as many of the commenters on this site but in my opinion (which isn’t worth much), I believe that the Russian authorities made a fundamental mistake in 2014 by conferring legitimacy on the leadership that emerged in Ukraine after the so-called Maidan “revolution”. Russia has been and continues to be on the back foot because of that crucial strategic error.
I believe that at some point, semi-rational leaders will emerge in Ukraine who understand that it is not in their country’s interests to be ideologically anti-Russian. However, even when that happens, I do not see Ukraine becoming decisively pro-Russian ever again. Too much time has passed and too much blood has been shed.
@Jay
I do agree 100% that Donbass deserves a much better fate, similar to Crimea’s. Still, the problem which is Bandernazi Ukraine is subsiding on its own. Firstly, the Maidan Nazi putsch failed to accomplish what was its chief goal, thus leaving the Ukronazis out in the cold. Imagine Russia’s military and the entire Russian population in Crimea evicted/murdered with NATO proudly moving in. That would have made the garbage Nazis in Kiev the very avant-garde of Russophobic Western imperialism, elatedly sharing responsibilities with NATO and the EU.
Secondly, the Ukronazis are presiding over a deindustrialized, rapidly depopulating backwater. At the rate things are going, Ukraine will be void of people in at most 20 years’ time (probably much sooner). Russia can then annex the place and settle the land with ethnic Russians and not get a single, terrific Western sanction imposed upon her in return.
There are still millions of people living in the land mass currently called Ukraine who are and consider themselves Russian (ethically and civilizationally) and not the least bit Ukrainian, except geographically by the accidents of history. When that area was under Polish-Lithuanian, or Austrian, or Polish, or any other foreign occupation, they remained Russian except for those who chose to join with or surrender to the brutal occupiers. For example, there were groups called Bratstva (Brotherhoods) in those lands, especially starting in the 1500s-1600s, who printed books, defended Orthodoxy, and otherwise gave hope. (Not to be confused with the Cossacks who were mostly Russians at the southern borders (“u kraini”) defending the Orthodox Christians against the Muslim invaders.) Such groups can arise again. The Serbs never gave up hope of regaining Kosovo-Metohaja after more than 500 years (1389-1912), so why would Russians despair.
”Russia knows how to wait. We are a patient people”. Russia endures for 1000 years.
Remember what Bismarck predicted in 1888: ”One could argue if such a war could possibly have the result that Russia would be “smashed”. But such a result is beyond all probability even after the most brilliant victories. Even the most favorable outcome of the war would never result in the disintegration of the main power of Russia, which rests on the millions of real Russians of Greek confession. Even if separated by treaties, these would always come together again just as quickly as the parts of a dissected body of mercury”.
EU extends and increases sanctions against Russia…”exquisite ” timing perhaps around Nulands visit etc surely just reinforces Russian perception of them even though they want more gas….now if gas supply was used as a political weapon in response that might change things a bit .. ? EU thinks it has the luxury of its political illegal sanctions mechanisms but desparately needs cheap gas and supports Ukraine basket case….what a strange schizophrenic world.
https://tass.com/world/1349691
The passing reference to Victoria f-uck the EU Nuland points to the ongoing obsession that US neocons have for Ukraine. Many of them are, after all, descendants of the original Khazars who controlled Kiev until the 9th Century when it was captured by the Russ. She wasn’t just passing out cookies in Kiev in 2014 when the US supported the Ukro-Nazis in overthrowing the legitimate government of Ukraine. That this was allowed to happen under international law shows how compromised the UN is by the AngloZionist Empire.
That Biden has tapped Nuland to once again journey to Moscow shows how compromised he is by Zionism in the USA, most of which is so-called Christian. We are just marking time here in the USA for the next big false-flag event that will send us off to war again, this time nuclear war with Russia if US Christian Zionists get what they pray for. That will be the end of the USA as we know it, for good or for ill.
I agree Mr. Apeiron. The Biden Administration is essentially the Obama Administration on steroids. Hard to imagine a more hateful mindset which completely goes against the national interest of the US. Since it is now like the Saker said, one dollar one vote, there little to no hope for meaningful reforms.
Interestingly, most Zionists in the USA are so-called Christian. 80% of them voted for Trump in the last election. He was their ticket to the Rapture. Like I said, we are just marking time here in the USA for Israel to stage the next big false-flag event that will send us off to war again, this time nuclear war with Russia if US Christian Zionists get what they pray for. Again, that will be the end of the USA as we know it, for good or for ill.
I personally know several Christian Zionists. Their argument is that the Bible states in many places that the Jews are the chosen people so to oppose them in anyway is wrong. That justifies supporting any and all of Israel’s actions in their world view. There is obviously something wrong with that but I am not knowledgeable about scripture to present an argument against it.
The argument is easy, Should the Quran say that Muslims are the chosen people and to oppose them in anyway is wrong, where do the two stand in front of each other?
Religion is the entanglement that has no ending.
When religion becomes entangled with politics is the problem. The US Constitution specifically prohibits the formation of a “state” church, yet many US Christian Zionists pray for that to happen. Their end-times eschatology involves a final conflict between good (them) and evil (everyone else) that will be the end of the USA as we know it and the beginning of some kind of Zionist theocracy. They also fully support what the European Ashkenazim are doing in Palestine.
Once again and yet again Lavrov over the past year he expresses his frustration with a completely self preserving self serving with their NATO and regional agendas and incapable of dealing with the reality of UN Resolution and the Minsk process.
MINSK, October 14. /TASS/. The persistent efforts of the Normandy Four’s Western members to continue the work without fulfilling the Minsk agreements is surprising, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Thursday.
“Actually, I was a little surprised that our Western colleagues were promoting the resumption of the Normandy format with such assertiveness, without the implementation of previous decisions on their part,” the top diplomat stated.
Furthermore, the Russian foreign minister mentioned the EU-Ukraine summit in Kiev, which resulted in a joint statement signed, in particular, by President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen and President of the European Council Charles Michel. In this statement, Russia “was directly named the aggressor.” “In such very rude, I would say, categorical terms, we are asked to fulfill the Minsk agreements since, as it was stated, we are a party to this document,” Lavrov went on to say. “This is far from and opposite to the truth and contradicts even those ambiguous statements made by the German and French experts.”
As the top diplomat noted, the German and French co-authors of the Minsk agreements earlier refrained from identifying the parties to the Donbass conflict in order to preserve “constructive uncertainty.” “Currently, instead of constructive uncertainty Ms. von der Leyen and Mr. Michel, as well as Mr. [President of Ukraine Vladimir] Zelensky, have directly named Russia a party to the conflict. We want to understand what is happening in the EU and how we can work further,” Lavrov said.
On Wednesday, Spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova stated that the issues on the agenda of the Normandy Four’s meeting at the level of the top diplomats were being worked out following the relevant instructions from the leaders of Russia, France and Germany after the phone conversation on October 11. The Kremlin noted that the sides agreed to hold a meeting in order to address, among other things, possible opportunities for arranging a Normandy summit.
Are there any Ukrainians from Ukraine reading Tht Saker articles/comments?
Yes
Yeah, but it seems to mean much more than that. Putin may agree with this but we know he would never write this or say it, don’t we, and we know why not. Indeed, this type of language does not belong even in an ex-head of State. This may mean that Medvedev is not considered by Russians as a suitable substitute for Putin. Political “dirty work” (so to speak) is typically not given to someone destined to be a head of state. If somebody else wrote that, and the words do not reflect the more restrained style and personality that Medvedev was more known for, it compounds the impression that apparently Medvedev won’t stand as a substitute for Russia’s president again. Putin may have approved this, but it would be also kind of unlike him if he approved it for his substitute.