Friday
(0)Political assassination is becoming something of a national pastime in Russia. The latest victim is Sergey Yushenkov , a Liberal Party deputy in the Dumas who was gunned down yesterday outside his apartment building in Moscow.
Russian Liberals are 'Liberal' in the European sense of the word, not the American sense i.e.
He was a strong proponent of military reform and favoured the creation of a free market in Russia when many deputies were dragging their feet.
Of course, murder is always murder regardless of the opinions held by the victim, but in this case Russia has lost one of the genuine good guys and at a time when they need all the good guys they can get.
There are no indications as to who carried out the murder or why.
R.I.P. Mr.Yushenkov.
It looks like the silencing of statesman Pim Fortuyn in The Netherlands by a murderer has given the idea to a colleague in Russia.
Posted by John J. Coupal at April 18, 2003 11:23 AM
Russian/Russian-Empire anti-democrats have never needed any lessons from abroad in taking the most basic approach to getting your way in politics, killing anybody who might stop you getting or keeping power.
As Stalin once said, "No man, no problem".
Posted by mark at April 18, 2003 11:40 AM
Of course - it's the other way round - the killing of Pim Fortuyn was inspired by methods learned from Russia.
Posted by Jacob at April 18, 2003 11:54 AM
I must say I find it a bit of a knock to our national pride to find Russia out there in the lead of this particular field of endeavour.
Surely we have some assasins that rival these fellows. I think it would be awful if the general population woke up to the news that the Russians excel in this field.
Surely we can dig up a rival? Can we find that guy who shot that Kennedy chap. That should balance the contest a bit! If not there must be others somewhere in this great nation. What?
Posted by mad dog barker at April 18, 2003 01:03 PM
Whatever facade the former USSR puts up, it's still a third-world country.
Posted by Kevin Connors at April 19, 2003 05:18 AM
