During the entire time of Vladimir Putin’s rule, discussions about the Russian president’s anti-Semitism were, perhaps, the funniest in essing his personal qualities. Even Putin’s opponents claimed that he is, of course, a dictator and a cannibal, but, of course, not an anti-Semite – after all, he has been friends with the Rotenbergs since his early youth! And no facts could shake this confidence. When Putin began to mention the Jewish origin of the Ukrainian president, this was also explained not by anti-Semitism, but exclusively by political considerations – he needs to explain to his compatriots that “fraternal Ukraine” is led by a Jew who was deliberately “placed by American curators” to rehabilitate Nazism. And yes, what an anti-Semite he is, he is friends with the Rotenbergs…
It seemed to me that Putin’s anti-Semitism was quite “calculated” – even if he had not allowed himself to be openly anti-Semitic before. Simply, anti-Semitism is not some separate disease, it is part of the picture of the world. A person who goes on a crusade against minorities and in defense of “traditional values” simply cannot help but be a xenophobe. A xenophobe cannot but be an anti-Semite. More than once, Putin has given us the opportunity to see his political views – quite willingly.
The transformation of Russia into a monster began not only with the death of Grozny and the destruction of Yukos, but also with the adoption of a ridiculous law prohibiting gay propaganda “children’s environment”. Putin personally initiated the abolition of compulsory teaching of the languages of indigenous peoples in the Russian republics – what, you ask, did Tatar or Yakut languages do to him? But at the same time, he was friends with the Rotenbergs, hosted Abramovich and talked with Berl Lazar – any dictator should have his cashier and his rabbi, it is important that they know their place. Perhaps that is why he was so enraged by Zelensky, who did not want to understand that his task, as a Jew, is to make his “elder brother” laugh, and not to sink the cruiser “Moscow”. But I admit, all this was political anti-Semitism.
he is an anti-Semite – and always was, even when he was friends with the Rotenbergs and hugged Netanyahu
And in the case of “Moshe Izrailevich”, as Putin contemptuously referred to Anatoly Chubais, it was already clic anti-Semitism, “the same”, familiar from anecdotes and pogroms. It was as if he finally wanted to walk on two legs and he habitually hobbled on four devilish legs. And it was necessary to see with what unconcealed contempt he uttered this same “Moshe Izrailevich”. Well, of course, Vladimir Vladimirovich! We all know from childhood that being Vladimir Vladimirovich is honorable. And being Moshe Izrailevich is a shame. And, of course, it’s funny. Here we, the whole audience, laughed at the little man who was not long ago – just think! – Anatoly Borysovych. And now he turned into some hideous and ridiculous Moshe Izrailevich, a trembling creature who moved to an illegal position out of fear of Russian heroes.
I really hope that with this speech by Putin, the topic of his anti-Semitism is closed once and for all and does not require new evidence. Yes, he is an anti-Semite – and always was, even when he was friends with the Rotenbergs and hugged Netanyahu. Yes, he is a xenophobe, moreover, he does not suspect tolerance – after all, in the same speech about “Moshe Izrailevich” he did not go beyond the cultural figures who supposedly promote “non-traditional values” and corrupt his trusting subjects. And yes, he is a cannibal – as proven by the wars in Chechnya, Georgia, Syria and Ukraine, and his appetites only grow over the years. And yes, as a rule, all these wonderful qualities are always harmoniously combined in one person. Those who denied him anti-Semitism tried to see in him something human, like boyish gratitude to those same Rotenbergs who pulled him out of the spitting entrance.
But the one who looks into the dark abyss of Vladimir Putin will never find anything there except this spitting entrance and a rat running on vomit.
Vitaly Portnikov is a Ukrainian journalist and political columnist, author and presenter of the Radio Liberty program “Roads to Freedom”
Opinions expressed in the column “Author’s rights” may not coincide with the point of view of the editors