Due to caregiving responsibilities for a family member and my day job, I have, unfortunately, had little to no time to do any original work. (My original work can be seen here). Therefore, this blog has mostly consisted lately of cross-posting articles and analyses from other sources.
Based on some comments from readers, I’d like to reiterate some things I’ve said before that apparently bear repeating. First, I’m not pro-Putin. I’m also not anti-Putin. As I wrote previously:
As an analyst of Russia, I don’t see my job as providing people with emotional comfort. I see my job as providing factual analysis about Russia to the best of my ability. In this vein, I’m not pro-Putin or anti-Putin, but have tried to study and assess the Russian president based on the best information I could find, including the historical, social and geopolitical context of his governance. I’ve also tried to convey how Russians view him and why.
Consequently, it doesn’t make much sense to suggest that I’ve soured on Putin. I’m an analyst not a cheerleader. While it’s understandable that many people who read this blog acknowledge that Putin has done a lot of good for Russia and that western media reporting on him is typically very distorted and filled with vitriol, acknowledging that Putin is not some infallible god or may occasionally do things that aren’t perfect or are open to debate does not mean that one suddenly supports US hegemony or the CIA. There is also more to Russia than just Putin.
I expect that people who read this blog are adults. I expect adults to be able to read a variety of sources and analyses and use their discernment and critical thinking skills to draw their own conclusions. I expect adults to be able to deal with nuance.
I sometimes include sources that are critical of Putin or the current Russian government, such as The Bell, because even though they clearly have an anti-Putin bias, they occasionally have a critique that is worth considering. Even a broken clock is right twice a day. Also, The Bell often includes important data and statistics that are useful to know regardless of your view of the current Russian government.
I’ve also occasionally included the work of Riley Waggaman, a writer who has lived in Russia for about a decade and used to work for RT. He provides reporting that indicates a more complex view from Russia, often citing links to mainstream Russian media sources and Russian critiques of Putin from the right – which is more common than authentic Russian liberal critiques of the Putin government. And I’ve still had some dismiss this as pro-western anti-Putin propaganda.
If you are solely looking for a daily dose of overly-simplistic analysis on Russia that is just a reverse image of mainstream western media, this blog may not be for you.
I am sorry not to see more original work but please keep up with the great crass-posting.
Thank you.
agree
One of the top sources online
You do a great job, Natylie! I appreciate the work you do as an analyst and in providing your readers with informative articles we could not obtain elsewhere in one place.
Hallelujah to you ! Job well done !
Let me add my appreciation for your work. It would be nice to have more original analysis, I agree, but you can only do as much as you can do, and to have someone with your knowledge picking out worthy pieces is quite valuable. The fact that you do not select things from only one of the many available narratives adds to the value. So please stay in the arena, and ignore the critics.
I need you to keep doing what you’re doing.
Your influence is much wider than you think because you are reaching people who influence others. I frequently share the items that you post with a wider group who are not subscribed to you. As you know, sometimes we have to deal with people who have short attention spans, limited interest, and misinformation, but yet who are quite opinionated nonetheless. So I’m very selective about what items I share when and with who. You provide me with excellent material from week to week. Two papers you posted a couple of years ago had a significant impact on my views. One was a 1993 essay by MIT’s Barry Posen, and the other was a discussion of Crimea’s historical relationship with Ukraine especially since the break-up of the USSR, citing poll and referendum results.
We appreciate your posts. Best wishes to the family.
Thank you so much for your important and tireless work, Natylie! It is enormously appreciated and read daily with great interest. Please take good care of yourself and stay well. All the best to you and to your family!
<3
Thank you, Natylie. Keep up the good work!
So sorry you’ve had to say that. You are doing a fantastic job providing the widest possible view of what is happening in and with Russia. I have passed your blog on to many telling them that, if they only have one feed source for a comprehensive view of Russia’s place in the world, yours should be it. Given all the other things you’ve got going on, my hat’s off to you. Thank you for your antidote to pablum media.
Well said. I think the case for Russia in this conflict is strong – BUT I look at all sources to try and get an accurate picture of what’s happening.
You are too modest! That’s my critique. You should have also listed your book as a work visitors to the blog should consider.
https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/the-view-from-moscow
I’m 5-6 months in I am now 73% through it after nightly plugging away, with my laptop beside me because you provide so many tasty references. It’s a smooth read, but the engineer in me balks at going on until I’ve dug up the foundations you’ve laid out.
Best wishes with the family caregiving and much empathy here, having responsibility for family on both ends of the lifespan spectrum. You’ve made me dream of going to Russia again, for now I am dreeing my weird
I found your observations refreshing in this time of manufactured consent. Geo-political issues have not changed since the Crimian War ended in a tie with all soldiers perishing on the battlefield in a sea of dysenteric diarrhea.
What has changed are the 20th (and 21st) century politics in the region. After the USSR crushed the Nazis in the region, the Nazi’s racist, anti-Gypsy, anti-Gay, and anti-Jew beliefs re bloomed to the point of parading Stephan Bandera’s likeness around during the right -wing coup in 2014.
One mention of this and I get told that I’m repeating Putin propaganda . Well! I had no idea that everyone with any knowledge whatsoever of Ukraines ‘ history is repeating propaganda!
I love your posts Natylie. I never watch the BBC or what passes for mainstream media , so I’m always interested in what is being said out in the ether and that I don’t have the time to research.
I have always {that means in the past 18 months that Ive been subscribed to your posts, that you were gathering and collating opinions, from whatever quarter. Keeping us informed, from all sides.
Thank you .
Thank you to everyone for the supportive comments. Since this blog gets throttled by Google and the like, I have a small number of subscribers after 9 years of regular blogging. There are times when I wonder if it’s worth it for me to continue on with it. But your comments tell me to keep going forward.
You provide a great service and I am most grateful that you have kept at it all these years! Best wishes to you and your family and my heartfelt thanks.
Yes, Natylie, by all means, please do keep on going forward! A big THANK YOU for all of the wonderful work you do! <3
An this is why I come here.
This blog is very important, perhaps more important and more appreciated than you can imagine. And its the number one blog on my reading list.
You are doing a fantastic job, and people around the world needs this blog with all it’s perspectives.
There are still sane people in the West which know full well that the MSM play for pay instead of doing their job.
//Rolf Lampa (of Sweden)
Hello Natylie,
I first read your pieces on Medium and then found your blog. It is quite refreshing to read someone who sees all sides of the story, and not being a repeater of the MSM or propaganda on both sides.
You have also helped me try to understand Russia, as it is a complex subject. Keep up the work and wish you strength with your caregiving, we are there also here.
BR
Chuck
Bravo Natalie! I find your curated selections most informative.