Adam Michnik: Putin has big fear of Maidan-style protests in Red Square

The Kremlin is afraid of a burst of civil resistance of Russians.

Adam Michnik, a famous Polish journalist and chief editor of Gazeta Wyborcza, said it to TVP Info after his visit to Russia, wPolityce.pl writes.

“The collapse of the Soviet Union was the restoration of freedom and sovereignty for Poles, Czechs, Hungarians and Lithuanians, but Russians consider it to be the end of the empire. It could not but cause frustration. Have Russians got up off their knees? Putin says so. They like to repeat it after him,” he said. “Putin has driven Russia into isolation and caused a drastic fall in the country's prestige.”

Michnik thinks many Russians already noticed the changed attitude to their country and president in the world.

“They know it. They know how he was met in Australia. They know that sanctions were imposed on Russia, let alone the ongoing fall of the ruble,” he notes.

Adam Michnik says Russia is a country of protests, but the Kremlin is afraid of a burst of civil resistance.

“The Kremlin probably has a big fear that Maidan-style protests may repeat in Red Square. Frankly speaking, this kind of fear can also be noticed even among liberal and democratic elites,” the journalist says.

Even the opposition is afraid of possible consequences and the process of protests, he thinks.

“They are afraid of a wild rebellion. All sides are afraid of it,” he says.

Michnik notes that the situation of Crimea cannot be approved.

“One cannot annex another state's territory through aggression. On the other hand, it's true what Russia says – Crimea was Russia's. It was a Russian-speaking territory. Sevastopol was a Russian city historically. Ukraine for Putin is 'small Russia'. It's hard to root out this way of thinking. The imperialistic conscience has deep roots. Russians have already understood that Poland is a foreign country for them. But Kyiv... It's a completely different matter,” Michnik says.

According to him, Europe's sanctions against Russia are very painful for Russian oligarchs. They cannot go anywhere even if they have luxury cars and private planes. But sanctions are not enough to make oligarchs stop supporting Putin, he thinks.

Speaking about the policy of the European Union towards Russia, Michnik stresses the EU's firm stance was a surprise for him.

“Europe still has the common voice. In my opinion, Putin didn't expect it. He was sure that the EU is a degenerate institution of relativists and drug addicts. He thought Europe does not exist and the only force is Germany, with which he can reached an agreement. But this picture fell apart,” Michnik stresses.

He adds that Putin's most serious problem is the people of Russia.

“Putin is said to have fallen into hysterics when he saw Mubarak in the dock. He understood what may happen to him. Yanukovych managed to flee to Rostov-on-Don, but Putin doesn't have his own 'Rostov'. He has a panic fear of it, a panic fear of his people,” Michnik says. “The time of calm, which we have been observing for the last few years, is coming to an end. We see tectonic movements that will lead to earthquakes. It is a challenge for Poland's foreign policy.”