Lukashenko Has Lost An Important Aspect Of His Identity

All the dictator can do is go along with it.

Lukashenko has lost his most important, and for the world beyond the so-called Union State—the most important one—of his roles. He should no longer be considered an expert in communicating with Putin. But, as they say in cheesy soap operas, “It’s not you, it’s me.” The problem isn’t Lukashenko, who is, in fact, the problem himself. The issue is Putin, who, judging by recent events and statements, has completely lost touch with reality. And neither Lukashenko, nor the CIA director who flew to Moscow, nor his friends, nor Peskov can influence him anymore. They cannot tell him the truth, explain, persuade, or influence him.

I Want It and I’ll Take It

It’s not as if anyone expected any major breakthroughs from Lukashenko’s visit to Moscow. Everything they’ve been discussing in recent years—indirectly at first, but increasingly directly—has been about the war. Fuel supplies (Russia’s domestic production covers about 70% of its own needs—80,000 metric tons out of the required 115,000 metric tons), supplies of equipment and microelectronics for military needs, and circumventing sanctions. Complicity in provocations against neighbors. The last point isn’t certain, but it’s almost certainly true.

And it’s not as if Putin’s statements in recent days differed greatly from his previous ones. Just look at the Polovtsians and the Pechenegs. But after the orca incident, everything suddenly became crystal clear: the essence of “our own,” the state of Putin’s mental health, and the capacity for critical thinking among his inner circle.

Actually, there were no warning signs. Putin was holding a meeting with teachers to mark Knowledge Day. Dmitry Balanchukov, a teacher from the Belgorod Region, was recounting his trip to the North Pole. Putin asked if he’d seen any polar bears. And from there, he just went off on a tangent.

“Can you imagine—right there nearby, there are killer whales. They eat those bears like they’re nothing. <�…> They just pounce on them in a pod like that and <�…> tear them to pieces. It’s all very interesting. <�…> That’s the food chain. And we need to tell children about this, too, so they understand what kind of world we live in and why we’re conducting a special military operation,” Putin said.

Closer to God

There’s no point in discussing Putin’s knowledge of biology. Although everyone already knows that orcas don’t eat polar bears. They eat herring and certain pinnipeds. Furthermore, “the level of intraspecific violence among killer whales tends toward zero, which sets them apart from many other mammals.” This makes Putin’s metaphor even stranger. Not only is it biologically incorrect, but the bear has always been associated specifically with Russia, and the “food chain” theory simply doesn’t hold up when compared to previous attempts to justify the invasion of Ukraine.

The statement, by the way, was published on the Kremlin’s website. And that, too, is telling. They’ve decided to turn off the “foolproof” safeguard: whatever he says, that’s what we publish. We’re not going to explain to Putin that he was wrong, that he misspoke, and so on. He won’t understand; he won’t believe it.

So the events surrounding Putin are increasingly taking on a sacred, mystical, and similar character—within his own paradigm. In the eyes of those who retain the ability to think clearly, he is increasingly drifting off into the astral realm, disconnected from earthly realities. So news like the sending of the relics of Dmitry Donskoy—which Putin kissed in August—to the front lines is what will now define the domestic news agenda.

You’re aware, of course, that “the remains of Dmitry Donskoy confirm his participation in battles”? “<�…> He had an injury to his frontal bone from a strong blow with a blunt object—a mace or club. This aligns with the chronicles’ descriptions of the Battle of Kulikovo, which state that he stood surrounded by the Horde and was struck on the head and shoulders. He was offered the chance to take up a position in the center of the army or on the flank, but he refused and fought on the front lines in the first engagement,” writes TASS.

So Putin is now rapidly drifting toward the role of a folklore character, an epic hero, a wise storyteller—anything but a politician responsible for the dangerous maneuvers of a 140-million-strong nuclear power.

Lukashenko continues to nod in agreement and, as much as possible, avoid angering the old man. That’s just his place in this food chain.
Vera Shevchenko, planbmedia.io

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