RSSIt may be off topic, however I would like to say that quite a few times I tried to post a comment on the Saker’s blog, every time without success. Every lie that is intended to glorify Russia and Putin will pass the censure, every truth critical of Russia and Putin, no matter how irrefutable it may be, will not. And yet the guy just keeps preaching how everything is beautiful there (in Russia) and everything so rotten here. I wonder when he will address the issues like the standards of living of the working people in Russia (the minimum salary is set bellow $200 a month), the state of political freedoms including prosecution of nationalists and others, the unending constitutional changes to accommodate yet another term for V. Putin, the systemic corruption from the top down, the fake capitalism and the issue of oligarchs including the Yeltsin’s family, betrayal of historical friends and allies by the unreliable and corrupt political elites, why it is that Russia today has only the “partners” but not one true friend etc. Is the West to be blamed for all Russia’s problems or is it just a convenient scapegoat for the “bloggers” like Saker? There are so many interesting things that Saker can write about to objectively inform the world when it comes to the true state of affairs in Russia today instead of the incessant pro-Russian propaganda.
When The Saker's blog was low traffic, I think he did much of the moderation himself and diversity of option was accepted. When traffic increased, he chose staff poorly. Many insightful posters were ruthlessly suppressed rendering the TS Comments section mind numbingly uniform and without value.
It may be off topic, however I would like to say that quite a few times I tried to post a comment on the Saker’s blog, every time without success.
The standards of living of working people aren't high but where are they high exactly? The living standards in Russia had been rising under Putin for many years until 2013 when Russia lost a lot because of the Ukraine coup (organized by the West, by the way, but the West, of course, isn't to blame). Since then, it's been up and down for a variety of reasons. Correct me of I am wrong, but the standards of living of working people in the US, for example, have been going down steadily for the last quarter of the century.
the standards of living of the working people in Russia (the minimum salary is set bellow $200 a month)
I'd rate the state of political freedom in Russia as high or higher as in the West. The real freedom, I mean, not as it is portrayed in the western media.
the state of political freedoms including prosecution of nationalists and others
No, the West is not to blame of ALL Russia's problems. But the West is doing a lot of harm to Russia, doing it on purpose, openly, with a clear and openly stated intent to destroy the Russian economy (remember "economy in tatters"?) and make its people starve. The West has destroyed Ukraine, and only accommodation of the Ukrainian refugees cost Russia a pretty penny.
Is the West to be blamed for all Russia’s problems or is it just a convenient scapegoat for the “bloggers” like Saker?
If you want to read how thoroughly bad Russia is and the West so-o-o good, you can always read Washington Post.
There are so many interesting things that Saker can write about to objectively inform the world when it comes to the true state of affairs in Russia