Dear Readers:
Earlier in the war Ukrainian President Zelensky advised Ukrainian citizens who were ethnic Russians: “If you love Russia so much, then you should pack up your stuff, and move back to Russia.”
Some took his advice. Others, depending on the military situation, and who was winning or losing at the front line, responded with “Thanks, Zel, we will do that. Sort of. Except, instead of moving back to Russia, we will stay here, and Russian will move forward to us.”
It could have been a Yakov Smirnoff joke, except actually funny and not so obsequiously obnoxious.
So, I have this piece by reporter Anton Nikitin. He quotes Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov; “The West has worked itself up to a complete hysteria about the referenda taking place in DPR, LPR, Kherson and Zaporozhie. But the people who live there are, in essence, reacting to something that Zelensky advised them to do, back in August of 2021. At that time, he advised everybody who felt themselves to be of Russian ethnicity, for the sake of their own children and grandchildren, to go back to Russia. And this is exactly what the residents of these regions are doing. They are returning to Russia; however taking the lands with them, upon which their forefathers lived for hundreds of years.”
Provody
The price they pay: Again reporter Anton Nikitin, covering a sad ritual which takes place too often in Russian history: The accompaniment of recruits, as they leave their homes and go off to war.
Out in the Russian regions, even places as far as Bashkiria, folks have organized these ceremonial accompaniments (the word sounds awkward and rather too formal in English, the Russian is проводы pronounced “provody”). Maybe a better translation is “seeing off”. The custom is for the soldier’s family and relatives to see him off, maybe some yelling at him not to go, others encouraging him and shouting “Hooray!”
Today, as the recruits load into the buses, going off to fight against NATO and Ukrainian Nationalists, locals are lining up along the road to wave at them and boost their morale. Cars driving by are honking their horns to show support. The recruits are laughing and waving out the windows.
Here is a musical accompaniment, this is one of my favorite Russian folk songs, Provody. Here are the lyrics in Russian. Unfortunately, I don’t have time to translate them right now, as I have to rush to catch a plane. The general theme is a debate between the young recruit and his relatives, who try to discourage him from joining the Red Army, but he calls them some names, then respectfully departs.
Maybe in tomorrow’s post I give you a good translation, meanwhile enjoy the music:
Как родная меня мать
Провожала,
Тут и вся моя родня
Набежала.
Тут и вся моя родня
Набежала.
Ах, куда ж ты, паренёк,
Ах, куда ты?
Не ходил бы ты, Ванёк,
Во солдаты!
Не ходил бы ты, Ванёк,
Во солдаты!
В Красной армии штыки
Чай найдутся,
Без тебя большевики
Обойдутся!
Без тебя большевики
Обойдутся!
Эх, яблочко,
Да золотистое,
Да не водися ты, Ванёк,
С милитаристами!
Не водися ты, Ванёк,
С милитаристами!
По неволе ты идёшь,
Аль с охотой,
Ваня, Ваня, пропадёшь
Ни за что ты.
Ваня, Ваня, пропадёшь
Ни за что ты.
С молодой бы жил женой,
Не ленился,
Тут я матери родной
Поклонился.
Тут я матери родной
Поклонился.
Будь такие все, как вы,
Ротозеи,
Что б осталось от Москвы,
От Расеи.
Что б осталось от Москвы,
От Расеи.
Эх, яблочко,
Да куда котишься,
К немцу в руки попадёшь —
Не воротишься.
К немцу в руки попадёшь —
Не воротишься.
Эх, яблочко,
Да укатилося,
Наша армия с Ванюшей
Укрепилася.
Наша армия с Ванюшей
Укрепилася.
Awful Avalanche 
I wish them the best of luck in their heroic struggles
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Thanks! There is no men’s choir in the world better than the Red Army choir, and no music more stirring than Russian music. Ura!
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he advised everybody who felt themselves to be of Russian ethnicity, for the sake of their own children and grandchildren, to go back to Russia. And this is exactly what the residents of these regions are doing. They are returning to Russia; however taking the lands with them, upon which their forefathers lived for hundreds of years.
That was in Russia’s speech to the UN General Assembly no less!
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maybe something like:
“in fascist ukraine, russia moves TO YOU!”
i have to say the russian version of “liberation” looks a damn sight better than what the west dishes out. funny that russia gets the cold shoulder from europe and then says “okay, we’ll just liberate an area the SIZE of western europe with better looking women and call it even.” there’s enough beer and sausage in those areas to make up for germany; as for france and england…maybe just hand out berets and tell everyone to avoid the dentist?
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Haha! good one!
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Smirnoff is also a Hohol c*nt. From Odessa, no less.
That city is cursed.
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I googled him before using him as an example of c*ntiness. Had to make sure, because sometimes people change.
Yup, still a c*nt.
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