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Understanding the Russians
written for the Retired Prison Governor’s Association, April, 2022.
We should expect some changes in Ukraine prior to the next Newsletter. Am planning for the worst but hoping for the best.
What follows is a mixture of facts and opinions in equal measure. The facts are provable and the opinions are mine; …for what they’re worth.
It is 0300 hours. Woken by the chronic discomfort of arthritic hips and a hooting owl from the woods across the road, I lie still - enjoying the quiet and peace which I know contrasts starkly with the state of affairs in Mariupol, Ukraine, where they are suffering from Putin’s invasion, or as he himself describes it, a ‘strategic military exercise.’ I note our press are often referring to the conflict as ‘Putin’s War.’ They are right to do so as this conflict is not at the democratic instigation of the Russian people; far from it. There is little doubt that Putin himself has an obsession with Nazis, or, at the least is using this as a fear factor to persuade his people. We should not underestimate this fear. We have no perception of what it is like. If you’re told the moon is made of cheese or the werewolves really do exist, then this is seen as credible and real.
This military incursion to ‘denazify’ Ukraine to provide his rationale may seem hard to fathom for ourselves but not for the regular Russians. Even as one distraught Ukrainian grandmother lamented to a reporter, “please show me just one Nazi in my country’ as the news reports and films trickles through to the Russian people showing the scale of destruction and the distressed grandmother all in plain view, - they simply cannot, nor will they ever, believe it. My take on Russian governance. That they could accept Mr. Putin’s comparison of neighbouring Ukraine — where millions of Russians have relatives and friends — to Nazi Germany, the country that invaded the Soviet Union at the cost of some 27 million Soviet lives — defies reason. Or does it. As in most conflicts, there are two sides of the story. Whose is the right side? Well, this is for you and/or history to judge. I have no doubt that there is sufficient evidence to support the NATO version which is - there is far more of an explanation than there is a rationale encompassed within the account of the fall of the Warsaw Pact but none the less, a sufficient rationale for President Putin to employ his forces on his strategic military exercise to invade Ukraine. He is trying to persuade his people (and maybe himself) that his justification lies within the collapse of this Pact.
My take on a possible outcome… is not encouraging. Here it is as published on my Facebook page a few days ago. “I have three conclusions regarding the possible consequences of this ‘strategic military exercise’ undertaken by President Putin. My first conclusion is that he has lost, or is losing, his mind. History shows that many of those who take on really politically powerful positions often succumb to such power in bizarre ways. For example, it’s too easy to be convinced that you are right, despite the facts showing otherwise, whilst still pressing ahead with seemingly counterproductive policies. My second conclusion is that President Putin cannot lose this ‘military exercise’ against Ukraine, without it becoming the finish of him both at home and internationally, and that, inevitably, he will come to understand this. Once he does, my third conclusion kicks in. My third conclusion is that, just as Adolf Hitler did when he lost WW2, he will commit suicide; but unlike Hitler, who died in a bunker, Putin will die in his palace with his finger on the nuclear button.
Now I know there is little we, the average citizen, can do to change history. We have, thanks to science, the Nuclear explosive capacity to end the future as we all currently anticipate it. Russia alone is reputed to have enough nuclear fire power to probably blow our already damaged Earth off it’s orbit with fatal consequences for mankind as we follow the destiny of the dinosaurs. These circumstances explain our western reluctance to shake Putin’s cage too hard. While we would like to have the Ukrainians come out
on top, should they do so, we, all of us, will likely pay the price. Maybe we have become inured to the results of a modern day nuclear explosion as we put our faith in the anti ballistic missile programme or simply believe it is too terrible to actually happen. So we in the west need to be very careful how we proceed. As for suggestions … I have none. But the really, really frightening thought that is bugging me is - NEITHER DOES ANYONE ELSE…!!” Now why should I have any special insight into the Russian psyche. Well I had the privilege of spending time in western Russia back in 1992. Not that, for a moment, does this give me the right to sound off on this complex subject other than I think I can use it to help me write a little bit about it. Those that are far better informed may disagree. So be it.
A crazy idea.
So back then, in the last decade of the last century, I used to lead youth expeditions around the world. This was a privilege that I thoroughly appreciated but I began to feel it was time we tried branching out and away from totally friendly countries where we had often previously travelled and could guarantee all the usual facilities such as acquiring provisions and logistical support. And so I approached the British Schools Exploration Society, a vibrant and popular concern that I had previously worked for as a leader. I put a proposal forward that mustered all my powers of persuasion and made my case to the BSES Committee to take a group of over 50 British youngsters to the White Sea of Russia. I knew I was undertaking the task of converting a crazy idea into reality. But it worked and I have no doubt at all that it would never have surfaced without the help of Lt Col (Rtd) Peter Steer. Peter was then the Director of the British Exploring Society and he soon saw the benefits of exploring new ground: ground that was starting to become a little more friendly towards us here in the west under the Presidency of Boris Yeltsin.
We would be creating a ‘first’ and an important breakthrough in east/west relationships and, despite Peter’s long and distinguished career in the British military where his principal enemy had always been Russia, he became determined to make this ‘crazy idea’ into one that was at least feasible. Together we battled a sceptical BES committee where we won a ‘well, don’t blame us if it all goes wrong’ response. And so it wasn’t long before we were both sat before the Russian Ambassador explaining our vision of taking 60 young British youngsters to the White Sea area of his country. Initially he was clearly unimpressed. But then we both simultaneously saw a ‘light switch moment’ as the Ambassador’s attitude suddenly changed to one of enthusiasm. As tempting as it is to tell you more I need to get on with my current reason for writing. Meanwhile I do have the full BES Report available on request.
To remind you of my reasons for writing… … which is to attempt to explain the what and the why President Putin is trying to accomplish whilst also trying to explain the circumstances regarding his almost certain failure. His own rationale for this invasion is well covered in his account to his own people which is available in full on the World Wide Web. Go to https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/full-text-putin-s- declaration-of-war-onukraine To take on this task I shall explain my own take on the Russian perspectives on life; achieved as a result of my brief time in their country. I’ll start with an account of my meeting with a Babushka (an elderly Russian grandmother) whom I had noticed as we were off loading gear and food from the local sea port. (we were unable to purchase these commodities locally!). My ‘babushka’ was holding back and watching us from a distance. She was sobbing quietly. I approached her carefully and attempted to find out what was so troubling her. It soon came clear that I’d need an interpreter if I was to get to the bottom of her story. We had an official interpreter as appointed by the Russian authorities but I guessed this might not succeed in me getting the full story. I had me my own secret interpreter; a BES leader who had Russian speaking parents. (who was to work for the British Foreign Office on completion of his studies.) With his help I discovered that the old lady was simply watching the young people whilst mourning the loss of her own children who’d been killed in the Russian/Afghanistan war. What really troubled me most was her account of how the ‘Authorities’ had told her they’d been killed in action and no more. No details of how and where. No funeral arrangements, nothing, zilch. What’s more she explained how the ‘authorities’ demanded she not talk about her losses to anyone, which vindicated my choice of interpreter. I mean, sad or what!
We were appointed not only an interpreter (with whom I’m still in close contact) but also two officials whose task was clearly to watch and report back. Again we got on well with them: in fact we felt somewhat uncomfortable for them as they knew that we knew what their role was. In fact they were to stay with us as our house guests back on the Isle of Wight (working as the Hospital Chief at HMP Parkhurst) prior to the expedition and they proved to be lovely people. My wife, Jen, came out with me on this expedition as the accountant. She, like myself, had taken Russian language lessons. With her easy way with people she was soon trusted and accepted by the locals. I spent my time in the field but Jen stayed in the village where she soon built a rapport with them. She was constantly being asked by these two officials about what she was doing, who was she seeing, what was she saying, what was being said to her. Although she found this annoying and frustrating she never allowed these emotions to show: in fact she understood their position only too clearly and remained sympathetic whilst she continued to earn the trust of the villagers. I was later to hear the story about when Jen was being led around Moscow on a series of sight-seeing trips. The two ‘officials’ clearly had sufficient status to enable her to be escorted to the head of every queue and no questions asked. Back to the present. Gradually we learnt more and more about the Russian way of life both from direct and indirect observation, all of which demonstrated that they were generally oppressed and were always very wary of officials higher up the pecking order. This explains why the Russians are fearful of Putin and his cronies. I think that fear of their own system of hierarchy is so instilled into their very being due to their history. We take our democracy and human rights for granted as we are born into them. Not so in other parts of the world. I acknowledge that I write from limited experience of the threats under which the Russians live. From the top to the bottom of their society, whether in politics, military, commerce, law & order, academia, etc; nobody, including Putin himself, is exempt from the fear of being thought of as being able to hold an independent and/or original thought, never mind the freedom to express it in word or deed. Their military, staffed by conscripts, has a culture of bullying and cruelty. Badly led as well as resourced, I’m not surprised that the Ukrainian military, trained, supported, and influenced by western methods and practices, have been able to retaliate so successfully against the Putin invasion, sorry, ‘strategic military exercise.’
As for what the Russians know, believe or suspect, this is almost irrelevant. They have a loyalty to their country, which we don’t fully understand, a loyalty which has allowed them to be indoctrinated, to believe in what they’re told, even though they’re aware that they are being duped. This awareness is something they can’t handle and so the safest course of action is to accept everything at face value. I believe they know their government and hangers on are corrupt. That they do not enjoy the freedoms we take for granted. Try and employ an original thought and be caught or simply suspected of doing so and you could well be eliminated. They know that their oligarchs rip them off, they know their military is ineffective, they know their politicians are corrupt and they know their press tells them rubbish to the extent they don’t bother to take notice of it. So, under these circumstances, if you want to survive you learn from infancy that the only course of action is take a low profile, have no opinions, and go with the flow. Life under the Russian state and system has been molded by their history (e.g. Stalin.) One has to live with freedom or with serious oppression for a long period of time before one is able to adjust to almost full acceptance.
I’ve had subtle discussions with a few members of the Russian hierarchy, but they’re scared to allow themselves these chats to be other than ‘subtle,’ skirting the reality of their circumstances. This is the tragedy of all oppressive states; states that often evolve in a historically short time but once formed, have to be endured by their population forever. Or until something happens to change their geopolitical world order, - like a war or a massive geological eruption. This ‘something’ is usually accompanied by death, destruction, and unimaginable suffering before we settle down for a while before similar ‘somethings’ occur again. History shows this cycle reoccurring in the past but without the possibility of blowing our planet of course with the complete destruction of humanity and 5.5 million years of unsteady progress.
So be it. The prison I was escorted to and was able to visit in NW Russia.
We live and die in interesting times.
JOHN RAMWELL
Below is a shot of the prison I was escorted to and was able to visit in NW Russia.
John Ramwell
Issue 87 Autumn 2022
According to current press reports, Vladimir Putin's "ghost buses" are said to be secretly shipping the war-ravaged dead bodies of teen Russian soldiers out of Ukraine. The corpses of Russian soldiers are reportedly being taken back to Russia via Belarus in special planes, trains, and buses at night to avoid attracting attention. Of course, this contrasts with how we in the west treat our war dead as well as bearing out the story told by my Babushka. Referring, briefly, back to my experiences on the BSES Expedition to the White Sea of Russia. I was asked by a local news journalist as we celebrated its finale if there was anything I’d like to do before leaving. He was somewhat taken aback when I asked to visit a prison. He was less surprised when I explained that I worked for HMPS back home. Not believing for a moment that this request would fly it not only flew it was an amazing visit; one that I wrote about for the Prison Service Journal soon after my return. The relevance of this visit is the affect it had on my appointed Russian liaison officer who was summoned to the local Kremlin (Town Hall). He came to see me immediately, ashen with shock, trembling like a leaf in a gale. ‘What do they want with me,’ he asked. I’d no idea and could not reassure him. Turned out it was in connection with my request to visit a local nick. They wished to further their background information. The fact that this simple request to attend the Kremlin had shaken him to the core was in total contrast to a similar request from our own local authorities back home, which we would have treated with nonchalant ambiguity.
