BBC Panorama; "Putin's Secret Riches"

I caught up with the recent edition of BBC's Panorama called "Putin's Secret Riches" (available on i-player until Jan 2017).

It left me with mixed feelings...

Food sanctions

A recent episode of The Keiser Report described a new trend for locavore cuisine in Moscow and presented this interest in locally-sourced ingredients as an unintended positive from Russian sanctions on some western nations' food (the Russian response to western-imposed sanctions).

Lavka Lavka restaurant. Image

Thinking back to our recent trip, were the sanctions clearly evident? .....

If you can't do it right...

...don't do it at all.

The president has faced a lot of criticism recently...

The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea

I have little sympathy for governments. They play their games against each other and confuse the country's interests with their own and friends' interests, meanwhile forgetting their citizens' needs. Without taking sides in what's been happening in Russia and Ukraine recently, my sympathies lie only with the ordinary people.

Ukraine is a country caught between two differing beasts - the EU/ the West and Russia. It's like divorced parents offering increasingly larger presents to win the child's affection. The reality is that there is no wisdom of Solomon being dispensed. Nor is there one, genuine mother willing to give up her child rather than it being torn asunder. The death toll of 4300 is sickening figure for geopolitical posturing.

Discussing Peace

Russia: A Victim of Bad Press?

It's fair to say that Russia has something of an image problem. Despite the opportunity offered by this year's Winter Olympics to win new friends, Russia is in fact doing the opposite. In addition to the obvious, major candidate of Crimea and Ukraine, there is a steady stream of minor news stories relating to issues such as racism, freedom of speech and homophobia.

Screenshot of the Guardian website today