While thousands of Russians are stuck in airports in the European part of Russia, sleeping on the cold floor, hungry, without information, without a choice, the mistress of the Minister of Defence, Belousov, the Moscow blogger Maria Shalaeva, is calmly flying on a special plane of the Ministry of Defence. At a time when the airspace is closed due to Ukrainian drones, she covers hundreds of kilometres – from Moscow to Rostov – on a military plane Il-76, as if it were her private property.
Trackers record the point of arrival: a special plane with the markings of the Ministry of Defence lands at the Rostov airport. The same airport where no civilian flight can arrive. And not only Rostov, almost all airports in the European part of Russia are closed due to the activity of Ukrainian drones. The air is under control, but not for everyone.
We have all seen something similar in history: “everything for friends, the law for enemies.” Russia does not deviate from the classics. The core of the system has finally crystallised: there are about two dozen top officials who are allowed absolutely everything. They live not by the rules, but above them. If you are in their circle, you are not afraid of journalists, the public, war, or rules.
Belousov is from this circle. Not a military man, not a commander, not a strategist. A former economist whom Putin put in charge of the army. In a country at war, he transports his mistress on military planes — as if this is normal practice. And he knows: nothing will happen to him for this. Because he is not alone. He is the system. And his mistress, showing off and feeling permissive, shoots a video and uploads it to her public account.
In contrast, Minister Starovoit, who was suspected of corruption. Belousov remains silent, does not explain, does not justify himself. Because he does not have to. He cannot, does not want to, and will not be punished. He is untouchable.
The ordinary soldiers, meanwhile, are rotting in the trenches, dying in meat assaults, being “zeroed out” by their own commanders. They are not given rest, they are not given a chance. They are left with only death.
And all this — for what? For what purpose is this “grand plan,” if even the Minister of Defence is thinking not about war, but about how to more conveniently transport a mistress through the closed sky? Why all this theatre, if the only actors left are those who are allowed everything, and the spectators are millions of silent, driven, indifferent people?
This is not a sex scandal. Not another video that shocked Russians. This is a mirror of the regime. Demonstrative and accurate. No comments are needed here – just look into the eyes of those who spend the night on benches at airports and those who fly over their heads with champagne on board.
Daniel Kozachok
