7 – 23 February 2026
by Aleksandr Podrabinek
Source: Facebook
7 February 2026
Until now, Western sanctions have not been very effective in curbing the appetites of the authoritarian regimes in Russia and Belarus, but now the European Union has found a powerful deterrent. Special sanctions are being imposed on Russian and Belarusian cats, dogs, and white ferrets attempting to enter the EU. If they are found to “not meet the requirements,” they will be deported to their country of permanent residence without trial or investigation. Why the “requirements” apply only to the Belarusian and Russian companions of humans, and not to absolutely all of them, is not entirely clear. Here is obvious discrimination on the basis of canine and feline citizenship.
On the other hand, it is understandable that Russian dogs and cats bear part of the collective guilt of Russians for not defeating the authoritarian regime in time. Although, with their dog’s life, what opportunities do they have to reorganize human society? The question is, of course, debatable, but perhaps it makes sense to separate the good from the bad cats, and the good dogs from the bad dogs. Our political emigration should provide good animals with good passports, and the issue of cat-dog discrimination should be discussed on the platform of democratic forces in PACE. And let’s not forget about white ferrets.
Joking aside, the European Union has finally shown extraordinary severity. It was wrong to accuse it of indecisiveness for so long. As can be seen from the announcement posted at the Estonian border crossing on the Russian-Estonian border in Narva, “in the worst case, the animal may be euthanized.” What is considered the worst case and what is considered the best case is not explained. Cats and dogs and border guards will probably have different opinions on this matter. It also remains unclear how such a harsh measure relates to animal protection and to what extent it complies with generally accepted requirements to obtain voluntary consent to death before euthanasia. Something tells me that neither dogs nor cats, nor even white ferrets, will give their consent to euthanasia. For a variety of reasons, including difficulties of communication.
However, there is no need to be sad – Russian cats and dogs must bear some of the responsibility for the carelessness of their owners, who allowed Vladimir Putin to come to power. Here, unlike with contracts for Russian oil and gas, the European Union has shown a real firmness and high principles.
Source: Facebook
18 February 2026
Yesterday, Ira Valitova passed away in Moscow. Lively, restless, energetic, uncompromising – emotionally, she was the complete opposite of her husband, Yuri Orlov, a doctor of Physical and Mathematical Sciences and corresponding member of the Academy of Sciences. Yuri Fyodorovich was a gentle, reasoning, calm person, while she would flare up like a match at any injustice or offence. Probably opposites do attract.
How she would drive the Chekists mad: both those who followed us at our heels and those who interrogated us in their offices on Lubyanka Square. They hated her sincerely from the bottom of their hearts, not just because of their jobs. One operative from among those involved in day-to-day surveillance even complained to me once that you could at least talk to the wives of other dissidents, but with her it was better not to even start, because she would simply insult you. It’s true, she couldn’t stand them and never missed an opportunity to let them know it.
Once, in 1977, I happened to be at their home during a search. Much later, I described this in my book Between Prison and Freedom: Memoir of a Soviet Dissident, and I would like to quote the relevant chapter here. If I were writing this chapter now, I would dedicate it to Ira Valitova.
See on our website: ‘The Belyaevo Triangle‘
Source: Facebook
23 February 2026
I look at my Facebook feed and am amazed that some Russian liberals (or ‘liberals’?) are posting photos of themselves from their distant youth – in Soviet military uniforms. Well, of course, today is Defender of the Fatherland Day, and they served in that army! And there is not a shred of remorse, not even a hint of regret, that they had to play a part in strengthening the totalitarian regime. But Czechoslovakia had already been occupied, the war with Afghanistan was underway, and the number of victims of Soviet military expansion was in the millions. It is understandable that it was scary to evade service or to desert, and maybe even to think about doing such things, and so they obeyed, like most conscripts: ‘We were told to go, so we went.’
But now, in retrospect, with the benefit of age and experience, could they look back on their past and assess it soberly? Do they really feel no shame even now in having served the communist regime? Probably not, otherwise they would at least have kept quiet, so as not to draw attention to those less than glorious pages of their lives.
Source: Facebook
Translated by RiR
