Tuesday, November 09, 2010

Putin-Medvedev power struggle?

Russian journalist Oleg Kashin's brutal beating raises the question of whether an internal power struggle is taking place in the Kremlin between the reformist, forward-looking Medvedev versus the Old School authoritarian that is Putin.

Here is CCTV video of the beating.  (The incident took place outside Kashin's apartment.)  It's obviously very graphic.  He was beaten with an iron bar.  His legs were broken so that he could no longer walk.  His fingers were broken so that he could no longer write.  His jaw was broken so that he could no longer speak.  He is now in a coma.


If there truly is a power struggle, then I must side with Medvedev.  But I'm afraid his chances of success are nil.

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