Do you remember an NYTimes article by the Russian dissident Navalny that I discussed on the blog the other day?
Navalny is now being accused in Russia of being a CIA agent. His statements were edited to make it seem like he is some sort of a spy. It’s very easy nowadays to edit a recording where one says something like, “Last night I had a nightmare that I’m a CIA spy” into “I’m a CIA spy.”
Any statements criticizing the regime are now declared extremist and people making them are accused of being American spies.
Putin is now in the perfect situation of somebody who can’t be criticized for anything he does because any dissident automatically turns into a spy.
Doesn’t this all sound familiar?

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