Tag Archives: Vladimir Putin

In Ñspel: The Guardian view on Olaf Scholz’s Germany: reading the signs of new times

‘Mr Scholz is tasked with finding an updated business model for Europe’s most powerful economy.’ Photograph: Clemens Bilan/EPA
‘Mr Scholz z tasct wɖ fîndñ an updetd biznismodl fr Yṛp’s most pǎrfl icoṇmi.’ Foṭgraf: Clemens Bilan/YPE

Ɖ Gardịn vy on Olaf Scholz’z Jrṃni: rīdñ ɖ sînz v ny tîmz

(Transcription of a Guardian editorial of 11 Dec. 2022)

Ɖ ćanslr’z frst yir in ofis hz bn dfînd bî ɖ consiqnsz v Ruśa’z wor in Ycren

Súnde 11 Dsmbr 2022

Last Dsmbr, on bcmñ Jrṃni’z frst SPD ćanslr fr 16 yirz, Olaf Scholz asct eidz ẃɖr ɖr wz a plan B fr eṇji śd Ruśa trn of ɖ gas. Ɖ ansr, Mr Scholz rout in an ese publiśt ɖs munʈ, wz “no”.

So bgan a yir jrñ ẃć ɖ asumśnz unḍlayñ decedz v Jrmn pṛspeṛti wr tstd t dstrux́n. Vḷdīmir Pūtin’z brūtl inveźn v Ycren, n hiz weṗnîześn v eṇji s’plîz, oblîjd Jrṃni t simlteńsli end its dpndnsi on Ruśn gas n rīʈnc a slf-conśsli lo profîl az a militri pǎr. Gvn ɖ scel n moṛl rjnsi v ɖ ćalinj – n Jrṃni’z jioṗliticl importns – Mr Scholz’z smtmz unwīldi ʈri-parti cọliśnguvnmnt hz nt got ɖ inṭnaśnl credit it dzrvz fr stepñ p t ɖ plet.

Undr Mr Scholz, Jrṃni hz bcm ɖ ʈrd larjist donr v ed, includñ wepnz, t Ycren. At ɖ sem tîm, it hz hld a nesṣri lîn on cīpñ Nato ǎt v ɖ wor. At hom, ɖ guvnmnt hz ifctivli dlt wɖ ẃt Mr Scholz cōlz a zeitenwende (trnñ pônt) bî spendñ xpśnl sumz t dīl wɖ xtrordnri srcmstansz. Az ɖ cuntri hz axest oltrṇtiv sorsz v gas at brecnec spīd, n traid t spīd p ɖ trnziśn t rnywbl eṇji, €200bn hz bn boroud t subṣdîz hî eṇjibilz. Abt €100bn mor z t b invstd in būstñ ɖ cepbiḷtiz v a mor hî-profîl Jrmn armi.

Ɖs inorṃs amǎnt v borowñ hz bn clast az an imrjnsifund – alawñ it t b plest of ɖ bcs. Ɖt, in trn, hz pmitd Mr Scholz t psy sm v ɖ sntr-left ajnda ɖt hlpt gt him ilectd: ɖ minimm wej hz bn rezd, alñ wɖ welférpemnts n ɖ stetpnśn; a popylr subṣdîzd public-trnsport pas wl b riintṛdyst in 2023. Ɖ cọliśnguvnmnt z olso mcñ it īzịr fr imigṛnts t aplî fr naćṛlîześn n sitiznśp. Sm v Mr Scholz’z critics on ɖ left wd lîc ɖ guvnmnt t g frɖr n fastr on iśuz sć az c’lectiv barġnñ n fer wejz. Bt a yir on, n gvn ɖ srcmstansz, ɖs lcs lîc a dīsnt pṛgresiv record.

Nvɖles, aftr a trōmatic yir dscrîbd bî wn SPD membr v parḷmnt az “abṣlutli insen”, ɖ fyćr lcs jst az ćaḷnjñ fr Mr Scholz n hiz cọliśnpartnrz. In ɖ poulz, az ɖ cost-v-livñ crîsis bîts, ɖ SPD z runñ wel bhnd ɖ CDY opziśn. In ɖ īst, rzntmnt at ɖ cost v s’portñ Ycren’z rzistns t Mr Pūtin z rîzñ. P’līsrêdz acrs ɖ cuntri last wīc, ẃć ʈwortd a far-rît plot t oṿʈro ɖ stet, cnfrmd ɖ ʈret pozd bî frinj xtrimists radic̣lîzd in an ej v prṃcrîsis.

On ɖ eṇjifrunt, impresiv reṭric on ɖ nīd t axeḷret ɖ grīn trnziśn z nt biyñ maćt bî facts on ɖ grǎnd. N on vxt Yṛpiyn iśuz sć az ôlprîs caps n eṇjisubṣdiz, uɖr YY līdrz hv akzd Mr Scholz v lacñ soḷdaṛti n tecñ a “Jrṃni frst” aproć. Ɖ Franco-Jrmn rleśnśp, in ptiklr, z in nīd v rper.

Most funḍmnṭli, Mr Scholz z tasct wɖ fîndñ an updetd biznismodl fr Yṛp’s most pǎrfl icoṇmi. Hvñ groun rić ʈru xport-léd groʈ in an ira v hî gloḅlîześn n ic̣nomic inṭdipndnsi, Jrṃni mst nǎ naṿget a multipolr wrld in ẃć bʈ ɖ YS n Ćîna r irectñ barịrz. Mr Pūtin’z ax́nz hv cnsînd ɖ doctrin v Wandel durch Hándl (ćenj ʈru tred) t hisṭri. Hvñ s’xesḟli avrtd poṣbl dzastr jrñ hiz frst yir in ofis, Mr Scholz’z premịrśp wl b dfînd bî hiz abiḷti t fînd a we t prizrv Jrmn ic̣nomic streñʈs in trnsformd tîmz.

Instroduction to Ñspel

"House by the Railroad," Edward Hopper, 1925

In Ñspel: The Guardian view on Russian dissent: a seed to be nurtured

‘It is hard to measure the public mood in a quasi-totalitarian regime, but the evidence points to war fatigue.’ Photograph: Mikhail Metzel/Kremlin Pool/Sputnik/EPA
‘It z hard t meźr ɖ public mūd in a qāzi-ttaḷterịn reźīm, bt ɖ evidns pônts t wor ftīg.’ Foṭgraf: Micaīl Metsél/Cremlin Pūl/Spŭtnic/YPE

Ɖ Gardịn vy on Ruśn dsnt: a sīd t b nrćrd

(Transcription of a Guardian editorial of 5 Dec. 2022)

Vḷdīmir Pūtin’z militri fełr in Ycren cn olso mc him vulnṛbl t p’liticl opziśn at hom

Munde 5 Dsmbr 2022

Vḷdīmir Pūtin’z fełr t cmplit hiz iniśl wor emz in Ycren z so cmplit, it z unclir t ẃt end Ruśa fîts on, xpt t pṛtct ɖ prezidnt fṛm ɖ hymilieśn v admitñ dfit. Sins ɖ Cremlin’z teṛtorịl ambiśnz hv bn ćect, Ruśa’z ofnsiv cepbiḷtiz hv bn d’rectd mor at terrîzñ sviłnz n dgredñ Ycreńn infṛstrucćr. Ɖ plan z t plunj ɖ cuntri intu frizñ darcnis ʈru ɖ wintr in ɖ hop v dplitñ ɖ wil t rzist.

Ɖr z no sîn v ɖt wrcñ. Mr Pūtin’z fełr t unḍstand ɖ rziłnt caṛctr v Ycren az a prǎdli indipndnt neśn wz ɖ fǎndeśnl err v hiz wor. Ɖ Ruśn prezidnt hz olso mscalkletd ẃn meẓ́rñ hiz ǒn ppl’z aṗtît fr wor. It lct vreśs in ɖ oṗnñ wīcs, ẃn stet propganḍćanlz hd litl dificlti ẃipñ p a beḷcos frvr. Ɖt ardr sbsîdd in ɖ militri qogmîr n hz drend awe sins mas cnscripśn wz intṛdyst in Sptmbr. Ɖt z nt t se masz v sitiznz r trnñ sdiśs. Dsnt z ḿtd bî fir n ɖ habit v alījns t ɖ flag at tîmz v crîsis.

Bt hundṛdz v ʈǎzndz hv olso fled ɖ draft, probbli mor ɖn ɖ numbr s’xesḟli rcrutd (xact figrz r śrǎdd in ofiśl sīcṛsi). Mni v ɖoz hu rport fr dyti hv bn apōld bî ɖ lac v iqipmnt, trenñ or prṗs fr ɖer dplômnt. Ɖoz hu si ɖmslvz az cánnfodr mc unmoṭvetd soljrz. Dsperñ vidioz l’mntñ ɖer plît srklet wîdli onlîn. An iqivḷnt disorịnteśn cmz acrs fṛm ofiśl ćanlz, bt xprest az incrisñli unhinjd dmandz fr ɖ anạleśn v Ycren, tinjd wɖ cntmt fr militri līdrz hu apir unebl t dlivr it. Mr Pūtin himslf z stl abv criṭsizm, bt ɖ miʈ v hiz streñʈ n s’pirịr jujmnt hz bn śecn.

It z hard t meźr ɖ public mūd in a qāzi-ttaḷterịn reźīm, bt ɖ evidns pônts t wor ftīg. A līct prîṿt poul cnductd fr a Ruśn stet-s’kṛti ejnsi last wīc śoud 25% v rspondnts wontñ ɖ militri campen t cntiny n 55% wontñ pīstōcs. In Febrri, Mr Pūtin’z inveźn cmandd abt 80% s’port. Ɖr z olso evidns ɖt ɖ Cremlin z luzñ fl-spectṛm dominns v ɖ inḟmeśnspes. Ruśnz r nǎ ɖ wrld’z bigist yzrz v vrćl prîṿt netwrcs – onlîn srṿsz ɖt cn srcmvnt stetsnsrśp v ɖ inṭnet. Xîlcḿṇtiz frniś ɖer cmpatrịts wɖ mor truʈfl acǎnts v ẃt z haṗnñ in Ycren ɖn enʈñ līġli brōdcast insd Ruśa.

It wd b preṃtyr t imajin ɖt Mr Pūtin’z pziśn z mć wìcnd. H hz līvrz v coŕśn t compnset fr eni dclîn in inʈyziazm fr hiz rūl. Bt ɖ sînz v britlnis r stl incuṛjñ az evidns v sm ptnśl aṗtît amñ Ruśnz, insd n ǎtsd ɖ cuntri, fr a difṛnt cnd v poḷtics. Cultvetñ ɖt inṭrest, s’portñ ɖ xîlz, n recgnîzñ n ampḷfayñ ɖ difṛns btwn ɖ Ruśn ppl n ɖer criminl līdrśp wl b incrisñli importnt in ɖ munʈs n yirz t cm. Ẃl Mr Pūtin’z dfit in Ycren z a stṛtījic n moṛl impeṛtiv fr Yṛpiyn dmocṛsiz, n norṃlîześn v rleśnz wɖ Mosco sīmz lîc a rmot prospect, ɖ ambiśn canot b abandnd oltgɖr. Fr ɖt ambiśn t b plōzibl, ɖ sīdz v a difṛnt Ruśa mst b nrćrd ẃrvr ɖe gro.

Instroduction to Ñspel

"House by the Railroad," Edward Hopper, 1925

In Ñspel: The Guardian view on the G20 and supporting Ukraine: stay on course

The Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, sings the national anthem during a visit to Kherson this week. Photograph: Ukrainian Presidential Press Service/Reuters
Ɖ Ycreńn prezidnt, Vlodimir Zelensci, sñz ɖ naśnl anʈm jrñ a vizit t Hersón ɖs wīc. Foṭgraf: Ycreńn Preẓdnśl Preșrvis/Rôtrz

Ɖ Gardịn vy on ɖ G20 n s’portñ Ycren: ste on cors

(Transcription of a Guardian editorial of 16 Nov. 2022)

Ruśn misîlstrîcs r intndd t terrîz Ycren’z sviłnz n mc its bacrz ʈnc agn. Ɖe śd nt b caud

Wnzde 16 Nvmbr 2022

Vḷdīmir Pūtin’z absns fṛm ɖ G20 sumit in Bāli, n ɖ wev upn wev v misîlz ɖt struc Ycren on Tyzde nît, r bʈ tsṭmnt t ɖ Ruśn prezidnt’s fełr. Mosco rmenz dipḷmaticli îṣletd bî a larj part v ɖ inṭnaśnl cḿṇti, n its trūps cntiny t lūz on ɖ batlfīld – most rīsntli evidnst bî last wīc’s rtrit fṛm Hersón, ɖ onli mejr siti ɖt ɖe hd manijd t capćr. Mr Pūtin lost hiz gambl ɖt h cd dfeṇstret ɖ Ycreńn guvnmnt in Febrri, n h z stl luzñ.

Hiz rspons z t terrîz sviłnz wns mor. Ptñ Serge Sŭrovīcin, ɖ man hu oṿsw ɖ dstrux́n v Alepo n uɖr Sirịn sitiz, in ćarj v ɖs wor emḟsîzz ɖt ɖ straṭji z t max̣mîz suḟrñ n grînd dǎn mrāl. Az ɖ foṛn secṛtri, Jemz Clevrli, tld MPz on Wnzde: “W nǒ ẃt Pūtin intndz t d – t starv n frīz ɖ Ycreńnz intu sbmiśn.”

Ruśa’z dlibṛt tarġtñ v ɖ eṇji infṛstrucćr hz stept p az ɖ bitr wintrweɖr sets in: mor ɖn 40% v it – includñ trnzmiśnlînz, pǎrsteśnz n pîplînz – hz bn damijd or dstroid olrdi. Ɖo er dfnsz hv hlpt t śīld sm fsiḷtiz, n Ycren z cariyñ ǎt rperz at rmarcbl spīd, ɖ impact hz bn svir, wɖ miłnz livñ wɖ rolñ blacǎts or loñ-trm los v pǎr. Tyzde’z atacs olso hîlîtd ɖ ongwñ riscs v esc̣leśn, az a misîl landd in Poḷnd, cilñ tū v its sitiznz. Ɖo ɖt nǎ apirz t hv bn fîrd bî Ycreńn er dfnsz, Ruśa berz ɖ ultiṃt rsponsbiḷti fr ɖoz deʈs.

Its strîcs wr in part a rpost t Vlodimir Zelensci’z spīć t ẃt h cōld ɖ “G19”. H sòt t portre himslf az a man hu wontd a dīl – bt strest ɖt a sīsfîr wd onli b poṣbl ẃn Ruśn trūps left Ycreńn sôl. Ɖt foloud rports ɖt ɖ YS hz rjd Cyīv t at līst signl an opņis t ngośieśnz, rflectñ Wośñtn’z cnsrn abt “donr ftīg” in Yṛp, n public rmarcs bî Jén. Marc Mile. Ɖ ćermn v ɖ YS jônt ćīfs v stāf sjstd ɖt an ǎtrît vicṭri fr Ycren wz ǎt v rīć n ɖt ɖ oṗtyṇti t ngośiet śd b sizd – coments ɖt ɖ Bîdn admiṇstreśn hz sins pleid dǎn. Ɖs wīc, ɖ prezidnt asct Congres fr anɖr $37.7bn t s’port Ycren.

Bt ɖ atacs olso enśurd ɖt ɖ crîsis doṃnetd a sumit ẃć ɖ host, Inḍnīźa, hd orijiṇli hopt wd foc̣s on clîṃtbrecdǎn n on ɖ brōdr iśuz v fūd n eṇji s’kṛti. India hz groun mor criticl, n Ćîna apirz t b éjñ awe fṛm Ruśa in sm rgardz – or at līst sīcñ t gv ɖ impreśn v dwñ so – bt funḍmnṭli, Bêźñ z stl trayñ t stradl irecnsîḷbl inṭrests. It wl nt trn its bac on its partnr. Ɖ misîlz wr a clir ćalinj t Cyīv’z s’portrz: r y riyli wilñ t cīp porñ yr muni intu a wor ɖt śoz no sînz v endñ, wɖ costs mǎntñ az yr ǒn sitiznz fes spîṛlñ prîsz n ɖ ʈret v eṇji blacǎts?

Ruśa’z brūtl erwor psists bcz its orijinl straṭji feld, n feld nt onli dy t xtrordnri Ycreńn rziłns, bt olso t ɖ rmarcbl levlz v s’port ɖt Cyīv hz rsivd fṛm ǎtsd. Ɖoz standñ agnst Mosco’z agreśn śd nt alǎ Mr Pūtin t dstract ɖm, bt ste on cors.

Instroduction to Ñspel

"House by the Railroad," Edward Hopper, 1925

Fṛm Đ Obzrvr: The awful truth is dawning: Putin may win in Ukraine. The result would be catastrophe

Ɖ ōfl truʈ z dōnñ: Pūtin me win in Ycren. Ɖ rzult wd b ctastṛfi

(Transcription of an article published in the Observer on 24 April 2022)

A Ruśn vicṭri wd heṛld a ny ej v instbiḷti, ic̣nomic fragmnteśn, hungr fr miłnz n sośl unrest

Simon Tisdall

Sîmn Tizdl, Súnde 24 Epril 2022

Ɖ  contrast wz starṭlñ. In Ny Yorc, António Guterres, ɖ YN secṛtri jenṛl, lōnćt a b’letd, despṛtli nīdd iniṣ́tiv t hōlt ɖ wor in Ycren. “At ɖs tîm v gret peṛl n consiqns, h [Guterres] wd lîc t dscus rjnt steps t brñ abt pīs,” hiz spocsmn sd. Ɖ YN ćīf, h rvild, wz pṛpozñ imīɉt, in-prsn tōcs wɖ Vḷdīmir Pūtin in Mosco n Volodimir Zelensci in Cyīv.

At rufli ɖ sem tîm az ɖs hopfl dveḷpmnt unfoldd, ɖ YC’z Boris Jonsn, rîdñ a “Partiget” gt’we plein t India, wz cuḷrḟli ruḅśñ pīs eḟts. Pūtin, h clemd, wz an untruswrɖi reptîl. “I riyli d’nt si hǎ ɖ Ycreńnz cn īẓli sit dǎn n cm t sm cnd v acoṃdeśn. Hǎ cn y ngośiet wɖ a croc̣dîl ẃn it’s got yr leg in its jwz?” Jonsn asct.

Ɖs gepñ disc̣nct z dubli dstrbñ. It sjsts lac v coorḍneśn btwn ɖ YN ćīf n a prṃnnt membr v ɖ YN s’kṛticaunsl on hǎ bst t pṛsid. It olso hîlîts a wîdr probḷm: dvrjñ, smtmz opozñ, oceźṇli slf-srvñ, aproćz t ɖ crîsis bî wstn līdrz hu hv hiɖrtu trumṗtd ɖer yṇti v prṗs.

Ɖ ǎtrej in wstn cuntriz sparct bî Pūtin’z 24 Febrri inveźn z startñ t fed. Lîcwz ɖ brst v opṭmizm ɖt foloud Ycren’z s’xes in rpelñ ɖ Ruśn advans arnd Cyīv. Nǎ, az Mosco bginz a hyj, slo-mośn ofnsiv in ɖ īst, cnsrn groz ɖt ɖs conflict hz no endpônt n ɖt ɖ inorṃs ic̣nomic n hymn damij ɖt rzults me b prṃnnt – n globl.

Jonsn, tipicli, z nt lcñ mć bynd ɖ preznt momnt. Ɖ YC n Nato, h sd, wd jst “cīp gwñ wɖ ɖ straṭji” v impozñ sañśnz on Ruśa n s’playñ wepnz t Cyīv. Jonsn s’ports a fri, indipndnt Ycren bt, lîc uɖr alaynslīdrz, apirz t lac a ʈt-ʈru, loñ-trm plan t aćiv it. Ẃt f Ycreńn forsz start luzñ? Ẃt f ɖ cuntri z ptiśnd, or nirz c’laps?

Ɖ prîs v fełr – ɖ tru cost v a Pūtin vicṭri – cd b staġrñ. It z ptnṣ́li uns’portbl fr frax́s wstn dmocṛsiz n purr cuntriz alîc, bset bî simlteńs pospandemic s’kṛti, eṇji, fūd, infleśn n clîṃt crîsīz. Yt ǎt v mîopic slf-inṭrest ovr iśuz sć az Ruśn ôl n gas imports, n fṛm fir v wîdr esc̣leśn, wstn līdrz duc ɖ tuf ćôsz ɖt cd enśur Ycren’z svîvl n hlp miṭget sć ilz.

Ɖ past wīc frniśt a grim glims v ɖ fyćr ɖt awêts f Pūtin z ebl t cntiny t wej wor wɖ impyṇti, cmit mor hīṇs crîmz, ʈretn ńclir n cemicl blacmeil n traś ɖ YN ćartr. Drasticli dǎngredñ its groʈfōrcasts dy t ɖ conflict, ɖ Inṭnaśnl Munitri Fund pridictd globl ic̣nomic fragmnteśn, rîzñ dét n sośl unrest.

Devid Malpas, hed v ɖ Wrldbanc, sd a “hymn ctastṛfi” lūmd az an unpresdntd, esṭmetd 37% rîz in fūdprîsz, cōzd bî wor-rletd dsrupśn t s’plîz, pśt miłnz intu poṿti, incrist malńtriśn, n rdyst fundñ fr edyceśn n hlʈcer fr ɖ līst wel-of.

Mor ɖn 5 miłn ppl hv fled Ycren in tū munʈs, n mor wl folo, xaṣbetñ an inṭnaśnl mîgreśn imrjnsi ɖt xtndz fṛm Afgaṇstan t ɖ Shel. In drǎt-hit īst Africa, ɖ Wrld Fūdprogram sz 20 miłn ppl me fes starveśn ɖs yir. Pūtin’z wor dd nt criet ɖ drǎt, bt ɖ YN wornz it cd hrt eḟts t rdys globl hītñ, ɖr-bî triġrñ frɖr dsplesmnt n forst mîgreśn.

Ɖ brōdr, neġtiv p’liticl impact v ɖ wor, śd it rej on indefiṇtli, z olmst incalkḷbl. Ɖ YN’z fyćr az an oʈorittiv globl foṛm, lwmecr n pīscīpr z in jeṗdi, az mor ɖn 200 formr ofiślz wornd Guterres last wīc. At risc, tù, z ɖ creḍbiḷti v ɖ inṭnaśnl cort v justis, huz injuñśn t wɖdrw wz scornd bî Pūtin, n ɖ intîr sistm v worcrîmz proṣkśnz.

In trmz v deṃcratic normz n hymn rîts, ɖ fl or parśl subɉgeśn v Ycren wd spel dzastr fr ɖ inṭnaśnl rūlz-best ordr – n a trîumf fr ōṭcrats evrẃr. Ẃt mesij wd it snd, fr xampl, t Ćîna ovr Tîwan, or indd t Pūtin az h cuvits ɖ vulnṛbl Bōltic rpublics? Izḷmist terrists hu nǎ frtivli plot t xplôt ɖ wst’s Ycren dstrax́n wd reliś sć a vicṭri fr vayḷns.

Fełr t stop ɖ wor, resk Ycren n puniś Ruśa’z rogreźīm t ɖ fŭlist xtnt poṣbl wd cm at an ispeṣ́li hî prîs fr Yṛp n ɖ YY. In prospect z a secnd cold wor wɖ prṃnnt Nato besīz on Ruśa’z bordrz, masivli incrist dfnșpendñ, an axeḷretñ ńclir-armz rês, unsīsñ sîbr n inḟmeśn worfér, endemic eṇjiśorṭjz, roc̣tñ livñcosts, n mor Frenć-stîl, Ruśn-bact rîtwñ popylist xtrimizm.

In śort, ɖ dōn v a ny ej v instbiḷti. Ẃ on rʈ wd poḷtiśnz sć az America’z Jo Bîdn, Jrṃni’s Olaf Scholz, n Frans’z Emmanuel Macron toḷret so frōt n denjṛs a fyćr ẃn, bî tecñ a mor r’bust stand nǎ, ɖe mt privnt mć v it fṛm mtirịlîzñ? Bî s’pozidli avôdñ riscs tde, ɖe enśur a mć riscịr tmoro.

Sndñ wepnz n bst wśz z nt inuf. Cnfŕñ last wīc, wstn līdrz dbetd pṛvîdñ s’kṛtigaṛntìz fr Ycren aftr ɖ wor. Ol wel n gd. Bt ɖs wor z haṗnñ nǎ. Hu wl gaṛnti Ycren’z svîvl in ɖ poṣbli dsîsiv nxt fy wīcs? Hu, f pś cmz t śuv, wl muv bynd trenñmiśnz n pṛvîd d’rect, in-cuntri militri s’port?

Let’s gt riyl. Fr ol its herǒizm n sacṛfîs, Ycren me lūz ɖs fît. Dredfl ɖo it sǎndz, Pūtin cd win. F ɖ wst so abandnz its prínsiplz n valyz t let ɖt hapn, ɖ loñ-trm prîs, fr evrwn, wl b a hol ny wrld v pen.

Instroduction to Ñspel

Fṛm Đ Gardịn: We were leaked the Panama Papers. Here’s how to bring down Putin’s cronies

The Russian cellist Sergej Roldugin, godfather of Putin’s eldest daughter, has been described as the key to tracing Putin’s hidden fortune. Photograph: Valentin Antonov/EPA
Ɖ Ruśn ćelist Serge Roldūgin, godfaɖr v Pūtin’z eldist dōtr, hz bn dscrîbd az ɖ ci t tresñ Pūtin’z hidn fortyn. Foṭgraf: Valentin Antonov/YPA

W wr līct ɖ Paṇmā Peprz. Hir’z hǎ t brñ dǎn Pūtin’z croniz

(Transcription of an article published in the Observer on 27 March 2022)

Ɖ jṛsdix́nz ɖt hlp clepṭcrats liv in lux̣́ri on stoḷn asets mst stop śīldñ c’rupt ilīts

 

Frederik Obermaier n Bastian Obermayer, Tyzde 29 Marć 2022

Sevn yirz ago, an anoniṃs sors hu wnt bî ɖ nem “Jon Do” pṛvîdd s wɖ ɖ deta ɖt bcem ɖ Paṇmā Peprz – 2.6 teṛbaits v līct dokmnts fṛm ɖ Paṇmeńn lwfrm Mosac Fonseca. Ɖ līc trnd ǎt t hv qt an impresiv Ruśn cmponnt. W faund śelcumṗniz cnctd t Vḷdīmir Pūtin’z jūdofrendz, Boris n Arcādi Rotenberg, t ɖ oḷgarc Aliśer Ŭzmanov n ɖ wîf v ɖ Cremlin spocsmn Dmītri Pescov. Bt, most sgnificntli, w stumbld acrs Serge Roldūgin, a pṛfeśnl ćelist n godfaɖr v Pūtin’z eldist dōtr, hu hd a sntṛl rǒl in a netwrc v sīcrit ofśordīlz n vast lounz wrʈ $2bn, dscrîbd at ɖ tîm az ɖ ci t tresñ Pūtin’z hidn fortyn.

Ol ɖs hidn wlʈ matrd ẃn w publiśt ɖ Paṇmā Peprz in 2016, tū yirz aftr Ruśa hd anxt ɖ Crîmiyn pninsyla. Nǎ, aftr ɖ fl-scel inveźn v Ycren, it matrz mor ɖn evr. Lwmecrz in ɖ YC, ɖ YY, ɖ YS n Caṇda hv sañśnd Ruśn bancs, Ruśn cumṗniz n indivijlz clos t Pūtin. Ɖs includz Ruśn oḷgarcs, az wel az Pūtin’z frendz, s’portrz n admîrrz hu hv hlpt fsiḷtet hiz cleptocṛsi bî hîdñ hiz wlʈ in acǎnts undr ɖer ǒn nemz or jst ćampịnñ hiz cleptocṛsi fr ɖer ǒn ilisit inrićmnt. Indivijlz lîc ɖ ćelist Serge Roldūgin, ɖ Rotenberg bruɖrz n Ŭzmanov.

Nǎ, ɖ wstn wrld hz dsîdd ɖt ɖe wont Pūtin’z frendz t b sañśnd fr ɖ cleptocṛsi n harm ɖe hv fsiḷtetd n fṛm ẃć ɖe hv beṇfitd. Proṣktrz n invstgetrz az wel az speśl p’līs ynits r nǎ huntñ fr ɖ rićz v Pūtin’z frendz. Ɖe r sizñ yots, grǎndñ pleinz n conḟscetñ laviś vilaz. Yt ẃt ɖe wl fînd z probbli onli ɖ tip v ɖ îsbrg. T riyli hit Pūtin n hiz frendz ẃr it hrts, wn mst g t Switṣḷnd, t Paṇmā, Sîpṛs n ɖ Britiś Vrjin Îḷndz. Unforćṇtli, invstgetrz wl probbli nt gt mć hlp ɖr – az sīcṛsi z ẃt ɖoz cuntriz sel.

Icoṇmists lîc t cōl ɖm taxhêvnz or sīcṛsi jṛsdix́nz. Bt “blac houlz” wd b mor aproprịt fr ɖz plesz ẃr grīdi loyrz, tax advîzrz, cnsultnts n uɖr crŭcs hlp ɖ rić n pǎrfl t hîd or, az ɖe pt it, “fns” ɖer asets. Ɖz wilñ hlprz asist ɖ oḷgarcs t mc ɖer fortynz vaniś fṛm ɖ vy v lw inforsmnt.

Ẃn w rsivd ɖ līc ɖt bcem ɖ Paṇmā Peprz, w faund – apart fṛm Roldūgin – duznz v filʈi rić Ruśnz. Ẃn w rsivd ɖ Paṛdîs Peprz, anɖr ofśor deṭlīc, ɖ nemz v oḷgarcs Romān Abramović, Aliśer Ŭzmanov n Oleg Deripasca apird in ɖ deta, az dd Olga Śŭvalova, ɖ wîf v Ruśa’z frst depyti prîm̦inistr. Mor ɖn a yir ago w got hold v ɖ Suisse Sīcrits, yt anɖr līc, n ɖr wz ɖ sistr v Aliśer Ŭzmanov n a fortyn v abt 2bn Swis francs.

Sañśnz r a pǎrfl tūl in foṛn poḷsi. Sm īvn cōl ɖm a “tūl v modn wor”. W unḍstand ɖ îdīa t pt preśr on Pūtin’z inr srcl n Ruśa’z icoṇmi. Bt ẃ stop ɖr? Let’s adres ɖ probḷm n nt onli its simtmz. Let’s ćenj ɖ sistm so guvnmnts d nt hv t rlî on sañśnz t privnt Pūtin n uɖr cleptocṛsiz fṛm genñ mor pǎr.

Frst n fōrmost, sīcṛsi jṛsdix́nz ɖmslvz nīd t b tarġtd. It z nt inuf t g aftr ɖ proḟtirz v ɖz cuntriz, bt ɖ jṛsdix́nz ɖmslvz. F nesṣri, ɖ blac houlz ɖmslvz nīd t b sañśnd – t brñ ćenj nt onli t ɖ wor in Ycren, bt wrldwîd.

Ruśa’z oḷgarcs r nt ɖ onli wnz hu injô a lux̣́ri lîfstîl fînanst wɖ stoḷn muni. Cleptocṛsi n c’rupśn r far fṛm a ynīcli Ruśn fnominn.

Ʈnc Veṇzwela. Ʈnc Ćîna. Ʈnc Angola.

Adresñ ɖ sstemic cōzz v cleptocṛsi n c’rupśn wl inevitbli mīn tarġtñ bʈ ɖ līgl strucćrz n pṛfeśnlz in ɖ wst ɖt fsiḷtet cleptocṛsi: lwfrmz, cnsultnts n asetmanijrz in Zŭrih, Lundn n Ny Yorc hu reğlrli lend a hlpñ hand t clepṭcrats. Ɖe profit fṛm jṛsdix́nz lîc ɖ Cemn Îḷndz n Switṣḷnd – n yes, ɖ YS – ẃć stl ofr sīcṛsi on a grand scel. Ɖe profit fṛm jṛsdix́nz wɖt public reɉstriz v hu ǒnz riyl istet n cumṗniz.

Dfndrz v sīcṛsi clem ɖer rîts t priṿsi matr most. Bt let s fes ɖ facts: fnanśl sīcṛsi z ɖ enjin v globl c’rupśn n cleptocṛsi. It mcs it tù īzi fr c’rupt ilīts t plundr hol continnts, fr traficrz v drugz n ppl t lōndr ɖer muni, n it hlps t fînans brūtl worz. It hlps Pūtin n hiz frendz.

Forćṇtli, in lêt 2020, ɖ Ynîtd Stets guvnmnt fîṇli pást lejsleśn ɖt rqîrz a beṇfiśl-ǒnrśp reɉstri fr YS cumṗniz. Similr reɉstriz xist in duznz v cuntriz, bcz forsñ cumṗniz t rvil hu ultiṃtli beṇfits fṛm ɖm mcs it far mor dificlt fr clepṭcrats n ɖer croniz t hîd ɖer ilisit muni. Bt ɖ YS lejsleśn, ɖ Corpṛt Trnspaṛnsi Act, dz nt g far inuf. It forsz ɖ ultiṃt beṇfiśl ǒnrz t b rvild onli t ɖ oʈoṛtiz n onli undr srtn srcmstansz.

Bt nt t ɖ public. N ɖs z a hyj mstec.

Az loñ az w rlî on oʈoṛtiz n lw inforsmnt alon, clepṭcrats, ōṭcrats n Pūtin’z frendz wl hv an īzịr tîm ivedñ sañśnz n cntinywñ t hîd ɖer il-gotn genz. Ḿćl līgl asistns btwn naśnl lw-inforsmnt ejnsiz tecs yirz, n dz nt peṇtret ɖ ńmṛs leyrz v sīcṛsi yzd bî īṿlduwrz arnd ɖ glob. Jrṇlists n sivl ssayti grūps hv prūvn t b far mor ifctiv. Ɖe cn c’laḅret qcli n ifctivli acrs bordrz, ɖe cn wrc wɖ līct deta (smʈñ lw inforsmnt stl hz t lrn) n cnct it wɖ pubḷcli aveḷbl deta. Ny guvnmnt tascforsz set p lêt in ɖ de t ćes Pūtin’z croniz’ caś wl b inṣfiśnt. Guvnmnts śd opn p ɖ reɉstriz: cumṗnireɉstriz, śipreɉstriz, pleinreɉstriz, riyl-istet reɉstriz. Gv ɖ invstgtiv pǎr t ɖ ppl – n w bet: y wl nt b dis’pôntd.

Abv ol, let’s fîṇli gt rid v ɖoz blac houlz.

• • •

Frederik Obermaier n Bastian Obermayer r invstgtiv jrṇlists wɖ ɖ Jrmn pepr Süddeutsche Zeitung. Ɖe iniśietd ɖ 2016 Paṇmā Peprz az wel az ɖ 2017 Paṛdîs Peprz reṿleśnz n ɖ 2022 Suisse Sīcrits. Obermaier z cofǎndr v ɖ Anti-C’rupśn Deṭc’lectiv (https://acdatacollective.org), Obermayer on ɖ bōrd v Fbidn Storiz (https://forbiddenstories.org).

Instroduction to Ñspel

Fṛm Đ Gardịn: Wanted: Russian revolution to topple tyrant. Internal applicants welcome

Russian president Vladimir Putin attends a meeting with award-winning young culture professionals via video conference in Moscow last Friday. Photograph: Mikhail Klimentyev/AP
Ruśn prezidnt Vḷdīmir Pūtin atndz a mītñ wɖ aword-winñ yuñ culćrpṛfeśnlz via vidioconfrns in Mosco last Frîde. Foṭgraf: Miħîl Climntiev/AP

Wontd: Ruśn reṿluśn t topl tîrnt. Intrnl aplic̣nts welcm

(Transcription of an article published in the Guardian on 26 March 2022)

Pūtin’z mrdṛs rên cn onli b endd frm wɖn. Wstn pǎrz mst nǎ d ol ɖe cn t incurij a cù

Simon Tisdall

Sîmn Tizdl, Saṭde 26 Marć 2022

Opnli acnolijd or nt, reźīmćenj in Mosco – mīnñ ɖ oṿʈro v Vḷdīmir Pūtin – mst b ɖ wstn dmocrsiz’ ultiṃt objctiv az ɖe hlp t ʈwort hiz conqest v Ycren. Psywñ impirịl fanṭsiz, a zar-lîc Pūtin hz gn tù far ɖs tîm. Nǎ h’z got t g. Rjntli rqîrd: a ny Ruśn reṿluśn t topl ɖ tîrnt, léd frm wɖn n asistd frm wɖt.

Ɖ îdīa v Pūtin rmenñ in pǎr, īvn f a Ycren setlmnt z ivnć̣li paćt tgɖr, z bʈ impracticl n obsin. Bî hiz inhymn ax́nz, Ruśa’z dictetr hz plest himslf bynd ɖ pel. H’z a menis t yṇvrsl ordr, an afrunt t comn dīsnsi. H simpli canot b trustd.

Dspt rzǎndñ inṭnaśnl condmneśn, ɖ daṃjñ impact v wstn sañśnz on Ruśa’z ppl, ɖ rzultñ ʈret t globl fūd n eṇji s’plîz, n dêli evidns ɖt hiz il-léd armd forsz r in dīp trubl, Pūtin apirz dtrmind t fît on, īvn t esc̣let. Last wīc’s dis’pôntñ Nato sumit wl hv dn litl t dswed him.

YS prezidnt Jo Bîdn wornz ɖs blînd fnaṭsizm cd brñ on a deʈstrugl, līdñ t Ruśn ys v cemicl, bạlojicl or īvn batlfīld ńclir wepnz. Ɖ Cremlin dz nt rūl it ǎt. Sć crūd blacmeil z no besis fr eni cnd v sen rleśnśp.

Wośñtn hz nǎ forṃli akzd Ruśa v worcrîmz, fr ẃć Pūtin berz cmand rsponsbiḷti, n vaud t brñ him t justis. Ɖ YN’z hîist cort hz ordrd him t stop. Bîdn dīmz him a “worcriminl” n a “pyr ʈug”. Hu, in ɖer harts, oṇstli dis’griz? Īvn hiz Ćînīz ćumz lc ascans.

Fr az loñ az h holdz pǎr, Pūtin wl pǒz a ptnṣ́li xistnśl ʈret t ɖ s’krti v Yrp n ɖ wîdr wrld. Hiz cntmt fr hymn lîf, rîts, inṭnaśnl lw n ɖ YN ćartr dsqoḷfî him frm eni fyćr līdrśp rǒl. Fr hu cn dǎt ɖ Ycren wor wd hōlt f h wr unsītd? Ɖr wl b no pīs ẃl Pūtin’z arnd. H’z unfit. H’z an ǎtlw. H’z a secnd Baśar al-Asad. H mst fōl.

Lojicli, practicli n moṛli spīcñ, ɖ YS n its alîz hv no oltrṇtiv bt t activli sīc hiz oṿʈro. Ɖe canot d’recli inṭvin in Ruśa. Bt ɖe cn n śd mc it plen t Ruśa’z ilīts n wîdr public ɖt Pūtin z a lạbiḷti, a dedweit n a denjr, prîmrli t ɖm – n ɖt ɖ wst wl bac ɖm f ɖe muv agnst him. Ppl ofn se reṿluśn wl nvr hapn. Bt ɖe sd ɖt abt Nicolae Ceaușescu, Erich Honecker, Hosni Mbarac, Frdinand Marcos, Anastasio Somoza, ɖ Śa v Iran – n Zar Nicḷs II. So mbi ɖ’r roñ abt Pūtin tù.

Ɖr’z gd rīzn t b’liv ol ɖoz biłner oḷgarcs, stetinḍstri bosz, sic̣fantic Dūma poḷtiśnz, brêdd jenrlz n Oblomov-lîc byṛcrats hu hv dn wel undr Pūtin r hvñ secnd ʈts nǎ az sañśnz bît, asets frīz, forn travl hōlts, hǎzz n yots r sizd, n ɖ rūbl craśz.

Its guṿnñclas hz mć t lūz az Ruśa hrtlz intu rseśn n îṣleśn – n it’s śowñ. Bîpást Cremlin insîdrz n FSB spūcs r rportidli siɖñ wɖ angr. Pūtin’z bumḅlñ dfnsministr, Srge Śôgu, n armi ćīf v staf hv dis’pird frm vy. A sīńr envô, Aṇtoli Ćbîs, jumt śip last wīc. Mnẃl, Ycren rports 1917-stîl dzrśnz bî Ruśa’z dmoṛlîzd fruntlîn trūps.

Az fr ɖ loñ-suḟrñ, mć-bambuzld Ruśn ppl, no amǎnt v reźīmpropganda cn hîd ɖer ny dêli riaḷti v fūdkz, rîzñ prîsz, medicl śorṭjz n clozd bancs. Ʈǎzndz hv demnstretd agnst ɖ inveźn, brevñ p’līsbrūtaḷti. Ʈǎzndz mor yuñ pṛfeśnlz – Ruśa’z fyćr – r muvñ abrōd az parnôd Pūtin relz agnst a treṭrs “fifʈ coḷm”.

Ɖ longr ɖ wor, ɖ hayr ɖ caźltiz n costs, ɖ mor public angr me b d’rectd at Pūtin. Ɖ wst śd incris ɖ preśr n fsiḷtet hiz deṃliśn ʈru tîtr, dīpr sañśnz (includñ, crūṣ́li, on eṇji xports), ofnsiv militri ed t Cyīv n xpandd brōdcast n sośl mīdia inḟmeśncampenz insd Ruśa.

Eni fyćr līdr sīmz most lîcli t cm frm wɖn ɖ Cremlin aṗreṭs. A trnziśnl figr cd imrj in mć ɖ sem we az dd Pūtin himslf in ɖ dayñ dez v Boris Yeltsin’z prezidnsi. At ɖ uɖr end v ɖ opziśnspectrm, ɖ olwz dfaynt Alexe Nvalni z a potnt raliyñfors.

Ɖ toṗlñ v Pūtin me pruv a loñ-trm asṗreśn or cd hapn vri qcli. Historicli, ćenj in Ruśa ofn ocŕz abrupli. Ɖ hop wd b fr a subsiqnt muv t fri, deṃcratic ilex́nz. Yt ẃt hapnz ultiṃtli dpndz on Ruśnz ɖmslvz.

T max̣mîz ɖ ćansz v s’xes, ɖ wstn pǎrz śd cnsidr ol ovrt n covrt meʈ̇dz v incuṛjñ ny līdrśp, includñ p’liticl insntivz, s’krtigaṛntìz n phps īvn a “muni bac” scīm fr rpntnt oḷgarcs. F apilz t prínsipl d nt wrc, apilz t slf-inṭrest me.

YY n Nato membrz mst agri, tù, ɖt Pūtin z nt smwn ɖe cn evr d biznis wɖ agn. Let’s hop Frans n Jrṃni gt ɖ mesij. Liz Trus, Britn’z foṛn secrtri, z cnsrnd ɖe me let Pūtin of ɖ hc bî oḟrñ a rvîzd, Minsc-tîp compṛmîz ovr ɖ Ycreńnz’ hedz, similr t ɖer feld Crîmīa iniṣ́tiv.

Mnẃl, bacslîdñ, fns-sitñ, ostnsbli pro-wstn guvnmnts in Izrel, India, Trci, Sǎdi Arebia n ɖ YAE ɖt rfyz t sañśn Ruśa, mst b frmli rmîndd hu ɖer riyl frendz r – n hǎ ɖer inṭrests r bst srvd.

It’s nt bî sucñ p t a worcriminl. It’s nt bî raśṇlîzñ or miṇmîzñ an unpṛvoct wor v agreśn agnst a soṿrin dmocrsi. It’s bî dwñ ol ɖe cn t hlp Ruśnz n ɖer frendz in ɖ wst brñ Pūtin’z mrdṛs rên t an end. Az Bolṣ́vic reṿluśnriz wns craid, so mst Ruśa’z ppl crî agn: “Pīs! Land! Bred!”

Instroduction to Ñspel

Fṛm Đ Gardịn: This bloody invasion is turning the march of history into a sprint – and it’s not going Putin’s way

‘Already, Ukrainians’ collective defiance and bravery in the face of a terrifying menace is the material of myth.’ Ukrainian soldiers and volunteers prepare sandbags for barricades in Kyiv on Thursday. Photograph: Europa Press News/Europa Press/Getty Images
‘Olrdi, Ycreńnz’ c’lectiv dfayns n breṿri in ɖ fes v a teṛfayñ menis z ɖ mtirịl v miʈ.’ Ycreńn soljrz n voḷntirz priper sandbagz fr baṛceds in Cyīv on Ʈrzde. Foṭgraf: Yropa Pres Nyz/Yropa Pres/Geti Iṃjz

Ɖs bludi inveźn z trnñ ɖ marć v hisṭri intu a sprint – n it’s nt gwñ Pūćin’z we

(Transcription of an article published in the Guardian on Frîde 4 Marć 2022)

Ɖ last fy dez hv sìld Ycren’z ples in ɖ globl imaɉneśn – n fr Ruśa, ɖt’s a big probḷm

Jonathan Freedland

Joṇʈn Frīdḷnd, Frîde 4 Marć 2022

Hisṭri hz brocn intu a sprint. Ćenjz ɖt wr imajind t b ɖ wrc v jeṇreśnz, or īvn snć̣riz, hv hapnd in dez. Jioṗliticl śifts huz impact wl indyr fr decedz hv cm in aurz. Ol worz r axelṛnts, bt Vlajīmir Pūćin’z inveźn v Ycren z ri-mcñ ɖ wrld bfr ǎr vri îz.

Start wɖ naśnl îdntti. Ɖ we neśnz si ɖmslvz, n r sìn bî uɖrz, z mnt t b ɖ stuf v īvluśn: slo n grajl, ɖ leyrz add in incrimnts. N yt Ruśa’z brūtl atmt t swolo p its nebr hz ćenjd smʈñ pṛfǎnd in litl mor ɖn a wīc.

Ẃn Pūćin set ǎt hiz ces fr wor, h restd it on ɖ clem ɖt Ycren hd no tṛdiśn v “jenyin stethd”. Ɖt wz gros, bt it btreid a preɉdis ɖt Pūćin dd nt invnt. Loñ bfr ɖ Ruśn eʈnonaśṇlizm v tde, Ycren wz trītd az smʈñ les ɖn a neśn. In ɖ 20ʈ snć̣ri, it wz còt btwn ɖ ttaḷterịnizmz v ɖ ej, sqizd n bludid bî bʈ Natsizm n Bolṣ́vizm. Īvn in p’lît, wstn cumṗni, ɖ vy ɖt it wz mirli a rījn v smẃr els psistd: it livd on, unconśsli phps, in ɖoz hu cōld it “ɖ Ycren”.

Ɖt endd a wīc ago. Ycreńnz hv aqîrd a ny ples in ɖ globl imaɉneśn, az ɖ imbodimnt v ɖ spirit v naśnl indipndns. Olrdi ɖer c’lectiv dfayns n breṿri in ɖ fes v a teṛfayñ menis z ɖ mtirịl v miʈ – baledansrz grabñ rîflz, deṭsayntists digñ trenćz – ɖt wl b wovn intu a naśnl stori Ycreńnz wl tel ɖmslvz fr snć̣riz. Īvn ẃn, fr ɖ rest v ɖ wrld, ɖt fedz intu hisṭri, wn fact wl b left: ɖ unśec̣bl cnvix́n ɖt Ycren z a neśn, a hoļi “jenyin” wn. Cǎnt ɖt az jst ɖ frst v mni wez in ẃć Pūćin’z miśn hz olrdi dfitd itslf.

Sm v ɖ uɖrz r hoļi unixpctd. Az rīsntli az a fortnît ago, ćeisnd bî its past, Jrṃni’z setld pziśn wz ɖt it wd ple no part in a wor in Yṛp. Nǎ, hêlñ a “trnñpônt in ɖ hisṭri v ǎr continnt,” Jrṃni’z ćanslr z sndñ misîlz n antitanc wepnz t hlp Ycren, n masivli incrisñ Brlin’z dfnșpendñ. Ɖr wz a tîm ẃn ɖ prospect v a riarmd Jrṃni wd hv snt tremrz ʈru Yṛp n bynd. Bt ɖs wīc ɖ bstselñ Izreli historịn Yuval Noa Harari cōld Jrmn līdrśp in ɖ cuṛnt fît agnst Ruśn agreśn “ɖ bst atonmnt” fr Natsi crîmz. Ɖs wz no tîm t b ńtṛl or t ste on ɖ sîdlînz, Harari sd: “Ẃt w nīd fṛm Jrṃni z t stand tōl n līd.”

Brlin’z brec fṛm nirli et decedz v postwar rstrent z phps ɖ most concrīt xampl v a fnominn viẓbl ʈrt Yṛp n acrs ɖ Atlantic. Aftr mni yirz spent contmpletñ its ǒn dclîn n dce, ɖ wst hz rīdiscuvrd smʈñ lîc prîd n prṗs. Fr ol its mni flwz n wel-dokmntd felñz, it hz bn rmîndd ɖt its brand v frīdm n dmocṛsi z prefṛbl t ɖ oltrṇtiv: ɖ tiṛni n opreśn mȉtd ǎt bî Pūćin, ẃɖr in ɖ form v bomz renñ dǎn on Ycreńn sviłnz or gagz acrs ɖ mǎɖz n blîndfoldz acrs ɖ îz v Ruśn sitiznz. Ovr ɖ last 10 dez, ɖoz hu ʈt Nato wz a cold wor anacṛnizm hv bn gvn a rfreśrcors in ẃ it wz invntd n ẃ it wz nesṣri: t pṛtct fri neśnz fṛm a mîti agresr.

Ɖ sem gz fr ɖ Yṛpiyn Yńn. Brítnz, ispeṣ́li, cem t asośiet ɖ YY wɖ tred at bst, petifogñ byrocṛsi at wrst. Ẃn ɖ YY wún ɖ Nobel pīsprîz in 2012, mni scraćt ɖer hedz wɖ incomprihnśn. Wel, ɖr’z no xks fr baflmnt nǎ. Pūćin hz jogd ǎr meṃriz ɖt ɖ YY wz fǎndd ǎt v ɖ cnvix́n ɖt ɖ onli fyćr fr a continnt ɖt hd bn at ɖ sntr v tū wrldworz in 30 yirz wz t cm tgɖr: t śer sovṛnti rɖr ɖn t cil fr it. Ɖ sît v a cāci-clad Volodimir Zelensci sînñ Ycren’z rqst t jôn ɖ YY, īvn az Ruśn forsz aproćt, demnstretd agn ɖt fr Yṛpiynz, ɖ YY hz olwz bn abt sefti n pīs. Hǎ śemñ t ʈnc v ɖ Yrosceptics hu pritndd ɖ YY wz sm cnd v foṛn okpayr, rfŕñ t it az ɖ “YYSSR”. Hǎ śemñ t ʈnc ɖt ɖ Britiś contṛbyśn t ɖs nobl postwar îdiyl wz t abandn it.

Īvn ɖ we w ʈnc v hisṭri hz ćenjd ovr ɖz last fy dez. Loñ dsdend hz bn eni anaḷsis ɖt plesz tù mć weit on ɖ rǒl v indivijlz: in ples v ɖ “gret-man ʈiyri” v hisṭri, scolrz wr mnt t foc̣s on ɖ dīpr, imprsnl forsz, ɖ tectonic śifts ɖt md ɖ ax́nz v ɖs or ɖt hymn biyñ v secnḍri importns. N yt, most nǎ agri ɖt “Ruśa” hz no brnñ aṗtît t sīz Ycren; fy ordnri Ruśnz r ićñ t brñ hel n hartec t ɖer nebrz nxt dor. Ɖs wor z instd ɖ ẃim v wn, poṣbli crezd, man. Fr ol ɖ aurz spent n ñc spild aṇlîzñ ɖ jiopoḷtics v Ruśa n its rījn, ẃt it cmz dǎn t z Pūćin’z yrnñ fr pǎr n fr a ples in hisṭri, t b rmembrd alñsd Pītr ɖ Gret. Bcz v wn indivijl n hiz strenj sîc̣lojicl nīd, a miłn ppl r olrdi refyjīz n hol sitiz r smolḍrñ ruinz.

Standñ agnst him z a man hu hz inspîrd hiz neśn n wún adṃreśn arnd ɖ wrld. Phps Ycren wd hv hld ǎt no matr hu srvd az its prezidnt. Mbi ɖ wrld’z simṗʈiz wd hv bn arǎzd īvn wɖt a mastr cḿṇcetr in Cyīv, hu in a siriz v śort, plen-spocn spīćz hz artikletd a funḍmntl prínsipl: ɖt ol neśnz hv ɖ rît t dfîn hu ɖe r n dtrmin ɖer ǒn desṭni.

Phps. Bt ɖ prezns v Zelensci, hiz rfyzl t sev hiz ǒn scin or pt himslf frst – “I nīd aḿniśn, nt a rîd” – hz nt onli galvnîzd hiz ǒn ppl. It hz gvn a moṛl claṛti t ɖs momnt. In an unhirǒic ej, h hz bcm a globl hiro n, wɖ Pūćin apaṛntli īgr t ple hiz part az a cartūniśli īvl viḷn, ɖt hz lent ɖs conflict a simpliṣti ɖt wl īẓli b dsmist az simplistic, bt hz gret pǎr ol ɖ sem.

Nn v ɖs z eni cumḟt t ɖ faṃliz in besmnts, fr ɖ ćildṛn wɖt faɖrz. It dz’nt hlp ɖm f hisṭri hz pict p its tmpo. Lîc ol victimz v wor, ɖe wont nʈñ mor ɖn fr hisṭri t līv ɖm alon – n let ɖm liv.

• Joṇʈn Frīdḷnd z a Gardịn coḷmnist

Instroduction to Ñspel

Fṛm Đ Gardịn: The solace for young Russians like me is that Putin is also digging his own grave in Ukraine

‘It is painfully clear to us that this war is absolutely pointless.’ Russians protest in Moscow against the war in Ukraine. Photograph: Kommersant Photo Agency/REX/Shutterstock
‘It z penḟli clir t s ɖt ɖs wor z abṣlutli pôntlis.’ Ruśnz pṛtst in Mosco agnst ɖ wor in Ycren. Foṭgraf: Comersant Foto Ejnsi/REX/Śuṭstoc

Ɖ solis fr yuñ Ruśnz lîc m z ɖt Pūćin z olso digñ hiz ǒn grev in Ycren

(Transcription of an article published in the Guardian on 1 March 2022)

Ẃn sañśnz bît n hard tîmz hit ɖ cuntri, ppl wl lūz ɖer fir. Ɖen Pūćin wl b finiśt

Srge Faldin, Tyzde 1 Marć 2022

Ɖ  rīzn y d’nt si a reṿluśn haṗnñ in Mosco z nt ɖt ppl d’nt cer abt ẃt’s haṗnñ in Ycren. On ɖ contrri, mî sośl-mīdia fīd z fild wɖ posts fṛm Ruśnz opozñ ɖ wor. “Ẃt hapnd?” ɖe se. “Hǎ dd w gt t ɖs? Ɖs z madnis!”

Ppl r seyñ ɖe fīl gilti abt biyñ Ruśn. Ppl r brnñ ɖer pasports on camra. “Hel,” I postd: “I am Ruśn, bt Pūćin z nt mî prezidnt.”

Bt ɖr r far fywr ppl acć̣li ǎt pṛtstñ. Y hv t unḍstand ɖt ordnri ppl in Ruśa r scerd ǎt v ɖer mîndz. On ɖ frst de v ɖ conflict, olmst 1,000 pṛtstrz wr jeld acrs Ruśa fr wōcñ ǎtsd wɖ az litl az a pìs v pepr ɖt sd: “I d’nt wont wor.” Acordñ t ɖ indipndnt mīdia sors OVD-info, in ɖ frst for dez v ɖ wor mor ɖn 5,200 ppl wr arestd.

Mî frend spent tîm in jel fr wōcñ dǎn ɖ sem strīt az ɖ pṛtstrz. A pṛfesr v sośioḷji, Grigori Yūdin, wz arestd in ɖ sntr v Mosco n rportidli bìtn p in ɖ bac v an ǎtozac (p’līsbus).

Ɖr r nǎ mor p’līstīmz ɖn I cn cǎnt – wɖ ny nemz sć az Rosgvardia (Ruśa’z intrnl militri fors) – n ɖe r ruʈlis. Ɖz forsz wr crietd sevṛl yirz ago sṗsificli t wondr ɖ strīts v Mosco (n uɖr sitiz) n privnt enʈñ “sspiśs” fṛm haṗnñ.

It dz’nt matr ẃɖr y’r an 18-yir-old cid or a pregnnt midl-ejd wmn, ɖ’l bìt y p, pt y in a wagn n tec y in fr qsć̣nñ. Ẃn y hv a formr CGB ejnt in ćarj, y hv a cuntri ɖt fuñśnz az an inorṃs jel.

It z penḟli clir t s ɖt ɖs wor z abṣlutli pôntlis. Pūćin z yzñ fōls hisṭrilésnz, l’mntñ ɖ fōl v ɖ Sovịt Yńn, n mcñ clemz abt Nato advansñ its forsz simpli t jusṭfî hiz ǒn madnis. I b’liv ɖt ɖ tru ansr t ɖ qsćn ppl asc on sośl mīdia – “hǎ dd w gt t ɖs?” – z ɖt Pūćin z insen.

I d’nt nǒ ẃn or ẃ ɖs hapnd. Mbi it’s hiz ej. Mbi hiz îṣleśn jrñ ɖ pandemic cōzd him t qsćn hiz leġsi. I cd b’liv enʈñ nǎ.

Ẃn mî wîf, hu z Ycreńn, n I wouc p last Ʈrzde in ǎr Dbî hotelrūm, ǎr hol wrld hd trnd upsîd-dǎn. W trnd on Pūćin’z teḷvîzd adres abt ɖ militri oṗreśn. Twenti minits lêtr, w trnd it of. W wr scerd bî ɖ vegnis v hiz rport. Ẃt wz a “speśl militri oṗreśn”? Wz ɖs riyli a decḷreśn v ɖ ʈrd wrldwor? W wr dsgustd bî ɖ ʈiatricl pformns v a prezidnt w hd nvr ćozn. W wr īvn mor dsgustd bî ɖ ʈt ɖt most ppl in Ruśa wd b’liv him.

Ɖr’z a hyj dvîd v opińnz btwn ɖ “Ny Ruśnz” – mî jeṇreśn, ppl born in ɖ 1990z, hu nvr livd in Sovịt tîmz – n ɖ oldr jeṇreśn. Nt wn v mî frendz bac hom b’livz ɖt Pūćin wz’nt planñ ɖs wor fr sm tîm. Ɖ oldr Ruśnz r féd lîz bî TV n uɖr mīdia t cnvins ɖm ɖt ẃt Pūćin z dwñ z jusṭfaybl.

Ɖ big probḷm z ɖt ɖr z no chiṛnt îdioḷji in Ruśa. Ɖr z no śerd we v intrpṛtñ ɖ wrld. Instd, ɖ simplistic îdīa ɖt hz bcm prevḷnt z a stori v “s vs ɖm”. It’s xtrimli īzi t sel n it gts vots. Ɖt’s ɖ ajnda ɖt Pūćin hz bn pśñ fr ɖ past deced or so.

H sz ɖt Ycren z an eṇmi ɖt z historicli part v Ruśa bt sold itslf t Nato, or ɖt evrwn in ɖ wrld z ɖ YS’z pupit.

Ɖz îdīaz r so cntejs. Ẃn y trî t rīzn wɖ an aṿrij prsn in Ruśa, ɖe mt se smʈñ lîc: “Ɖ TV z rît n y’r roñ. Olso – y’re probbli an ejnt v ɖ CIA.” Mni ppl liv in evr-preznt fir n it’s īzịr fr ɖm t b’liv ẃt ɖ’r tld. Standñ ǎtsd ɖ crǎd cn cost y yr frīdm.

Nn v mî yungr Ruśn frendz arnd ɖ glob r s’prîzd. W’r so yst t fīlñ dis’pôntd n imbaṛst bî ǎr guvnmnt ɖt w bérli fīl śem eni mor. Lîc ćildṛn v abysiv peṛnts, aftr so mni yirz w fget ẃt’s norml n ẃt’s nt. W simpli sai, śec ǎr hedz, n se: “Wel, ẃt dd y xpct?” Ɖ “globl Ruśnz”, az w cōl ǎrslvz, loñ ago gev p on ɖ prospect v hvñ a cuntri n guvnmnt w’d b prǎd v.

I c’nt hlp bt b rmîndd v ɖ Sovịt wor wɖ Afgaṇstan: 15,000 Ruśn deʈs. Nîn yirz v combat. Mî muɖr tld m storiz v hr formr clasmets, ppl ś acć̣li ń, arîvñ bac in cofinz. It wz a toṭli pôntlis indevr ɖt cost Leonid Breźńev ɖ intîr icoṇmi n hlpt cntribyt t ɖ Sovịt Yńn’z c’laps.

Pūćin, hu z so cīn on hisṭri, z uņowñli digñ hiz ǒn grev. Wɖ Ruśa cut of fṛm Swift n fesñ sañśnz fṛm ɖ YY, ɖ YS, n ɖ YC, it’l tec onli a fy yirz bfr it runz intu xtrimli hard tîmz. N ẃn it dz, ppl wl nt b afreid eni mor. F hisṭri tīćz s enʈñ, it’s ɖt ppl – īvn wnz az stubn n peśnt az ɖ Ruśnz – wl nt toḷret a lac v fūd. Ẃn ɖ muni runz ǎt, so wl Pūćin’z cloc.

N w – ɖ ny jeṇreśn v Ruśnz – wl b wêtñ.

• Srge Faldin z a raitr n podcastr best in Tiḅlīsi

Instroduction to Ñspel

Fṛm Đ Gardịn: As a Russian, I don’t know how to live with the shame of Putin’s aggression

Ukrainian police inspect an area after an apparent Russian strike in Kyiv today. Photograph: Emilio Morenatti/AP
Ycreńn p’līs inspct an eria aftr an apaṛnt Ruśn strîc in Cyīv tde. Foṭgraf: Emilio Morenatti/AP

Az a Ruśn, I d’nt nǒ hǎ t liv wɖ ɖ śem v Pūćin’z agreśn

(Transcription of an article published in the Guardian on 24 February 2022)

Yungr Ruśnz cndem ol vayḷns agnst Ycren. Bt protest z imposbl: w fīl lîc hosṭjz in ǎr ǒn cuntri

Anoniṃs Ruśn, Ʈrzde 24 Febrri 2022

Ɖs mornñ evrʈñ hz ćenjd. Hir in Ruśa, ovr iṃjz v tancs rolñ intu Ycren, brōdcastrz tel s ɖt ǎr ax́nz r a rspons t Ycreńn militri agreśn.

I spouc t mî faɖr rīsntli abt ɖ conflict in Ycren. Eni sićueśn ɖt involvz agreśn, injustis or wor wuriz m. Mî faɖr, ɖo, wz angri n śarp. H b’livd evrʈñ ɖ oʈoṛtiz wr dwñ wz rît. Acordñ t him, Ycren wz bilt wɖ Sovịt muni, n it b’loñz t Ruśa. F it z okpaid, ɖ Ycreńn ppl r simpli biyñ sevd fṛm ɖer guvnmnt. N Ruśa’z bordrz wl b mor s’kr.

Mî faɖr z an edycetd prsn. H z midl clas. H dz’nt wrc fr wn v ɖ guvnmnt ejnsiz or bizṇsz. H īvn hz Ycreńn rūts. Bt hiz opińn cmplitli cǒinsîdz wɖ ɖ opińn v Vlajīmir Pūćin.

Az misîlz atac Ycren’z infṛstrucćr, h holdz stroñ in hiz b’lif ɖt ɖ cuntri śd ynît n pruv itslf – wns agn śo its streñʈ n pǎr, n nt step bac. Ɖ wst śd unḍstand hu it z dīlñ wɖ, n ɖt Ruśnz d nt ʈro wrdz t ɖ wind n y canot ngośiet wɖ s wɖ ulṭmetmz.

Amñ mî frendz, reḷtivz n colīgz, ɖr wr fy hu wd pubḷcli dscus Ruśa’z ax́nz az an act v agreśn. Mni bcz ɖe ʈnc it’s betr nt t dscus n ʈnc abt it. Mni dd nt b’liv ɖr wd b a wor.

Instd ppl tōct abt ɖ smōl ʈñz in ɖer livz ɖt wl b afctd. Sañśnz. Agn. Ǎr abiḷti t travl. Hǎ ʈñz wl b mor xpnsiv in dolrz n yroz. N hǎ ppl in Yṛp wl dslîc s īvn mor nǎ.

Tde’z nyz hz śoct ɖm. Nǎ, evrwn z afreid ɖt ɖe wl no longr b ebl t līv ɖ cuntri. Ɖe fîṇli riylîzd ɖt ol ɖs wl afct ć v ɖm. Ɖ frst fīlñ ɖt ɖe hv xpirịnst z śem: śem abt ẃt z haṗnñ n śem v biyñ ɖ sitizn v an agresr.

Fr mni munʈs, f y lct at ɖ mênstrīm mīdia, ɖe hv bn seyñ ɖ wst hd insidịs planz ɖt wd end wɖ wor. Ɖ eṇmi at ɖ get z ɖ Ynîtd Stets, Nato, or Yṛp. Ɖe sd ɖt ɖ wst hd planz t dplô ńclir wepnz t Ycren n tec awe ǎr ńclir arsnl. Ultiṃtli t tec ovr Ruśa: dvîd it, dstrô it n tec it apart.

Ɖs z sd nt jst on stetnyz, bt dscust ol de on big tōcśoz lîc Tîm Wl Tel. Ɖr z a sns ɖt w r an unḍdog – w r nt luvd, w r insultd, w r unḍesṭmetd, w r nt axptd. Ɖ wrld nīdz t rspct s agn – w cd rgen ɖ pǎr v ɖ Ruśn empîr or īvn ɖ Sovịt Yńn.

N fr yirz, ɖ foṛn vôsz n fesz w hv bn śoun r unhapi pro-Ruśn rezidnts v Donbas. Ɖe r śoun begñ fr hlp, plīdñ fr recgniśn n seyñ hǎ badli ɖe r trītd in Ycren. (W nvr hír abt hǎ w – or ɖ Ruśn guvnmnt – hz fînanst ɖ conflict in ɖ rījn.)

Ɖr hv bn mni rīznz ppl g alñ wɖ ɖs or fŭli s’port it. Oldr ppl stl hv meṃriz v ɖ Sovịt ira; sîḷns wz svîvl, n it stl weiz on ɖm. Ɖr r mni ppl, ispeṣ́li in rṛl eriaz, ẃr a lot v wrc z in ɖ public sectr, n ɖr r mor rūlz abt spīcñ ǎt. Ɖe r afreid v luzñ ɖer lîvlihd.

Mni yungr ppl born jrñ or aftr peṛstrôca wont t līv, n mni hv bcm pasiv. Ɖe d’nt ʈnc ɖe cn ćenj ɖ sićueśn. Ɖ sistm istabliśt a harś criminl rsponsbiḷti fr xpresñ wn’z ǒn opińn: p t fîv yirz in prizn fr protests or pubḷceśnz on ɖ inṭnet. Ɖ icoṇmi z stagnnt. W r dpndnt on fosilfyl inḍstriz, mni sectrz r c’rupt n fl v croniizm. Ɖ tecovr v biznis bî criminl oligarcs z obvịs t evrwn. It z īzi t b’liv nʈñ cn ćenj. Ɖs z ɖ litl man’z complex, instild bî ɖ oʈoṛtiz fr yirz – ɖt I am a smōl inṣgnificnt prsn hu cn d nʈñ.

Stl, I ʈnc ɖt lîc m, mni yungr ppl d’nt b’liv ɖ sūṗfiśl propganda abt Ycren. W cndem ol formz v agreśn. W b’liv ɖ atac on Ycren wz clirli pland in advans – ol mî frendz śer ɖs b’lif. Ɖr r mni wez t gt inḟmeśn n t ʈnc fr yrslf, f y cn lc n y hv brenz – fr yungr ppl, ispeṣ́li. Ɖr r Teḷgram ćanlz. Brev blogrz n YTybrz. Ɖr r mni wez t gt nyz fṛm uɖr cuntriz n t fînd ppl hu wl criṭsîz ẃt z haṗnñ.

I b’liv, n hop, ɖt ɖr wl b no esc̣leśn v ɖ conflict, bt sañśnz fr Ruśa wl b monstṛs. Ɖr wl b globl îṣleśn fr s. Ɖ ofiśl pziśn v ɖ Cremlin z ɖ dīmiliṭrîześn n dīnaśṇlîześn v Ycren. I d’nt nǒ hǎ t liv wɖ ɖs: it’s a śem n dsgres. Bt no form v protest z poṣbl wɖ s. Abṣlutli nn. It’s ɖ fīlñ v a hlplis hostij.

Instroduction to Ñspel