Quote from: legendster on August 20, 2018, 02:15:13 PM

I've had artist friends who play in Russian cities and events regularly and if I were to quote them then it'd be something like 'that place is run by power hungry goons' of course I've never been to Russia and any opinion I have of them and their political situation is just from news outlets and publications.
About a couple of months ago I read this article : https://www.vice.com/en_in/article/gykvey/why-is-the-russian-mafia-vor-v-zakone-so-powerful-putin-trump This really gives you an idea why even the media is hushed up about Putin's exploit. They're either scared or removed from the equation.

To the 1st part of your statement: I personally lived in UK for 5 years and I think the place is run by dangerous psychos.
Does that prove anything to anyone? And which place is not run by psychos?
Regarding your friends: all our neighbouring artists from now-EU, ex-USSR are earning money here and badmouthing us. That's nothing new.

To the 2nd: I already mentioned that all info on Putin is in the printed press (glossy mags etc) and in the bookshops + public libraries.
So I don't understand your point about "media hushed" - which media?

Russia is so misrepresented that you try to fight a ghost, a Frankenstein.
Whereas we were always subservient to West, looked up at West, so we know West fairly well (and many of us still live there).