I’m answering the question: should we go out to a new anti-corruption protest?
And the answer is easy for me, because I only need to use the words of those detained at the March 26 protest, whom I would occasionally meet in the exercise yard of Special Detention Center No. 2.
They didn’t ask me: should we go out?
They asked: when are we going out again?
Did we get answers to our questions? No.
Well then, that makes everything clear.
The March 26 protest—and the broader reaction to the investigation “He Is Not Dimon to You”—has split the country into three groups.
(A fairly large group) Normal citizens and patriots of the country. Those who have the information are outraged both by the corruption and by the authorities’ attempt to pretend that nothing is happening. Regardless of their political views, they demand answers to their questions.
(A small but well-paid group) Traitors, thieves, crooks, hypocrites, and cowards. They know everything, but they help hide the facts. They lie endlessly. They muddy the waters by steering every conversation toward “what about Ukraine,” “what about Egypt,” “what about under Yeltsin,” “what about Obama.” They ban peaceful rallies. They order people detained. They fire a kindergarten teacher. They harass a schoolboy for handing out leaflets about the film.
(The largest group) People who still know nothing because of total censorship in the media and the authorities’ silence.
Our task is simple: we, honest patriotic citizens, must do everything we can to bring as many people as possible from Group No. 3 over to our side, so that together we can fight the thieves and traitors in Group No. 2.
That includes once again taking to the streets for mass peaceful rallies. And we have an excellent occasion ahead of us: June 12. An official public holiday and a day off. Russia Day.
After all, we are fighting for a better future for Russia, aren’t we?
So let’s take to the streets on June 12 with our old slogans and under the national flag.
We have two months to prepare. Let’s bring in even more cities and gather even more people.
Any normal person is on our side right now. We just need to explain clearly what is happening.
Wherever you are, whatever city you live in—even the smallest one—join forces with like-minded people and start preparing for the June 12 protest. Even if there are only three or four of you, at least you will know that the three people beside you are the very best.
And one small correction to my video from today. It matters—it once again proves why we need to go out.
At 3 minutes 14 seconds, I say that there has been no substantive response from the bribe-givers, for example Usmanov. I recorded the video yesterday afternoon, and late in the evening this oligarch’s “explanations” came out.
It turns out that the estate on Rublyovka (an elite residential area outside Moscow) worth 5 billion rubles was not a bribe to Medvedev’s foundation, but part of a property swap deal.
I assure all of you, and journalists in particular: USMANOV IS LYING BRAZENLY. He lies straight to your face. He lies even though any person can expose his lies in two minutes.
Usmanov says that he built a house in Znamenskoye for his sister, and then Ilya Yeliseyev came to him and предложил поменяться. The Sotsgosproekt Foundation supposedly had land—12 hectares (about 30 acres)—on Rublyovka that Usmanov liked better. So they concluded a swap deal.
But there is a problem with Usmanov’s version. A big problem. Rosreestr (Russia’s state real estate registry) keeps historical records of all property transactions. And from Rosreestr, in two minutes, you can find out that the Sotsgosproekt Foundation never had any 12-hectare plot on Rublyovka. Usmanov did indeed expand his holdings by 12 hectares, but that was a completely different transaction, unrelated to Medvedev’s foundations. Usmanov BOUGHT the land from two commercial companies—Lesnoy Dom LLC and East Invest Group LLC. He bought several plots on the same day and merged them into one.
And that very estate in Znamenskoye, the one we all know so well by now, he GAVE to the Sotsgosproekt Foundation. Not to the company that owned the 12 hectares, but to the foundation. And these two transactions have nothing in common except that both were carried out in 2010.
Ask yourself this: why does he think he can lie so brazenly?
And the answer is simple. They got together in their cozy little circle and decided: Alisher, go out there and lie about something. Make it look like we answered.
What should I lie about?
Anything. Who cares about them. They’ll swallow it all. We’ll say on TV that Usmanov answered everything. So just say whatever you want.
If you are not the kind of person who can be told just anything and then calmed down, then let’s celebrate Russia Day together on June 12.