In defiant speech, Kremlin critic Kara-Murza likens his trial to Stalin's USSR

The current environment, he said, was not so much like the 1970s - a period when the state faced off against Soviet dissidents - as the 1930s, when Stalin conducted a series of show trials and purges of his opponents.

This Putin's dystopian Russia. All dissent is quashed. Indeed reverting back to Stalinist times.

Ukraine is in disarray as the US try,to quite allies from an intelligent breach,this what happened,when a flexless government in Ukraine cannot do anything,you get suck in a quagmire

I am a believe in liberty, equality and justice for all

Yrral

I am a believe in liberty, equality and justice for all

Yet, you don't feel sorry for Kara-Murza, who has been seriously poisoned twice by Putin and now faces years in a Russian jail with trumped up charges.

Don't be a martyr. It's a rubbish career move. And don't expect foreign regimes to topple your dictator. They won't. They will protect them, as they need foreign threats to support their regimes, their spending on weaponry, their cold war agenda, and their surveillance state roll-outs.

The West ran away from Afghanistan, handing their women to the Taliban on a plate. They watched the pro-democracy protestors in HK get beaten and imprisoned. They must have banned the Ukrainians from using any of their kit to target Putin or Russian politicians. That is, to actually end the conflict rapidly by going after those responsible. Instead Ukraine is only allowed to cosplay WWI tank battles at considerable human cost on both sides.

For all the rhetoric about democracy, US politicians will game any conflict for domestic benefit. They will not save your skin. So if you want to oppose a dictator, either do it from a place of safety, or be prepared to take them, their cronies and their paymasters down. And understand that you will to have to do it on your own.

Well stated as always. Unfortunately Russian Nazis look up to Stalin these days.

Russia is not a free country.

Don't be a martyr. It's a rubbish career move. And don't expect foreign regimes to topple your dictator. They won't. They will protect them, as they need foreign threats to support their regimes, their spending on weaponry, their cold war agenda, and their surveillance state roll-outs.

Perhaps it is the principle of not wanting to see your people enslaved, your money stolen, and you country's government a laughingstock before the rest of the world?

The West ran away from Afghanistan, handing their women to the Taliban on a plate.

A murder on your doorstep tends to focus the mind more than one a few streets over in the bad part of town.

They watched the pro-democracy protestors in HK get beaten and imprisoned.

You would have preferred the US declare war over this?

They must have banned the Ukrainians from using any of their kit to target Putin or Russian politicians. That is, to actually end the conflict rapidly by going after those responsible.

So in your view it is easy to assassinate a world leader? And killing a politician below the leader will help how?

Instead Ukraine is only allowed to cosplay WWI tank battles at considerable human cost on both sides.

I don't think cosplaying has caused the tens of thousands of casualties on the Russian side. Russia proved through its own incompetence that you can't just missile your way into any major city.

For all the rhetoric about democracy, US politicians will game any conflict for domestic benefit. They will not save your skin. So if you want to oppose a dictator, either do it from a place of safety, or be prepared to take them, their cronies and their paymasters down. And understand that you will to have to do it on your own.

There are different types of resistance. Ghandhi and MLK did it the nonviolent way. Of course they were facing a less murderous regime. Even Putin has been too scared to just off Navalny in prison.

What he says is true, but it takes a brave person to speak the truth in public in Russia today.

Kara-Murza has the truth and history on his side while the cowardly tin-pot thug Putin will become a curse word to add to Russia's bulging lexicon of obscenities.

Slight difference here, in Stalin's time this man would be dead already, no trial nothing.

lillibet

Slight difference here, in Stalin's time this man would be dead already, no trial nothing.

That's still the case. He's had two attempts on his life. He's just lucky that they failed.

Putin has been gentle to tell you keep quiet and behaves. You should gratitude him instead pointless criticism. In Stalin days, you are gone without a trace!

Putin has been gentle to tell you keep quiet and behaves. You should gratitude him instead pointless criticism. In Stalin days, you are gone without a trace!

No nation should be proud of being a human rights violator. Inb4 nonsequitur about the US.

wallaceApr. 11  08:50 am JST

Russia is not a free country.

No it's not. But this isn't the USSR and this isn't Stalin either. That's all history. But nonetheless, Kara is right to say that this is a shammy kangaroo court because it is just that. With Stalin he'd be 'found dead' and obscure. Big difference here. That was then and this is now.

How could this guy holding both Russian and British passport?

Russia did not recognise dual nationality and if he hold an enemy's passport, he is a traitor. That's why Putin is very generous and gentle to him!

Russia did not recognise dual nationality

"The acquisition by a citizen of the Russian Federation of another citizenship does not entail the termination of citizenship of the Russian Federation." It's a federal law

he is a traitor

Agree! If he wants to fight an internal enemy, he doesn’t have to run to the Americans so that they impose sanctions against his country. Of course he's a vile traitor.

Agree! If he wants to fight an internal enemy, he doesn’t have to run to the Americans so that they impose sanctions against his country. Of course he's a vile traitor.

Since he is being locked up for speaking his mind of course he has to ask for help from outside powers.

Taiwan, don't bring a blizzard, don't talk to people like idiots. Invented a fairy tale about The Hague...Leave it to yourself

Is this a haiku?

Since he is being locked up for speaking his mind of course he has to ask for help from outside powers.

No, it was long before the locking.... His whole life is a continuous hatred of his own country. Now is not the time for it

Is this a haiku?

Random anapest

No, it was long before the locking.... His whole life is a continuous hatred of his own country. Now is not the time for it

Given his country disgraces itself every day with its illegal war, it is the perfect time for it.

Given his country disgraces itself every day with its illegal war, it is the perfect time for it.

Listen, TaiwanIsNotChina, evil troll... I don't know Taiwan at all, I know the only thing very well it's Teresa Teng. This is an amazing performer! Star of the East! I have several CDs and LPs with her songs.... And I don't know anything else about Taiwan.... And what of good do you know about Russia? Besides the false propaganda u are teaching here