“Supporting Putin's victims”
Covid drawing to its dreary close, I flew to Moscow with my Russian girlfriend in mid-February. I thought it would be a good time to meet with clients and review projects for later in the year and next.
Also, I’d visit my girlfriend’s family in her Siberian home city, see my Russian friends, and do some teaching.
At that time, the threat of war was clear but, like just about everyone, I didn’t believe that Putin, for all his callous evilness, would actually invade Ukraine. He’s always been a b*****d but insane? We didn’t think so, rather we thought it was Machiavellian sabre rattling, all about posturing and extracting concessions from Ukraine and ‘the West’ at gunpoint. Then the unprovoked invasion began on…
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Nick Hobbs, owner of Istanbul-based promoter Charmenko, relates his experience of a recent trip to Russia and conversations with colleagues over the past few weeks
Comment 7 March 2022