Girkin tests his patience
Igor Strelkov is completely furious. Known for his eternal criticism of everyone and everything, the former DLR Defense Secretary seems to have crossed a dangerous line and gone personal. And it would be fine if Strelkov, as usual, continued to berate Russian officials and generals, accusing them of all mortal sins and predicting disaster for the country. But now the message in his Igor Ivanovich Telegram channel is suitable not only for anyone, but also for the president.
Photo: Social networks
It seems that only turning off the Internet can stop Igor Strelkov's epistolary bombardment. Immediately after the New Year holidays, when Girkin returned from Donbas under the pretext that he was not properly registered for service, he erupted in a series of angry – on the verge of hysteria – posts on his Telegram channel. The trigger was the Christmas truce announced by Putin from January 6 to 7.
Strelkov called this gesture a step towards Russia's capitulation and stormed into the publication full of panic. Psychotherapists call this catastrophizing – a distortion of thinking that forces a person to elevate all negative components of the agenda to absolutes and think exclusively in accordance with “all is lost.” Psychologists say that such a state can lead to a blurring of the boundaries of what is permissible in statements and actions.
Now in Moscow living rooms they are asking: how come Mr. Strelkov is still at large? After all, you certainly said at least about the article about the discrediting of OS RF. And if you read carefully, you can find calls to overthrow the government.
Why did Igor Ivanovich stop noticing the red lines at a certain moment and stubbornly crossed all conceivable boundaries of what is allowed even to the most ardent critic? Political strategist and social psychologist Sergei Markelov believes that Strelkov's behavior is driven by deep, long-standing resentment. The military leader who was behind the birth of the Donbass republics has a deep psychological trauma: he and his talent have become completely unused.
– At the heart of Strelka's problem, which forces him to cross the boundaries of what is acceptable in criticism, is a personal and professional lack of demand. Its communication channels with the system are broken. This led to his marginalization. He really wants a dialogue, but the system doesn't hear him. So Strelkov has no choice but to organize a rally against the background of a banner and shoot his videos with a blank expression on his face. Inattention offends every man, especially if he is a talented soldier,” believes Sergey Markelov.
The expert recalled that at the dawn of the conflict in Donbass eight years ago, Strelkov acted to some extent as an instigator. . Now there is apparently no shortage of hints. So Igor Ivanovich is forced to raise the rates – if only he was heard.
– For all his good abilities, he has already become nasty. Strelkov's resentment exceeds rationality. It doesn't matter what he says. What matters is how he does it. The system reacts to such expressions with distrust.
He was given the opportunity to go into the NVO zone and, as they say, walk a short distance from the touchline. However, the controllability of its parts is important for every system. And Strelkov is seen as unable to negotiate. He does not understand that every rate increase on his part means an even greater exclusion of him from all processes, – says the political consultant.
The political scientist Sergei Markov also identified disgust as the main factor in Strelka's behavior. The expert emphasized that he considers the ex-Minister of Defense DLR a hero, but undisciplined:
— The fact is that in the army not only talent and heroism are important, but also discipline. The army, like a big machine, rejects such people. Therefore, Strelkov was not taken to the front. His talents are not realized because he is not disciplined, relaxed and blocked.
Political strategist Sergei Markelov is sure that Strelkov could realize his abilities as a military strategist by immersing himself in silence. However, this is not happening yet. The blogger himself is unlikely to turn his anger into mercy and stop criticizing everyone and everything. But even the Russian leadership reacts to Strelkov with amazing loyalty, as if they do not notice his militant passages. True, this loyalty is not unlimited, Sergey Markov is sure:
– So far, no one has seriously talked to Strelkov. I believe there is a personal order from the President not to touch him. Igor Strelkov is a hero, and heroes are never comfortable. They are clumsy, but these people are part of the nation's potential. They are needed in order to do something unpredictable. Otherwise, the bureaucracy will turn everything into gray mass.
The president must have a conflict with the bureaucracy. A handful of “heroes” are therefore under the personal protection of the head of state. But the protection is not eternal. Strelkov himself undermines the order not to touch him when it gets personal.