28 february 2015, murder of moscow

The brazen murder of boris nemtsov, opposition stalwart, on the eve of a rally that might just have opened up popular criticism of the war in ukraine, does feel a little like an end of the world as we know it moment. Not a sudden drop into the abyss, more like the lobster being boiled alive in slowly heating water. There is a definitive moment when it dies, and historians may look back on today as the end of the collectively-willed pretence of russia as democratic, rationalist and not totalitarian. From that other consequences also come. To alexei devotchenko, natalia estemirova, alexander litvinenko, sergei magnitsky and anna politkovskaya then, we can add boris yefimovich nemtsov, former deputy prime minister, scientist, statesman and outspoken critic of vladimir putin. Just days ago a strident anti-maidan movement was formed in russia; it may already have its first victim. That such a thing was even conjured into being does underline the basic rationale for the whole ukrainian war being about not allowing such a protest movement (in kiev last year) with a pro-european/nato stance, to sweep to power and see success. That message to russia would be far too close to home and so must be stopped at all costs, and indeed stop it, is exactly what putin has very successfully done. An engaging election across the whole country, a strong new government, rapprochment with the west, opening borders and economic success are not exactly the image we have today of poor wretched ukraine. Stopping the lifeblood of hope from outside and cutting down the agents of change from within (putin called nemtsov part of a fifth column) are part of the same strategy. Slowly the rest of the world needs to realise the consequences of the lengths (see 17 april 2014, and the beast goes on) to which the russian leader will go.