Eduard Limonov: "The history of Russia is ideology"

The writer told the “Russian Planet” about the need for social change, the ideology of Russia and the unwillingness of the elites to “put the dog” Ukraine
A publicist, a Russian political figure, the chairman of the party “The Other Russia” - this is not a complete list of the regalia of the Russian writer Eduard Limonov. Since December 2014, Limonov has refused to participate in political shows on television channels. “Such participation humiliated me,” the writer stresses. All the year he actively participates in the events in the Donbass - his associates from the “Interbrigade” fight in the ranks of the Republican Armed Forces and have military awards and certificates. Despite the fact that Limonov did not give an interview, he agreed to answer the questions of the “Russian Planet”.

- Eduard Veniaminovich, certain changes have taken place in our country since the state coup in Ukraine happened. The country is actually in a state of war. At the same time, political elites in the managerial and economic sector continue to conduct policies that do not correspond to the situation ...

“If in foreign policy a country now through time defends national interests, as exemplified by the reunification of Crimea with Russia, nothing has changed in the interior since our social system is liberal capitalism, with such a system, Chubais is appropriate for now.” It is not for nothing that Kudrin 11 has run the Russian economy for years and continues to be a close person to power. Therefore, it is necessary not to drive the government, but to change the line.

- But if we still follow the path of reforms, what could be the optimal reform of the executive branch from the position of Vladimir Putin? How to build state power in the current situation?

“Since Vladimir Putin remains the head of state and he is very popular, it’s senseless to dream of celestial potatoes, it’s pragmatic to assume that he is there, and maybe put him in a situation in which he will have to give up liberal capitalism ... After all, Putin was forced to reunite Crimea with Russia, because otherwise Russian citizens would have fallen in love with it inevitably.

“Ideology does not need to be looked for - it is originally”

- After the collapse of the Soviet Union, all state policy was aimed at appealing to the West. Now the situation is somewhat different, but we continue to fulfill international obligations, but is it necessary?

- No need to be utterly idiots, the West violates international obligations anytime and anywhere, as soon as there is a need. The West welcomed the USSR assassination with a wide and kind smile and applauded the reunification of Germany and the destruction of Yugoslavia; meanwhile, all these dramatic events completely contradicted the international covenants signed in Yalta and in Potsdam and tens and hundreds of smaller international agreements.

- Here you can make a kind of digression - after all, the Soviet Union had an ideology, but now there are obvious problems with this ...

— History Russia is ideology. The concept of justice, which for centuries has replaced Russia with the concept of democracy, is our ideology. Our concept of justice includes a sharpened understanding of equality, which is why socialism has taken root in 70 years. The fact that we are the largest European nation (40% of the territory, 118 of millions of Russians live in Europe) is our ideology. That is, we have a set of basic data for Russia - they together form our ideology. So no need to look for her - it is there initially.

- Then how to dose and give this ideology? Will you help the state?

- I would help the Russian state, but I don’t want to help this power to build young people, it’s power I haven’t deserved it yet. Power understands only submission, as long as it continues, I will not come close to power. In this sense, it is quite unpleasant to me.

“The authorities allowed Crimea to reunite with Russia, because they understood that Russian citizens would be cursed if it did not”

- The case when Oleg Mironov was jailed for speaking out against the musician Makarevich scattered leaflets, of course, everyone has heard. Why is this happening? Is it not clear that the people despise Makarevich and support Mironov?

- This is the dictatorship of the law, because it was her as the principle of his future government that he declared during his first election as president Vladimir Putin. In other words - all the sisters in the face. Bay whites do not blush yet, beat red ones until they turn white. Unfair, yes, because by punishing Mironov, the power justifies Makarevich. This will adversely affect the friendliness of the government. Friendliness will lose. There will be a lot of questions to the authorities.

Oleg Mironov (center), accused of spraying pepper gas at the concert of Andrei Makarevich, during the examination of the motion of the investigation to extend the arrest in the Zamoskvoretsky court

Oleg Mironov (center), accused of spraying pepper gas at the concert of Andrei Makarevich, during the examination of the motion of the investigation to extend the arrest in the Zamoskvoretsky court. Photo: Valery Sharifulin / TASS
In addition to the Mironov case, there is a deportation initiated by the Kremlin from members of the Other Russia party from Donetsk. This is also repression, although not in the territory of the Russian Federation. Thinking quite vile here manifests itself - “Fight, turn your dears yourself for the freedom of Donbass, but to engage in party activities, we will not give you ...”.

- Nevertheless, you think that when a state is at war, you need to rally around the state. How do you rate our foreign policy?

“The authorities of the Russian Federation allowed Crimea to reunite with Russia because they understood that Russian citizens would be cursed if it did not.” Now, in the case of Donbass, the authorities want to get rid of the problem and somehow manipulate the horse and quivering doe together - Kiev and the DPR-LPR. It will not work, for it is unnatural, and thousands of corpses will not allow reconciliation, believe my experience. So they press reverse, and where we press, they don’t want to press there.

- Part of society openly calls on the president to send troops. Now we observe the Minsk agreements. What will happen next is also vaguely presented. You once talked about the collapse of Ukraine ...

- It is already enough to call, everything is said, who wanted to hear - I heard ... It is possible to divide the Ukrainian empire by persuading Poland, Hungary, Romania, Slovakia to make claims to their territories now belonging to the Ukrainian Empire. The Russian government, I note, does not. I think, does not believe in success. Need to believe. The war and so, and so it goes, and Russian participate in it, volunteers and those who should participate, according to the authorities. After all, there are absolutely no prerequisites for peace in the Donbas. A year ago, a quick blitzkrieg of the Russian army in Kiev was needed. Today it is unlikely to help. But we still win. Be bold, GDP!