Former KGB Spy On Putin’s Speech | Zerlina.

Vladimir Putin doubled down in a speech Monday defending the war in Ukraine. Former KGB agent Jack Barsky weighs in.

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#MSNBC #Putin #KGB

[lunhil]

He's right about his generation but there's a lot of young people in Russia who don't believe everything they're told. This is why authoritarians always want to limit information from outside.

[leontich]

I would disagree with Mr. Barsky, completely and absolutely. As a German, he does not know Russia well. I was born in Moscow near the Kremlin wall, a son of Moscow University assistant professors, I lived up to 50 years old there, under the late communism, then under the new Russia at its wild beginning. Then I moved to the US, American citizen for more than 20 years, I can really compare. Nope, Russians are not that dumb. Most just sit quiet because they do not want problems. When the USSR crashed, the majority hoped to join the developed world. There was no sense of fear towards western countries. KGB, however, was able to take situation under control. They did not want to share vast resources of Russia with the developed world by really joining it. They wanted to put their hands on it. New propaganda cycle started soon. The result you see. Most Russians sit quiet again. That will change in a snap if and when they will get real freedoms.

[lorenzoblum]

It's easier to fool people than to convince them that they have been fooled ~ Mark Twain

[spicyirwin]

It feels good to respect my 1st LADY. She spent her Mother's Day supporting Mrs Zelensky & she knows what to say. Plus other moms & kids. Selfless yet when u give u receive!

[mjhzen]

So, the West has to understand Russia, but Russia doesn't have to understand the West?

[vanhelsing]

Name me a European country that has NOT been invaded during the centuries from the north, south etc. So that`s no explanation for Putins megalomania.

[gerryg]

I had an aunt who was left wing, she grew up in the 1920s/30s at a time when you either aligned with the communists or the fascists. She always used the excuse that Russia was always the one that was invaded, not the other way round, vikings, mongols, french, germans etc, etc. I would always counter with Poland and Finland. We could also add following WW2, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Romania, Poland, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Bulgaria. We can now add, Afganistan, Georgia, Chechnya and Ukraine.

[AwakeInAnacortes]

"The world is against us" - Self fulfilling prophecy

[agnes]

A large group of young Russian people have left the country since the start of the war, because they are unhappy with Putin's regime. It makes sense to start the discussion about the falsehood of Russian media, from outside, because they are already there, they are not in the country. This ex-Kgb guy promotes inactivity and acceptance of fate. Not a too helpful attitude in this tense situation.

[jamesmadison]

People naver know how to avoid making losses while trading, you need to get full understanding and knowledge it is not something you just gamble, Mr.Alece.consistent and constructive. I am getting the best from it.

[commonsense]

Once a Marine always a Marine. Same goes for KGB.

[joerogain]

"When I look into Putins 👁 💀 👁 eyes I see the KGB." Republican Senator John McCain

[ConnMtenor]

I agree with this man- 150%. We must NOT feed into their paranoia.

[patrickdewilde]

Indeed, even in the 70''s, as a Belgian tourist, I remember having been aggressed by old german nazis in cologne, that was 30 years after WW2 ended!

[Aussie-Mocha]

That was excellent! Thanks Ex KGB. We have a huge and long fight on our hand that will probably continue for another Century. We just have to be honest to our kids and grandchildren so they don’t forget how important this Anty propaganda battle is for the future of man kind . 💪🏻
🇺🇦💪🏻

[mieliav]

the number of soldiers in the Vday parade was a little less than the number of russian soldiers so far fallen in ukraine.

[theelephantintheroom]

It was said that there was an estimated 11 thousand troops on parade. Putin has lost twice as many men as they showed in Red Square.

[matthewjohnson]

Barsky is right to point out two things: 1) the paranoia about being 'surrounded' and 2) the Russian resistance to criticism from outside. But his coverage of both phenomena is too limited.,

So, for example, concerning 1: yes, they are paranoid about being surrounded, yes, invasions from all directions go a long way to explain it, but what is left with no good explanation is how Russia treats bordering nations so badly they have turned almost *all* of them into enemies.

If you really are so afraid of your neighbors, you have to stop turning them into enemies. Somehow, this never gets across to them.

Now concerning 2, there is a line from Pushkin that explains it beautifully: "I hate my country from head to toe, but I burn when a *foreigner* criticizes Russia."

But as with the fist, Russia just has to make this worse: they do such awful things, such as the war crimes in Ukraine, the whole world *must* criticize them. Yet they make excuses for themselves to get angry over the criticism, acting like a kid with his hand caught in the cookie jar.



There is one more thing Pushkin said that is even more a propos here: it was either in his letters or in his history of Ukraine that Pushkin wrote that all of [Great] Russia should do a full protration and beg Ukraine for forgiveness for all the wicked things Russia did to Ukraine.

Not only is this very a propos today's crisis, but since Russians won't listen to criticism from outsiders, maybe they will listen to their greatest poet when he tells them the same thing!

[rhondaharris]

This is sort of off topic MSNBC should give you Joy Reid spot you're a much better interviewer and respectful of your guess. today was just another fine example of not only your interviewing skills but you're willingness to let your guess talk and say what they have to say.

[jacquelineheimburg]

Thanks for having Jack Barsky on. He is a suburb guest, with great knowledge and insight.