Mikhail Zyugar, a Russian dissident whose Substack I read, had this to say about the exchange:
I am very happy that some of the hostages, including Russian citizens who were captured solely because of their honesty and courage, have been freed. They stood against the war in Ukraine and fought for freedom. Just yesterday, I feared that some of them would end their lives in prison.
But even on such a day, I cannot stop thinking about the thousands of people who remain in Putin's prisons. About the poet Zhenya Berkovich. About the politician 63-years old Alexei Gorinov, who protested against the war from the first day of Russia's invasion of Ukraine – and is now dying in prison. About Daniil Kholodny – an IT specialist who was imprisoned for 8 years for creating a website for Alexei Navalny. About thousands of other people.
I am sure that most people living in Russia feel like hostages. About 25 years ago, power in Russia was seized by a gang of terrorists led by Vladimir Putin. All these years, they have been terrorizing the country's population, imprisoning people for any disobedience, teaching citizens to think that resistance is impossible and useless, doing everything to make Russians develop Stockholm syndrome. It is impossible to help all of them; it is impossible to exchange millions of people. But it is important to remember that thousands of hostages are still being held in Putin's prisons. And over these years, Putin has successfully turned the whole country into a GULAG. So many people feel like hostages, even if they are not behind bars.
I have dear friends in Vladivostok, St. Petersberg, Vladimir and Souzdal. Wonderful Soviet scientists that I worked with thirty years ago. They loved Americans and just could not fathom what the "Problem" was for so long. They had just gotten the published documents that Gorbachev unclassified and were blown awy that Stalin had killed some ten million Russians.
I am afraid to write to them, call them. I fear that should I, they will fall into suspicion and put their lives in danger. We used to visit, back in the early/mid 1990s. Aeroflot was easy out of San Francisco back then. I miss them.
Yes, we should never forget about the bigger picture. I can't believe Trump's minions don't understand we'd be headed for the same treatment given his huge, insatiable ego.
Even the majority of the current Russian military infantry and tank units are largely conscripted hostages of Putin's territorial ambitions. And Putin got rid of the guy who complained about the lack of equipment and training the troops received, an "untimely" plane disaster.
I am happy for the prisoners and their families. Biden is a humanitarian and a masterful negotiator. When you speak softly, people must lean in and pay attention. Who said "Speak softly and carry a big stick"?
He pulled off the transition to Kamala seamlesly, with all sworn to secrecy. He out foxed Pelosi and Obama to carry his administration into the future seamlesly.
No Kingmakers need apply.
It is the MSM that is Doddering, as are the Repugnants.
With all due respect, Rideout, may I suggest that that no “out-foxing” took place.
Nancy Pelosi and Barack Obama continue to be two very close advisors in Pres Biden’s closest circle. Ms. Pelosi could hardly pull off her remarks during the transition when called on to support the narrative that “Joe too dang old”. I’ve never seen her so uncomfortable speaking.
Both her and former Pres Obama took one for the team. They can play hardball well when softball doesn’t cut it.
Not unusual to this Floridian, I love Biden too. We Democrats feel like hostages in our own state. All my representatives are MAGA. Harris has energized our party and brought new hope.
"The fact that President Biden concluded this hostage deal an hour before he announced that he was not running for reelection is incredible. It shows Biden’s deep commitment to the presidency and to democracy."
This is so telling and so important.
Thanks for sharing who the released prisoners are.
It must be exceedingly difficult to give a proper diagnosis for TFG's mental problems. He is basically transactional, but his narcissism and total lack of empathy always dirties that up. In his statement he mentions cash in every other sentence but can't find one word of joy or thanks that ours and other's prisoners and hostages gained freedom.
Lucian K. Truscott noted that with the release of these 16 hostages, Vladimir Putin "voted early" in the US presidential race by denying Donald trump the talking point of rescuing the hostages..... When your major foreign patron gives up on you, it's best to plan your retirement years - oh wait, Jack Smith is planning for that himself.....
I'm very happy for those released prisoners and even more happy for their families! How thankful and joyous those families must feel.
Having said that...another side benefit of announcing this wonderful news today (not that that was why news of the prisoner exchange got released today--just a favorable coincidence) but it once again grabs the spotlight away from the scowling, squinting orange felon. Yes, no doubt fresh catsup adorns the wall of the Mar-A-Lardo mausoleum.
Thanks so much for this information TC. Beautifully written and expressed. What an asshat that narcissistic former guy is. What else can you say.
President Biden closed this deal just one hour before he stepped down from the race. Imagine what was swirling around him as he accomplished this. My heart aches for him. What an amazing man he is. Kamala has big shoes to fill but she is up to the task.
Never forget that Joe Biden picked Kamala Harris. That’s important. President Biden knows what he’s doing and we should all be eternally grateful for that.
Always Judas's 30 pieces of silver included in Trump deals. What a crass and despicable punk he is, but his predictable whining will not darken any corner where Biden's honorable bright light is shining during this fine hour.
And the cosmic pouter has much to be miserable about because his UnTruth Social keeps losing users--as well as using losers.
"The fat old loser wasn’t happy for the hostages that he failed to get released. His response doesn’t mention the hostages. That’s because the senile old loser doesn’t care about the hostages."
The fat Old Loser doesn't give a sh*t about anything or anyone other than himself. Thank God this Ultimate Narcissist will no longer have control over my life.
Ol’ Joe is just plain impressive. Working the phones to save lives and demonstrate democracy works even as he knows he’s giving up the reins. Such presence of mind and strength of character. And he gets 2 for 1, he helps the nationals of our German allies, and he talked Putin into giving up his own dissidents. Just wow. One for the history books.
Heinz must be putting on extra shifts producing ketchup for shipment to Mar-a-Lardo…gallons and gallons of ketchup in tanker trucks heading to Florida??
Mikhail Zyugar, a Russian dissident whose Substack I read, had this to say about the exchange:
I am very happy that some of the hostages, including Russian citizens who were captured solely because of their honesty and courage, have been freed. They stood against the war in Ukraine and fought for freedom. Just yesterday, I feared that some of them would end their lives in prison.
But even on such a day, I cannot stop thinking about the thousands of people who remain in Putin's prisons. About the poet Zhenya Berkovich. About the politician 63-years old Alexei Gorinov, who protested against the war from the first day of Russia's invasion of Ukraine – and is now dying in prison. About Daniil Kholodny – an IT specialist who was imprisoned for 8 years for creating a website for Alexei Navalny. About thousands of other people.
I am sure that most people living in Russia feel like hostages. About 25 years ago, power in Russia was seized by a gang of terrorists led by Vladimir Putin. All these years, they have been terrorizing the country's population, imprisoning people for any disobedience, teaching citizens to think that resistance is impossible and useless, doing everything to make Russians develop Stockholm syndrome. It is impossible to help all of them; it is impossible to exchange millions of people. But it is important to remember that thousands of hostages are still being held in Putin's prisons. And over these years, Putin has successfully turned the whole country into a GULAG. So many people feel like hostages, even if they are not behind bars.
I have dear friends in Vladivostok, St. Petersberg, Vladimir and Souzdal. Wonderful Soviet scientists that I worked with thirty years ago. They loved Americans and just could not fathom what the "Problem" was for so long. They had just gotten the published documents that Gorbachev unclassified and were blown awy that Stalin had killed some ten million Russians.
I am afraid to write to them, call them. I fear that should I, they will fall into suspicion and put their lives in danger. We used to visit, back in the early/mid 1990s. Aeroflot was easy out of San Francisco back then. I miss them.
Tragic.
Yes, we should never forget about the bigger picture. I can't believe Trump's minions don't understand we'd be headed for the same treatment given his huge, insatiable ego.
They are making the assumption that they will always be on the "safe" side of the pit.
That is the saddest commentary on Putin’s regime I have heard yet. I’d like to paste your comment across Tucker Carlson’s ugly face.
Even the majority of the current Russian military infantry and tank units are largely conscripted hostages of Putin's territorial ambitions. And Putin got rid of the guy who complained about the lack of equipment and training the troops received, an "untimely" plane disaster.
That's a little look-see into a future of Project 2025. Which has the word Trump in it 312 times, but he knows nothing about it.
I am happy for the prisoners and their families. Biden is a humanitarian and a masterful negotiator. When you speak softly, people must lean in and pay attention. Who said "Speak softly and carry a big stick"?
Teddy Roosevelt
Of course. Thanks.
Noo!
Teddy Roosevelt.
come on
Biden is masterfully successful for such a “doddering old man”!
He pulled off the transition to Kamala seamlesly, with all sworn to secrecy. He out foxed Pelosi and Obama to carry his administration into the future seamlesly.
No Kingmakers need apply.
It is the MSM that is Doddering, as are the Repugnants.
With all due respect, Rideout, may I suggest that that no “out-foxing” took place.
Nancy Pelosi and Barack Obama continue to be two very close advisors in Pres Biden’s closest circle. Ms. Pelosi could hardly pull off her remarks during the transition when called on to support the narrative that “Joe too dang old”. I’ve never seen her so uncomfortable speaking.
Both her and former Pres Obama took one for the team. They can play hardball well when softball doesn’t cut it.
Salud!
🗽
What a glorious day!! How I wish Navalny was alive to be part of it.
Our President may not be a great orator, but, he’s a world class statesman. Thank you Mr President.
I ❤️ Joe Biden. He's proving over and over that he's truly one of the greatest statesmen to grace the White House. My respect grows deeper every day.
I love President Biden and I am beyond grateful he’s in the White House doing his job, which might seem unusual to the Florida contingent.
Not unusual to this Floridian, I love Biden too. We Democrats feel like hostages in our own state. All my representatives are MAGA. Harris has energized our party and brought new hope.
I’m so glad to hear that you’re feeling some energy and hope after such a long time.
A reporter asked the President about Trump's claim that he could have gotten them out with a phone call to Putin.
"Then why didn't he do it while he was President?" was Biden's response.
Then dropped the mic and walked off the stage! I wonder if that reporter was from Faux Noise?
Nowadays, it's hard to tell, since the others want to be Faux.
"The fact that President Biden concluded this hostage deal an hour before he announced that he was not running for reelection is incredible. It shows Biden’s deep commitment to the presidency and to democracy."
This is so telling and so important.
Thanks for sharing who the released prisoners are.
It must be exceedingly difficult to give a proper diagnosis for TFG's mental problems. He is basically transactional, but his narcissism and total lack of empathy always dirties that up. In his statement he mentions cash in every other sentence but can't find one word of joy or thanks that ours and other's prisoners and hostages gained freedom.
He must be so hollow inside.
A hollow, empty, boring old man.
Not hollow, just filled with lizards, maggots, and sewer gas.
Sewer gas, nice touch.
Cash is love to him. He hoards it to try to keep all the love/cash for himself.
Empty
Lucian K. Truscott noted that with the release of these 16 hostages, Vladimir Putin "voted early" in the US presidential race by denying Donald trump the talking point of rescuing the hostages..... When your major foreign patron gives up on you, it's best to plan your retirement years - oh wait, Jack Smith is planning for that himself.....
What’s curious is that Putin punted on Trump before Ol’ Joe dropped out of the race.
I really thought that Putin would wait for chump to be back in WH. Could be that he’s not so sure anymore. Hallelujah
Like all mob bosses Putin values unquestioning and dependable loyalty. Trump has shown himself to be unpredictable and capricious.
You are so right. But I betcha he can be jerked back in line by whatever Putin has on him. One thing he will NEVER change into is a loyal American.
I'm very happy for those released prisoners and even more happy for their families! How thankful and joyous those families must feel.
Having said that...another side benefit of announcing this wonderful news today (not that that was why news of the prisoner exchange got released today--just a favorable coincidence) but it once again grabs the spotlight away from the scowling, squinting orange felon. Yes, no doubt fresh catsup adorns the wall of the Mar-A-Lardo mausoleum.
LOL!!!
Thanks so much for this information TC. Beautifully written and expressed. What an asshat that narcissistic former guy is. What else can you say.
President Biden closed this deal just one hour before he stepped down from the race. Imagine what was swirling around him as he accomplished this. My heart aches for him. What an amazing man he is. Kamala has big shoes to fill but she is up to the task.
Never forget that Joe Biden picked Kamala Harris. That’s important. President Biden knows what he’s doing and we should all be eternally grateful for that.
Exactly.
His choice of Kamala was impeccable!
This is great! Hostages are free and Trump is miserable. It's a good day!
Always Judas's 30 pieces of silver included in Trump deals. What a crass and despicable punk he is, but his predictable whining will not darken any corner where Biden's honorable bright light is shining during this fine hour.
And the cosmic pouter has much to be miserable about because his UnTruth Social keeps losing users--as well as using losers.
Well said
Thank you for condensing so much information into one beautifully written essay!
"The fat old loser wasn’t happy for the hostages that he failed to get released. His response doesn’t mention the hostages. That’s because the senile old loser doesn’t care about the hostages."
The fat Old Loser doesn't give a sh*t about anything or anyone other than himself. Thank God this Ultimate Narcissist will no longer have control over my life.
Ol’ Joe is just plain impressive. Working the phones to save lives and demonstrate democracy works even as he knows he’s giving up the reins. Such presence of mind and strength of character. And he gets 2 for 1, he helps the nationals of our German allies, and he talked Putin into giving up his own dissidents. Just wow. One for the history books.
Heinz must be putting on extra shifts producing ketchup for shipment to Mar-a-Lardo…gallons and gallons of ketchup in tanker trucks heading to Florida??