Vladimir Putin is taking his shots where he can get them these days while Russia essentially disintegrates in the aftermath of his Ukraine invasion. He’s recently attempted to guilt-trip Russian billionaires into propping up the economy with no takers yet. His private army is recruiting on Pornhub, and eyebrows are finally starting to raise regarding how his critics and detracting associates tend to fall out of high-story windows, totaling in the dozens.
How is the Russian president blowing off steam? He decided to fine a politician for essentially pulling a Marjorie Taylor Greene, which is ironic, given that she seems to favor Putin if that’s the cost of slamming Biden. Yet Putin showed no patience for a (silent) heckler when Mikhail Abdalkin decided to take a stand by placing spaghetti on his ears while virtually spectating a Putin speech. Well, Putin heard about the resulting viral video and tossed over a $2,000 fine. Via Reuters, Vlad as steamed that Abdalkin was “discrediting the armed forces.”
The noodles were apparently a statement that Abdalkin believes that Putin’s speeches are filled with lies.
Putin didn’t take kindly to this move, obviously, yet as NPR reports, he seems to be much happier about the statement recently made by two Russian fighter pilots who took down an unmanned U.S. drone. Accordingly, the Russian Defense Ministry has honored the pilots while deeming the American aircraft to be an “intruder.” Further and as NPR relates, Russia claims, “The Russian aircraft did not use onboard weapons, did not come into contact with the unmanned aerial vehicle and returned safely to their home airfield.” The no-contact claim appears to be completely false, as shown by Pentagon footage (via CNN) that shows the jets pouring fuel upon the drone. It’s not exactly a Lex Luthor move, but it’s not playing fair by any stretch.