Mar 28: Olga Lautman, “they fucked up the country”
As published in Olga Lautman's Russian Digest on March 27, 2023
Before reading…
We’ve all been wondering if the rumours out of Russia about the criticisms against Putin and his inner circle were true or not. Olga Lautman published a series of tweets on Sunday night after receiving confirmation that a recording of a conversation between Iosif Prigozhin and Farkhad Akhmedov was real. Reading through the transcript, one thing struck me: Prigozhin and Akhmedov aren’t concerned about Ukraine per se, but what Putin and his circle have done to Russia.
I’ll leave the rest for your reading. Olga’s Russian Digest is always a good read with the latest analysis and news from Russia and Ukraine.
Olga Lautman, “they fucked up the country”
Ukrainian media have released an audio recording of music producer Iosif Prigozhin and oligarch Farkhad Akhmedov allegedly discussing and criticizing the Russian leadership. In particular, using obscene language, they expressed their attitude toward President Vladimir Putin and his entourage.
The record appeared on the Internet a few weeks ago, but they paid attention to it only now.
“No, Farkhad, there's no doubt about the fact that they fucked up the country,” a man who sounds like Prigozhin says on the recording.
The same man also refers to Putin's inner circle as “washed-up lowlifes” who act as if they are “gods”.
“They joined forces — Igor [Sechin], Sergey [Lavrov], and Viktor Zolotov. They're blaming [Sergey] Shoigu for everything. They're calling him a piece of shit, behind his back obviously,” the man says on the recording.
The man who sounds like Akhmedov advises Prigozhin to “sell everything”, if he has “any chance to end up under sanctions” because “they know everything” and “[all the assets] will be frozen”. Furthermore, the man with Akhmedov's voice complains that “they” only consider the bad and none of the good.
Then, the man talks about the impact the EU, UK, and Canada's sanctions had on his life after the start of the war in Ukraine. He complains that his card was blocked, while his boat is “rotting”.
“They write that I'm a close friend of Putin's! Fuck that! The last time I saw Putin was in 2008 <…>
“He screwed all of us over. Everyone and everything. The entire country. The entire population, for fuck's sake.
“The issue isn't the fucking money, it's about decency,” the man who sounds like Akhmedov claims.
“Basically, he buried the Russian nation,” the man with Prigozhin's voice agrees.
Iosif Prigozhin has already responded, saying that the audio is “fake” and that his stance is known to everyone. “Everyone is aware of my political stance, which is evidenced in all of my interviews and public [comments]. But you know, while I was listening to the audio, I too almost believed it was me,” Prigozhin added.
The source of Important Stories in the special services: “The recording of the conversation between Prigozhin and Akhmedov is genuine, the FSB leadership recently held a meeting and instructed subordinates to take action”
On the recording, the interlocutors discuss the war in Ukraine, the fate of Russia, and the relationship of officials from Putin's entourage for half an hour. Here are the most striking quotes from their conversation.
Prigozhin: “They teamed up, Igor Ivanovich (Sechin - Ed.), Sergei Viktorovich (Chemezov - Ed.), and Viktor Zolotov. They blame Shoigu for everything. They call him a dumbass, behind his back, of course. And they have the task of demolishing it, damn it. Yes, but because someone needs to be blamed (military defeats - Approx. ed.), Listen. They are the dumbest people. My opinion is simple: they act like kings, like fucking gods. They are finished, creatures."
Akhmedov: “They screwed up the situation. They screwed up the country. They all screwed up. The question is, what will happen after them? It will go, damn it, on the one hand, Kadyrovites, Prigozhinites, there will be guardsmen. There will be, damn it, the Makhnovshchina. They will wave daggers and sledgehammers. Well, this is absolute nonsense. <…> The President will answer for all this. For all. They will ask him. <…> They fucked us, our children, their future, their fate, damn it, you understand?”
Prigozhin: “To be honest, then, of course, they are criminals, damn it, what kind of criminals are they, damn it. <...> We will be fucked off, damn it. We don't have any fucking options. That is, even if he fucks off and presses the button, damn, the whole nation has no fucking future in this scenario. That's all. He fucked us all in the mouth, damn it. <…> For them, people are just garbage, you know.”
Akhmedov: “ Yes, he doesn’t give a fuck about anything. And the people give a fuck about him. He's Satan, damn it. <…> Empty, damn it. Both this one and the second one are complex. Lilliputians, damn it. Undergrown, insecure. <…> If you fight, then fight. We can't even fight. Because there is no fucking army, they cannot provide it. Everyone stole. <…> Fascism will be there, and there will be a military dictatorship. You will see. This is where it all ends."
Producer Iosif Prigozhin said that “some moments” from his conversation with businessman Akhmedov are real- Fontanka
What shocked you more - the publication itself or individual compromising phrases that sound there?
In principle, I was shocked by the publication - this time. Separate nuances - two. And three - you know my attitude towards the President of Russia. It is most respectful. I don't have any prejudice. Yes, we all have private conversations in which some doubts can be expressed. But I'm just a private individual. I'm just a music producer. In the spirit of my work, I have to communicate a lot with people, to maintain various conversations. But these conversations in no way related to the strategic plans of the country.
I perfectly understand what is happening in Ukraine. That this is clearly provoked by the United States. I understand that Zelensky is being used as a tool to fight Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin and Russia. And I clearly understand that today we are not at war with Ukraine, that there are obligations that the United States did not fulfill, and that we were quietly tricked into this special operation.
But today, for some reason, it has become the norm to post private conversations and private videos. It is clear that now there is a calculation that as a result of this record we will be torn apart, and deprived of some opportunities. They are looking for an excuse to somehow dishonor a person.
Naturally, I am now going to conduct an examination of this record, but this will take time. You can't do it in one day, but the situation is already flying like an avalanche. I don't have any ulterior motives. I live in Moscow, I work in Moscow. Nobody bothers me. Yes, my soul hurts for the country, but I do not allow myself to say such things that are published there. It's just not in my area of expertise. just to somehow dishonor a person.
Are you afraid of the consequences now?
“Of course I'm afraid. Of course, this makes me uncomfortable. But first of all, I now have psychological consequences. I now feel very bad. And this is the most important thing. This whole story makes me very uncomfortable. Moreover, I don’t know many people who appear in this conversation, but I met someone once or twice in my whole life.