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February 21, 2017 Special Dispatch No. 6793

Russian Reactions To Flynn’s Resignation

February 21, 2017
Russia | Special Dispatch No. 6793

While part of Russian officialdom dodged comment on Michael Flynn's resignation from the post of national security adviser or downplayed its importance, the consensus view was that this represented a negative signal for Russia. Russia would have to retrench its hopes for improved Russia-US relations under President Trump as the new president was finding it difficult to exercise control over an anti-Russian establishment. Some commentators believed that an anti-Russia cabal was behind Flynn's ouster and that Flynn was merely the appetizer with Trump being the main course. These rogue officials backed by the media would not rest till they had ousted Trump and set back Russian-American relations.

We present a sampling of official and press reactions to the Flynn resignation.


(Source: Gazeta.ru)

Senator Pushkov's Tweetstorm

Senator Alexey Pushkov, a member of the Russian Federation Council's Committee on International Affairs and an avid tweeter, took to Twitter to present his categorical assessment of the forces behind the resignation and their motivation:

"Flynn 'was forced out' not due to his missteps, but due to a vast aggressive campaign. "Russian –get out " clamored the newspapers. This is paranoia and witch hunt."

(Twitter.com/Alexey_Pushkov, February 14, 2017)

"Flynn leaves, but the Russian problem at Trump's White House persists" – his enemies write. Flynn's banishment was only the first act. Now – Trump is the target."

(Twitter.com/Alexey_Pushkov, February 13, 2017)

"Flynn's departure is probably the earliest resignation of a US National Security Advisor in history. Yet, Flynn was not the target, relations with Russia were."

(Twitter.com/Alexey_Pushkov, February 13, 2017)

"It's not going to end  with Flynn's resignation. Trump's enemies with the help of the security special services and media will eradicate him ( Trump) until the impeachment. Trump himself is now the objective."

(Twitter.com, February 14, 2017)

"Lots of money invested in the new cold war against Russia. Those who oppose the war are at high risk. Flynn's massacre is clear evidence."

(Twitter.com, February 14, 2017)


(Alexey Pushkov, Source: Pravda-tv.ru)

Senator Kosachev: 'Russophobia Has Already Engulfed The New Administration From Top To Bottom'

Russian Senator Konstantin Kosachev, who chairs the Russian Federation Council's Committee on International Affairs, wrote on his Facebook page: "Dismissing the national security adviser for contacts with Russia’s ambassador (ordinary diplomatic practice) is not just paranoia, but something much worse." He then added: "Either Trump has not gained the desired independence and he is being consistently (and not unsuccessfully) pushed into a corner, or Russophobia has already engulfed the new administration from top to bottom.”

(Tass.com, February 14, 2017)


Konstantin Kosachev (Source: Rt.com)

Valery Garbuzov, Director of the Institute for US and Canada Studies at the Russian Academy of Sciences, told Russian news agency TASS: "I believe the Russian issue is one of the most difficult for the U.S. administration in the sense that it has not yet developed recipes for tackling the Russian issue in general and in particular. These are the issues of sanctions, the issue of Ukraine, Crimea and so on." He then said: "The U.S. president’s national security adviser is a significant figure who, along with the US secretary of state, takes part in shaping the country’s foreign policy. Flynn’s resignation indicates that internal contradictions, perhaps, internal struggles, begin to appear in the emerging US administration. Flynn’s resignation was a manifestation of this struggle. He was considered if not a pro-Russian member of Trump’s team, then a person who was committed to resuming pragmatic dialogue with Russia."

(Tass.com, February 14, 2017)

The Deputy Chair of the Duma's International Affairs committee, Alexey Chepa: "Flynn has just begun working, he did not have an opportunity build himself a reputation. Before the inauguration he'd had some consultations with our ambassador Kislyak. I don't know to what extent he informed his superiors regarding the consultations. I don't know either how it could lead to a possible blackmailing… In general, there was not enough time to arrange improved contacts, so I think this [resignation] won't strongly affect [our relations with the US]"

(Ria.ru, February 14, 2017)

Presidential spokesperson Dmitri Peskov declined comment on Flynn's resignation: "We do not want to comment on it in any manner. It's America's internal affair, the Trump administration's internal affair. It's not our business."

(Ria.ru, February 14, 2017)

The Resignation Reduces Russia's Confidence In The Trump Administration

According to Leonid Slutsky, chair of the Duma's International Affairs Committee: "The situation regarding the resignation of national security advisor Michael Flynn, bears a provocative character. This is a form of negative signal concerning the building of a Russia-US dialog. It's obvious that Flynn was forced to write the resignation announcement under pressure. Trump received this resignation. The excuse, which was chosen, is contacts with the Russian ambassador, though it's common diplomatic practice.  In these circumstances, the conclusion arises that the Russia-US relations were the set target. This erodes confidence in the US administration".

(Ria.ru, February 14, 2017)

The TASS agency quotes Slutsky a bit differently: "Flynn's resignation might be a provocation – it could well be that he will pop up again in US public administration. At the moment, it looks like a thrust and a sort of  negative signal towards Russia, implying that we had discussed something improper with the US national security advisor, for which he paid for with his job … It's an incredible assumption that Flynn, a very experienced person, divulged some state secrets". According to Slutsky, "the whole buzz is aimed at Russia's positioning as a strategic opponent amongst the American establishment".

(Tass.ru, February 14, 2017)


Leonid Slutsky (Source: Polytika.ru)

According to Vladimir Batyuk, head of the Center for Military-Political Studies at the Russian Academy of Sciences' US and Canada Institute and professor of world politics at the Higher School of Economics :

"Flynn's resignation is a powerful blow to the US administration. Flynn, as a national security advisor, was one of the key figures. Given that this man turned out to be undisciplined and incompetent, it's a definite blow to the administration's authority and to US-Russia relations. Moscow, from now on, will have far less confidence in the new administration and its ability to conduct confidential negotiations on delicate international matters and problems of bilateral relations. It will have negative consequences for the future Russo-American dialog."  Representatives of the Russian Federation will now fear approaching Trump administration officials. "When Ambassador Kislyak communicated with Flynn he was completely sure that he was talking to the Trump's representative, rather than to private person, Mr. Flynn. Now, it's not the case as it turns out and this is a blow to Moscow's trust in the new administration. This trust usually carries high importance in diplomacy."

(Ria.ru, February 14, 2017)

The Russian government daily Rossiiskaya Gazeta published an article by Igor Dunaevsky, where the author assumes that Flynn's resignation was initiated by the secret services:

"It can't be excluded that Flynn was "taken out" by the secret services. His Russian connections presented themselves as an excuse and were not the real reason. According to local media publications, Flynn, who headed MOD intelligence department in the Obama administration, was not popular in the American intelligence community and he reciprocated this attitude.  Flynn's resignation will not extensively affect White House's approaches towards a dialog with Russia, but rather it will prove instrumental for those who want to impede that process."

(Rg.ru, February 14, 2017)

 

 

 

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