‘He Has Property There,’ Russian Ultra-Nationalist Explains Shoigu’s Concerns About Crimea

On June 20, at a military panel, Russian defense minister Sergei Shoigu began threatening strikes against “decision-making centers” in Ukraine if the Ukrainian armed forces struck the territory of the Russian Federation or occupied Crimea.

“According to our information, the leadership of the Ukrainian Armed Forces is planning to launch strikes against the territory of the Russian Federation, including Crimea, with HIMARS and Storm Shadow missiles,” Shoigu said, reported Russian media.

“The use of these missiles outside the special operation zone would mean a full-fledged involvement of the US and Britain in the conflict and would entail immediate strikes on decision-making centers in Ukraine,” Shoigu warned.

The Russian “angry patriot” Igor Strelkov sarcastically criticized Shoigu because logically, based on the minister’s speech, the Belgorod region and the regions occupied by Russians are not considered Russian territory, as they have already been attacked.

"Sergei Kuzhugetovich (a man of great intelligence!) sneered. - Why do you think our plywood marshal is so concerned about Crimea? Because he (as well as his family and friends) all have property there. Real estate. A lot of it. In the ‘tastiest’ places.

“And he has no property in Valuyki, Shebekino, Grayvoron, abandoned Kherson, Donetsk, or Lugansk. If he had any property, he would also become nervous and threatened, sometimes going so far as to use the rhetoric of ‘the main plush hawk of the whole Russian Federation’ Dima Medvedev.

Other Topics of Interest

Ukraine Doing Much Better on the Front Than Its Being Given Credit For

Contrary to some of the reporting by leading Western news outlets, Ukraine is not wavering, but holding up and inflicting heavy losses on the Russian invaders.

“In this connection, I have a suggestion: whoever has and who does not feel sorry for it, make out a deed of gift to his daughter, Sonny, or at least son-in-law for a land plot in Shebekino, a house or flat in Leninsky district of Donetsk and a dozen or two hectares near Berdyansk and Genichesk. And you will see that Russia will immediately ‘extend’ to these territories like it is extending to Crimea now. In the meantime...

“Meanwhile, the need to protect the entire territory of Russia by our irreplaceable and non-alternative (almost like the sacred Minsk agreements) defense minister is perceived very selectively and abstractly...”

According to investigation by the Baza project, a close friend of Russian defense minister Oleg Belaventsev, who potentially took part in Russia’s seizure of Crimea in 2014, has bought real estate on the peninsula for around a billion rubles. Belaventsev, members of his family and associated companies own four houses, nine apartments, seven flats, a cottage in an elite district, two monuments, a boarding house, a workshop and trains in Crimea.

Strelkov is one of the few who dares to criticize Putin and Shoigu personally. He has also created a club of “angry patriots” where he and his supporters systematically criticize the Russian military leadership and Putin himself, calling them a “country of pink ponies.”