Judging Freedom - Scott Ritter: LIVE from Moscow, Russia - Russians on Putin.

Episode Date: January 3, 2024

Scott Ritter: LIVE from Moscow, Russia - Russians on Putin.PLUS:Discover a genuine Russian perspective on the West in our latest conversation with Alexander Zyryanov, who dispels myths and offers a unique perspective on international relations. Through the lens of his experience, we discuss how propaganda and media influence the perception of Americans and Western culture in Russia, and the importance of distinguishing between the opinions of ordinary citizens and the political decisions of their leaders. Alexander shares his personal hope for improving relations between nations, despite political differences.Interest in cultural exchange between Russia and the West is only growing, as evidenced by the popularity of American programs among Russian television viewers. Alexander invites everyone, including Mr. Napolitan, to visit Russia and personally see the friendliness and hospitality of its people. Tune in to our podcast to learn more about intercultural understanding and how the reality may differ from what is shown in the news.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Resolve to earn your degree in the new year in the Bay with WGU. WGU is an online accredited university that specializes in personalized learning. With courses available 24-7 and monthly start dates, you can earn your degree on your schedule. You may even be able to graduate sooner than you think by demonstrating mastery of the material you know. Make 2025 the year you focus on your future. Learn more at wgu.edu. Hi everyone, Judge Andrew Napolitano here for Judging Freedom. Today is January 2nd, 2024. Happy New Year. We are joined today by Scott Ritter and his friend Alexander Zirinov. You all know Scott. Mr. Zirinov is a financial planner and developer and eyes and ears of a lot of people, including mine, in Moscow.

Scott and Alexander, join us tonight from Moscow, Russia. Scott, Alexander, it's a pleasure, gentlemen. Welcome to the show and thank you for being here. Well, thank you for having me. So, Scott, I want to ask you and Alexander, what is the mood of the Russian people in Moscow at the dawn of 2024? Scott, I want to ask you and Alexander, what is the mood of the Russians at the beginning of 2024? start over? I'll say very shortly, optimism. The Russian people are very optimistic. They have a very positive future ahead of them. It's a very difficult road that they're on, but they're very optimistic that they will get to the end of the road and that things will be better. But it's probably better if Alexander answers that from the Russian perspective. So, Alexander, what is the Александр, каково настроение россиян в Москве в январе 2024 года, на сегодняшний день? Добрый день, господин Наполитана. Настроение у всех оптимистическое очень все хорошо мы знаем что этот год будет

замечательным для нашей страны What is the feeling, Scott, about the duration of the special military operation in Ukraine? Are people impatient for a victory? Are they understanding of the military strategy of President Putin? Do they respect the sort of slow, methodical, careful, surgical way in which the war has been fought? Well, I think, first of all, we have to understand that even at this stage in the war, President Putin's approval rating is above 70 percent. Some say 76 percent. But that means that there's 24 percent that don't support.

So, you know, you're going to get a range of opinions depending on who you talk to. But I think the majority of the Russian people understand that this is a lengthy process that it has to be seen through properly and that they will not be held prisoner by a calendar. That this is an objective based conflict and that President Putin not be held prisoner by a calendar that this is an objective based conflict and that president putin and his leadership his military leadership have a plan that is succeeding and so they are supportive of the president's plans and the military's actions at this point i'm going to ask you another question scott but before i do some of the

commenters are saying they're having difficulty hearing the translator. So could his, could the volume, could you have your technical person raise the volume on the microphone of the translator? I think if he just comes closer to the microphone, he'll be able to hear you. Okay. I'll leave that up to the two of you, but back to what you just said. Is there an opposition to the war or is there a recognition, a universal recognition that it's nearly over, that the threat from NATO was real and President Putin's leadership was prudent? I think that the majority of the opposition, people who were opposed to the war, fled the country early on in the war. And that today there are people that are resigned to the fact that this is a war that is, that it exists, and that it has to be finished.

Most people support the president. A lot of people have questions still. But I don't think that anybody who's hoping that there will be a division within the Russian people, I think they're hoping in vain. But again, maybe Alexander is the best person to answer this question. Alexander, what is the consensus of the Russian people of President Putin's leadership in economic matters and in military matters да вы знаете владимир путин уже много лет руководит нашей страной и мы помним 90-е годы помним когда россия была очень тяжелой ситуации поэтому, как много у нас меняется к лучшему.

Во время специальной военной операции его поддержка только возросла со стороны людей, потому что мы понимаем, за что мы боремся и за что мы сражаемся. По своей работе я отвечаю за экономику в Новосибирской области, за привлечение строительства новых заводов и предприятий. В этом году я responsable for the economy of the Novosibirsk region for building new plants and facilities. И в этом году у нас самый большой приток миллиарда, то мы привлекли почти 20. Поэтому поддержка у нас президента безоговорочная, это однозначно, это не какой-то пропагандистский штамп, это то, с чем я сталкиваюсь среди своих друзей, знакомых. И как мы шутим в России, спасибо Джо Байдену за санкций, которые ввел Джо Байден, наша экономика бы не росла такими быстрыми темпами. It wouldn't have been growing at such a pace. But now, Scott, this is really remarkable. And it is consistent with what you predicted when you were back here in the United States and when the sanctions were first imposed. And it is consistent with your observation, observations of the Russian economy after the sanctions were imposed. Big deal. McDonald's is gone, but whatever replaced it has produced a higher level of commerce than beforehand. Do you sense this in your moving around the city, Scott? When I was here last May, Alexander took me to 12 cities throughout Russia. And in every city that I visited, I saw the kind of growth that Alexander is speaking of. You know, I mean, what was happening

in Novosibirsk was mind-blowing, but it was matched in Ekaterinburg and Irkutsk and Izhevsk and Kazan. You know, it's not just St. Petersburg and Moscow that are growing. It's all of Russia that is growing. And it's growing at a pace that would make any American developer jealous by comparison, envious. So, you know, it's amazing what Russia has been able to do. And the sad thing is that we don't understand it because we don't take the time to learn about Russia. That's one of the most important things about what's happening between me and Alexander. We're talking. Imagine that.

Russians talking to Americans about these issues. We're having a conversation a dialogue and we need this kind of conversation place america needs people like alexander zirianov to speak with them to educate them to help them understand russia because what's happening in russia today should not be viewed as a threat it threatens it doesn't threaten america at all it's good for russia and it's good for america because a healthy russia is is good for america the last thing we want to do is have an unhealthy russia so what i'm seeing right now is is a russia that is very much alive if you think sanctions have hurt russia come to moscow and you'll see в россии придет в москву и вы увидите что-то совершенно другое, так что александр

я знаю, что вы сказали, что это шутка, что русские люди благодарят байдена за санкции, но Как санкции помогли российской экономике? А с нехваткой этих товаров мы начинаем их сами производить. И в итоге мы становимся более суверенной, независимой страной, потому что меньше зависим от поставок из-за рубежа. Мы стали многое делать внутри страны, то, что раньше покупали у Америки, у Европы. Мы не научились, как производить много продуктов, потому что мы импортировали их из США или Европы. И с санкциями они уже не доступны, поэтому мы должны научиться, как их производить. or europe and with sanctions they are no longer available so we have to relearn of how to produce them and it improves our sovereignty it makes us more self-sustained scott um what is the status of conscription in Russia, and what is the status of the Russian

army? From my perspective here, being educated by you, Colonel McGregor, Larry Johnson, Ray McGovern, and the others, it appears that the war is nearly over. Ukraine is on its last leg. But it also appears that Russian mothers and sisters and daughters and girlfriends want their sons and fathers and boyfriends and uncles to come home from the war. Paul Jay Well, everybody wants their loved ones to come home from the war. But if you walk around Moscow, you walk around any city in Russia, you'll see posters for

recruiting. One thousand five hundred Russian men are volunteering every day to go to this war. The war may appear to be almost over, but there's a lot of fighting left. The Russians know this. They know that there's a lot that's left to be done to finish the job, and they know they have to finish the job. So while people may want their loved ones to come home, I think there's a widespread understanding that they won't come home, nor should they come home, until the job is done. It's sort of what happened in the United States, where we sent off 12 million American soldiers to fight against the Japanese and against the Germans. And certainly everybody wanted them all to come home, but not until the job was done. And the job had to be done right.

And that's the sentiment that I feel exists in Russia. There's no anti-war movement. I'm not going to say that there's a strong pro-war movement because the Russians are too mature for that. But there is a desire that Russia must defeat this enemy, this Ukrainian government that's embraced the ideology of Stepan Bandera, that carries out atrocities like the attack on Belgorod the other day, that this government must be destroyed.

And that's the job of the Russian military and the Russian people are behind them. Alexander, are the Russian people fearful of an expansion of the war? As you know, President Biden has threatened. I don't think he's serious, but he has threatened the use of American ground troops. Как вы знаете, президент Байден угрожает, я не думаю, что он серьезен, но он угрожает использованию американских военных войск. Русские люди об этом волнуются. Скажите, Александр, а боятся ли в России расширение военных действий? Президент Байден упоминал, не знаю, насколько он серьезен был в этом утверждении, что рассматривает возможность отправки американских войск. Вот насколько боятся в России расширение военных действий?

Очень хороший вопрос, спасибо. Мы не хотим этого, но мы не боимся. Мы понимаем, за что мы сражаемся, и я хотел бы обратиться и к американцам, что не надо видеть нас врагов. Чтобы американским людям проще было нас понять, представьте, что вокруг Америки, в Мексике, в Канаде стояли бы наши военные базы и ракеты. Наверное, американцам бы это не понравилось. Мы, как никто, не хотим воевать, потому что, вы знаете, во время Великой Отечественной Второй мировой войны у нас погибло 27 миллионов человек. И для нас сейчас наша военная операция – это в том числе и память о наших дедах, которые погибли поэтому мы никогда не проиграем эту войну мы не хотим воевать еще раз повторюсь но если до этого дойдет дело то воевать мы умеем лучше всех Александр, а что думают россияне о Западе, о западном обществе, о США, о Великобритании, о Западной Европе? Мы четко отделяем народы этих стран от руководства этих стран. Мы видим четкое отличие между народами этих стран и их политическим лидерством. И Скотт свидетель, очень хорошее отношение к американцам, у нас нет никакого негатива к американцам.

Я понимаю, что это может быть с учетом той пропаганды, которая в США звучит удивительно, но я надеюсь, господин Наполитано, что вы лично приедете, я вас приглашаю, жаль, что в этот раз не получилось, вы сможете сами в этом убедиться. Ваша программа очень популярна в России, я специально сегодня посмотрел, все ваши ролики смотрят на ютубе 250-300 тысяч русских. Your show is very popular in Russia. I checked today and on YouTube the episodes of your show have 250-300 thousand views. И я, пользуясь случаем, если можно, хотел бы поздравить американский народ, представляя русский народ, поздравить с Новым годом. Мы не враги, мы такие же люди, как и американцы. Мы так же, как и вы, хотим жить, работать, жениться, рожать детей, путешествовать, приезжать к вам в гости, чтобы вы приезжали к нам в гости. Поэтому я хотел бы пожелать американцам здоровья счастья сауа вот лактую wish you as people good

health and happiness богополучия и больше хороших новостей и позитивных событий kind comments about the show, Alexander, and thank you for being a part of it today. And yes, I would love to visit Russia as long as that youngster sitting next to you, I'm referring to Ritter, can be with us when I come. Scott, is the war in Gaza reflected in any way in public opinion in Moscow? Look, the Russians are some of the most well-informed people about international events. They have their finger on the pulse. But I'm going to be honest, the most important thing for the Russians right now is the conflict in Ukraine. This is what strikes home. The attack on Belgorod tore at the heart of every Russian to see children killed, to see innocent civilians killed, an attack on civilian infrastructure. And keep in mind

that this isn't a unique event. It's been happening non-stop over the course of the special military operation and for eight years prior with the Ukrainians attacking the civilian population of the Donbass. So for the Russians, this is the thing that they are most concerned about is the conflict in Ukraine. They are aware of what's going on around the world. They, of course, are following the events, but it's what's happening in Ukraine that bears on them first and foremost. So the Ukrainians have attacked the Russians in the Donbass, and they've attacked Russians in Russia. What does this tell you?

Is this attack in Russia just the last gasp of a dying administration, knowing that it's about to be defeated in war? That seems to be the opinion of Russian political commentators and political officials across the board, that the Ukrainians are desperate to create a provocation that would get Russia to act in a way that could trigger a NATO intervention. I think what we saw today is that Russia did respond to what happened in Belgorod, but it was a response that was limited to strategic and military targets. There was no revenge strike against Ukrainian civilians, nor will there be, because that's

not how Russia operates. So I think the Russian government has this situation under control. Ukrainian civilians, nor will there be, because that's not how Russia operates. So I think the Russian government has this situation under control. But I can tell you it's very, very difficult because, as Russian President Vladimir Putin said the other day, that what happened in Belgorod made his blood boil. It made everybody's blood in Russia boil. They are so angry about what happened. But this anger is not translating into revenge. What it's doing is doubling down on their absolute commitment to

see this war through. So wear your hat as a military strategist and observer. What happened in Belgorod and why did it happen? What happened in Belgorod is that the Ukrainians used their own domestic production of multiple launch rocket system and some Czechoslovakian provided systems that were equipped with cluster munitions. And they fired them into the center of the city where they knew that russian civilians were gathering to celebrate the new year gathering in a market gathering in a christmas market and was done specifically to kill innocent civilians to generate terror among the russian population that's what happened how how far into russia so forgive my typical American ignorance of geography, how far into Russia from Ukraine is Belgorod? It's dozens of kilometers. It's not deep into Russia, but it's the first major city near the Ukrainian border.

And it's been subjected to Ukrainian attacks now over the course of two years. But this attack was particularly vicious because it used cluster munitions specifically to kill civilians. The last time we spoke about the special military operation, you were confident that it was effectively over, that Ukraine is really on its last leg. Do you have any reason to retreat from that position? None whatsoever. The Russian military is firmly in control of the situation. But again, I just remind people that the bloodiest month of the war between the United States and Germany during World War II wasn't June of 1944 during D-Day or December of 1944 during the Battle of the Bulge. It was April 1945, the last month of the war, when the German army

had been defeated, when everybody knew what the outcome it was. There was a lot of fighting left to be done. There's a lot of fighting left to be done in between Russia and Ukraine. The war is over. Russia's a lot of fighting left to be done in uh between russia and ukraine the war is over russia's won but they have to finalize that victory when uh president biden spoke to the press about three weeks ago and you and i have viewed that clip many times and he said i'm going to paraphrase after putin takes ukraine or if putin Putin takes Ukraine, nothing will prevent him from attacking NATO countries in Eastern Europe, and that will produce something that none of us wants, Russian boys against American boys. I think the statement was absurd, but when he said that,

how did that resonate with the russian people and the russian leadership well i think the answer that alexander zirianov gave about the fact that the russians don't want to fight nato they don't they're not looking for a fight to nato answers the question the russian government believe it or not is a dictatorship. It is a government that is responsive to the will, to the needs of the Russian nation, of the Russian people. The Russian people aren't looking for a fight with the West. The Russian people want to live peacefully with the West. So when Russia defeats the Ukrainian government, and they will, defeats the Ukrainian military, they're not

looking for a fight with Europe. They don't want that. They want peace. Alexander Zyryanov presides over the third largest city, the economy of the third largest city in Russia. It's the most successful economy in Russia. A war with the West would destroy all that. That would undo everything he has worked so hard to accomplish, everything that all Russians have worked hard to accomplish. Russia's not looking for a war. Russia's looking for peace. I mean, Alexander probably can add to that, but I don't see a nation that's looking for a war with the West, and therefore I don't see a Russian government that's looking for a war with the West. This is fiction in the minds of Joe Biden. Alexander, aside from the joke that Joe Александр, кроме шутки о том, что Джо Байден помог России своими санкциями, что россияне думают об

американском президенте? Я скажу честно, прошу никого не обижаться. Джо Байден помог России своими санкциями. Что россияне думают об американском президенте? Я скажу честно, прошу никого не обижаться. I'll be honest with you, please don't get offended. Ну, если честно, большинство россиян недоумевает по поводу того, что Америка такая великая нация, и у нее такой невменяемый, непонятно вообще в себе человек или не в себе, или у него уже деменция. Поэтому мы очень удивлены, что американцы позволяют руководить собой такого человека. president that it has at the moment who may be out of his mind who may might have dementia and

we are surprised why a nation as great as yours lets be ruled by such an individual it's interesting scott that the president's president biden's well-known well-observed mental deficiencies are apparent to all over the world. I guess I shouldn't be surprised at that. Well, again, I just want to remind your audience, Judge, that one of the problems that we face in the United States is Russophobia, and it's this irrational fear of Russia, and it comes from the ignorance of Russia. The Russian people are as smart as you can get, and they know the world. They understand the world. They know what's happening in the world.

They're fully cognizant of everything that happens in the United States. They are more apprised of American politics than many Americans. So they know very well what's happening. They understand the consequences of having a leader like Joe Biden, the dangers that are there. But they also respect that America is a sovereign nation and that this is our problem to solve. They have to live with the consequences of it, but the responsibility of solving this problem is an American responsibility. но ответственность на этот вопрос является американской ответственностью. Александр, я предположу, что кто-то из Белого дома смотрит нашу передачу. Что бы вы хотели им сказать я хотел бы им сказать чтоб они больше думали о благополучии простого

народа америки чем о своем собственном вау а вот им кажется сэнк мор а балду вэлби и нг в дыр и паул а в ее юна и стейс рада за он был бен Okay, Alexander, thank you very much. Pavel, thank you. Scotty, anything else you want to put on the table before we close? Again, I'll just repeat, Russophobia is the biggest threat to the United States today because from that ignorance comes the fear that allows our government to do the policies they want. Americans must get to know people like Alexander Zaryanov. This is a real Russian. I'm going to say mensch, but in Russia he's a chelovek, he's a muzhik.

He's the real deal. And Russia's full of men like him. And if you get to know them, you'll have respect for them, they'll respect you, and we can work our way through these problems, people to people. And that's what I would encourage people to do is stop being afraid of Russia and start having the courage to get to know Russia better. All right, Scott, thank you. I hope you can join us again while you're still on your trip in Russia. Alexander, thank you very much for your time and for your thoughts. Pavel, you're the hardest working person in the room. Thank you for your work as well.

Thank you very much. All right, Scotty, we'll see you again. We'll see you again soon. Okay, Judge. Thank you. Sure. Coming up later today, actually just in a couple of minutes, Professor Jeffrey Sachs at 1230 Eastern, Matt Ho at 2 o'clock Eastern, Karen Kwiatkowski at 3 o'clock Eastern, and the inimitable Larry Johnson at 4 o'clock Eastern. And then I'm going to sleep. Judge Napolitano for judging freedom. 🎵 We'll see you next time.