A spokesman for the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova, offered to hold a briefing in the scandalous Koktebel mansion of TV host Dmitry Kiselev. The mere fact of this - albeit a joke - the proposal of the head of the press service of the Russian diplomatic department shows the real weight of Kiselev in the nomenklatura hierarchy.

After all, a lot has appeared in recent years about the disclosures about dishonestly acquired property of state officials in the Russian and foreign media, and they often concerned the top leaders of the state.. But Maria Zakharova did not want to go for a briefing either for Dmitry Medvedev, Igor Shuvalov, or other high-ranking Russian officials.. Not attracted her and the villa on the Italian lake Como, which became the second home of another leading Russian television propagandist - Vladimir Solovyov. But Kiselev's Koktebel House received special diplomatic attention.. And not only diplomatic.

Kiselev could simply not have noticed an article from the Feodosia newspaper - and it is possible that no one would have noticed it in Russia.. But Kiselev decided to react - and not alone, but with the whole diplomatic department. And this is despite the fact that in the article entitled “Wizards of the landslide slope,” Kiselev’s name is not mentioned. At all. Never. We all talk about his house: and Zakharova says, and Kiselev himself - only the author of the text did without direct references. Then why is the TV presenter so indignant? Maybe he was simply offended by the prediction that "sooner or later nature will take its toll," that the storm waters from the overlying spurs and catchments will break new channels for themselves - and the slope on which the notorious villa stands will regain potential mobility?.

After all, this forecast is hardly a technological and meteorological illustration of the proverb “after us - even a flood”, embodied in a villa on a landslide hill.. And how Kiselev reacts, and how Zakharov protects him, shows that they in this illustration to the proverb recognized themselves.

Because almost all Russian politics of the last years - and almost all Russian propaganda of the last years - were embodied in this simple proverb.

And when you realize that the result of its implementation will not just be a flood, but a landslide that will destroy your own home, of course, you are very upset and offended.

And you decide, of course, not to change the policy. And do not abandon propaganda.

No, you want to destroy the newspaper.

Reprinted with permission from Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty Also join the TSN group.. Blogs on facebook and stay tuned for updates!.