At the meeting of the UN Security Council, the Russian representative at this organization Vasily Nebenzia called accusations of using chemical weapons against the rebellious Duma (Syria) by the Bashar Assad regime as a "chemical spectacle", which, according to the diplomat, continues from 2013. Simply put, the Assad regime did not use chemical weapons ever - and all the allegations that received factual confirmation were simply part of the "spectacle" directed against Damascus and Moscow.

Approximately the same Nebenzia said when the Security Council discussed the poisoning in Salisbury of the former Russian intelligence agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter. Approximately the same thing was said about the occupation of Crimea and Donbas by the predecessor of Nebenzi Vitaly Churkin. What are the Russian troops on the peninsula? "Self-defense of the Crimea"! What are Russian saboteurs in the Donbas? The insurgent miners!.

They say that this is a "hybrid war". But in fact, all that is happening is the triumph of lies. I, we all - see how Russian politicians, diplomats, just citizens, whom journalists interview on city streets, lie - and do not blush. And then they refute their own lies. Putin argued that there were no Russian troops in the Crimea - and then admitted their presence. At the talks in Minsk, it turned out that "the insurgent miners" Zakharchenko and Plotnitsky are ready to execute any instruction from the Russian president. For the use of chemical weapons, Assad and his patrons have often been seized by the hand. When there is a tragedy - as in Kemerovo - it turns out that Russian citizens, who yesterday voted for the power, are ready to talk about their intimidation and depression.

I'm sure: this is not a "hybrid". It's just a consequence of the willingness to reconcile with lies, try to agree with it, pretend that you do not notice how you are lying. By the way, this was the situation when Russia attacked Ukraine. Prove it! Prove that these are Russian troops, not "volunteers". Prove that they attacked, and not "lost their way". Prove that this is not because you decided to cancel the "Kivalov-Kolesnichenko law", but because Russia wanted to chop off territory from you. Prove it!.

But as soon as we come to the conclusion that a lie does not require constant proof that one should not prove, but punish - a liar becomes powerless. It is this powerlessness that we observe in recent days - on Russian stock exchanges, in Russian media, at Russian business forums.

A liar is always lost when he ceases to argue about the obvious. When retribution comes. And immediately there is no "hybrid" - because when no one else listens to lies and tries to understand how many percent of the truth in it, we have to give up the usual propaganda methods, stop hysterical and deceive - and start talking seriously.

It seems that the Russian authorities have not yet realized that the lie is no longer working. But they will soon understand.

Original.