Vloggers in Russia Encourage the Kremlin's Decree Welcoming Westerners
The answer is maybe one had some influence. Perhaps not just one Westerner vlogger in Russia YouTube channel, but all of them cumulatively together, yes. By drawing the attention of State Duma members Dmitry Kuznetsov and a former political prisoner in the USA turned MP Maria Butina, we are 100% sure the answer is yes.
An aside: quoting Maria Butina's ex-boyfriend former Overstock.com CEO and FBI informant turned deep state critic Patrick Byrne, "Maria should go home [after her release from federal prison following a wrongful conviction] and be President of Russia one day. That is the best thing that could happen [from this case] for Russia and the U.S."
Well Mr. Byrne, perhaps one day your wish will come true, but not before Maria strikes back at the deep state by implementing policies that should in the coming years help tens of thousands of Americans move to Russia, which can give the DC Swamp creatures that sent her to prison some richly-deserved blowback in their faces. As they say, living well (and helping others to do so) is the best revenge.
Butina and Kuznetsov's advocacy, it must be said, would not have achieved the same results but for the years-long efforts of our semipro offensive lineman Ohioan buddy Tim Kirby, the Most Russian American and cofounder of American Villages in Russia, and his good friend Timur Beslangurov. Timur as he mentioned in a recent interview with US expat and former cop Eddie Gonzales was approved as a rare Russian member of AILA (American Immigration Lawyers Association), and he's practiced migration law in the Russian Federation since 2003. Timur also mentioned in his interview with Eddie Gonzalez attending school in South Dakota as an exchange student in 1996. As the foremost legal expert on Western migration into Russia, Timur has quietly advised the Duma on modernizing Russian migration laws and is an unsung hero of the recent presidential decree.
As President Ronald Reagan said, "'There is no limit to the amount of good you can do if you don't care who gets the credit". But credit should be put where credit's due for this historic decree which will shape Russia's future, not only through the rest of this decade, but through the 21st century.
ICYMI, please see our pieces published this past weekend for details on the big crypto and migration law changes happening that are shaping the future of postwar Russia:
The Russian Ark is Officially Under Construction: Western Dissidents and Christians Are Invited
Russian BTC Mining Legislation Becomes Law, Moscow and St Petersburg Exchanges Coming Soon
As a follow on to this post, we'll also be posting for tomorrow ESW Eurasia Editor Stanislav Krapivnik's video discussing the new decree in more detail.