In Russia, Navalny has been effectively legitimized. Dmitry Zolotukhin explains why this unusual event benefits Putin.

Russian senators have effectively legitimized Yulia Navalnaya in the information space of Russia during a public meeting. This is an extraordinary event.

I cannot believe for a second that this was not authorized or planned.

To me, this indicates that a conveniently manageable sparring partner is being created and implemented for Putin. I do not believe that Navalny could be an FSB agent, but his wife might be an agent. I do not support the dehumanization of this family.

However, it suggests to me that Yulia Navalnaya is an entirely convenient opponent for the Kremlin, just as Joe Biden is a convenient American president for Putin.

Putin does not bet on specific individuals. He bets on the processes that facilitate the implementation of his strategy. The weakness of the Biden administration and its chief intelligence officer, Burns, is a favorable aspect for Putin.

The hopelessness of Navalnaya (just like Tikhanovskaya, who was ousted by the White House administration) is entirely satisfactory for both Moscow and Minsk.

Putin benefits from Navalnaya's rhetoric, which openly undermines the rhetoric of decolonization and diverts the attention of the entire media world solely to her personal and family story.

In fact, millions of nameless Ukrainians, each of whom has lost their relatives, friends, and acquaintances, compete for the attention of Western liberal audiences with one woman, whose husband was brutally killed. I am not saying this is a malicious FSB plan. I am stating that what is happening is advantageous for both the White House and the Kremlin. But it is critically disadvantageous for the Ukrainian people.

It is truly said: "Putin is the enemy of the Ukrainian present, while Russian liberals are the enemies of the Ukrainian future"!!! Now we have yet another confirmation of this thesis.