It is becoming increasingly clear the Vladimir Putin's Russia is on a frightening oligarchical if not fascist course. The poisoning-death of Putin-critic Alexander Litvinenko last week coupled with yesterday's suspicious and sudden collapse of former Prime Minister Yegor Gaidar, another Putin critic, bring back memories of the still-unexplained attempted poisoning of Ukranian President Victor Yushchenko.
These developments conjure up Ivan the Terrible's conquerous reign in 16th century Russia. Ivan IV Vasilyevich was Russia's first tsar and murder served as one of his primary tools of political control. This from a man who ultimately murdered his own son, too. So where are we in Russian toxicology these days? Well, keep in mind that there was a high level of mercury found in Ivan's remains when they were exhumed in the early 1960s. He appears to have been poisoned, too.
These developments conjure up Ivan the Terrible's conquerous reign in 16th century Russia. Ivan IV Vasilyevich was Russia's first tsar and murder served as one of his primary tools of political control. This from a man who ultimately murdered his own son, too. So where are we in Russian toxicology these days? Well, keep in mind that there was a high level of mercury found in Ivan's remains when they were exhumed in the early 1960s. He appears to have been poisoned, too.