Thread by @MarkGaleotti

Evan Gershkovich's is a shocking example of the way that these days the Kremlin doesn't even feel the need to have the most basic pretext to use hostage-taking as a tool of statecraft. Although… 1/
#EvanGershkovich

…on reflection, it's not so much the act of a state as a bandit gang. I've just submitted to the publishers the manuscript of a book which is, essentially, a history of the world told through the medium of organised crime. A key theme is how efficient bandit gangs can… 2/

…become the bases for states. What's deeply worrying and depressing is how quickly and eagerly Russia which, for all the cheap characterisations as a 'Mafia State' was actually something rather more complex, is being dragged into semi-medievalism by Putin and his thugs 4/

(OK, that last one ought to have been 3/) But medievalism with all the powers and connectivities of the modern state. I have pondered about Russia's 'North Koreanisation' under Putin and while the parallel is in exact and easy to unpick for all kinds of reasons… 4/

It also feels worryingly appropriate. The only silver lining is that I feel many Russians do not see this as the future they want. The more Putinism becomes Juche-with-Russian-characteristics, the wider the gap between Putin and his people… 5/

…but also for now the harder for them to do anything about it. And meanwhile poor Evan is presumably going to sit in prison until a swap with (real) spies can be arranged. 6/end