SIBERIA, USA???
Many are surprised that the Russians like to joke about themselves and their leaders. But I wonder about the February 28, 2011 article in Pravda.ru. It was titled “Siberia to separate from Russia to become a part of USA” Now is that funny or not?
The article reads “The idea to separate Siberia and annex the territory to the United States of America has been engrossing the minds of Siberian separatists for a long time already.” It seems that many, if not all Siberians, may think at times that the Siberian regions with their natural riches live poorly just because they have to give away a big part of their incomes to other territories of the Russian Federation.
The idea, if this is really not a joke, seems to have support in some universities, like Irkutsk State University who recently held a seminar of the US-Siberian Department for Management and “Regionalistic Alternative to Siberia” Public Movement.
With so many of the educated young west of the Urals moving to Europe and America, what is left if Siberia goes east? After all, this article appeared in Pravda, which means “truth.” With all the political unrest in Russia, like always in Russia, you never can tell.
And if you want to learn more about Russia, including some jokes, see “Walking on Ice, An American Businessman is Russia.”
Tags: Irkutsk, oil, Pravda, russia, russian politics, Siberia, Urals, USA
About Fred, Books by Fred Andresen, history, Intercultural relations, Literature, Politics, Russian Life, The writing process, travel, Walking on Ice | fred | 
January 9, 2012 2:24 pm
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