Ants At The Пикник (Picnic)

Life Imitates Lyrical Art In Sad But Clarifying Fashion

 

In 1963, Gorki Film Studios released the children’s fairy tale classic, The Kingdom of Crooked Mirrors. A little girl is transported to a strange land where evil forces use magic mirrors to reverse and distort reality, thus enslaving the population. At least one cinema review site suggests the presented inversion was partly, subtly a slap at the hypocrisy of Western portrayals of Soviet propaganda during the Cold War. More recently, Metropolitan Hilarion suggested Western sodomite propaganda created a similar crooked kingdom of lies. Both suggestions likely hold water. 

As one art sometimes influences another, the movie’s title allegedly inspired the name of Picnic’s (Пикник’s) 2004 song title, “Королевство кривых” (“Kingdom of Curves”). With apologies to the band, here’s a sampling of their lyrics followed by my semi-esoteric commentary.

Огнями реклам

Неоновых ламп

Бьет город мне в спину, торопит меня

А я не спешу,

Я этим дышу

И то, что мое, ему не отнять.

Минуту еще, мой ветер не стих,

Мне нравится здесь в Королевстве Кривых.

Здесь деньги не ждут,

Когда их сожгут,

В их власти, дать счастье и счастье отнять.

Но только не мне,

…

Picnic was the band set to perform on the evening of Friday, March 22, 2024, at the Crocus City Hall theater in suburban Moscow. As the reader may know, the performance and hundreds of lives were abruptly interrupted before the band took the stage.

English with commentary:

Over the lights of advertising

Neon lamps

Crocus City Hall, and the surrounding Krasnogorsk neighborhood, are big, busy, ultra-modern places. Glass, lights, excitement, etc. A venue that fits the song.

The city hits me in the back, rushing me

And I’m not in a hurry,

I breathe it

And that which is mine, cannot be taken away.

Moscow is like a clean, civilized New York or Los Angeles. There’s a constant rush and rumble of urban humanity. In the song’s city, our lyrical protagonist takes the hurry-scurry in stride. He doesn’t let the hectic pace get ahead of him. His sensibility about and enjoyment of the scene cannot be taken by the tempo or rigor of whatever happens. Similarly and in general, Russian life and the Russian spirit in Moscow cannot be taken away. By anyone.

A minute more, my wind is not quiet,

I like it here in the Kingdom of Curves.

Life can be like that little girl’s adventure. Ordinary times bereft of calamity can still twist and turn. However, if one is in it and the setting happens to be among the most beautiful, wonderful places on earth, then what’s not to like?

Money is not waiting here,

When they are burned,

In their power, give happiness and happiness to take away.

But not for me

…

No, the money was in Kiev or London or somewhere. Burn they did. Calculated, though still mindless violence is a kind of power, the happiness of vampire clowns, augmented by depriving good people of genuine joy and camaraderie. But not for the song’s protagonist. Not for Russia. Not for honest, decent people. Let the evil choke on their wickedness; the righteous will live on determinedly.

My interpretation may miss the mark by a kilometer, but the symbolism of it all struck me as important and seemingly purposeful. Picnics—eating outside, not the group—are fun but they’ve been known to attract ants. Ants are known to steal food, annoy, and sometimes bite. A scout ant finds the picnic and chirps or emits pheromones to alert the rest. Then they show up in force. 

On March 7, 2024, the US empire issued a mysterious mass casualty alert for the next 48 hours in Moscow. Oddly enough, on that very day, a scout ant showed up and surveyed the Crocus complex. Shaman was supposed to sing at the center within the next 48 hours, and he did. However, his event was allegedly guarded by armed security. The scout ant emitted no chemical markers or sounds. The Picnic concert was guarded by unarmed security, presenting a softer target. And the ants attacked. While Moscow and the world were in shock, the US empire immediately, within one hour, told two lies: 1) Ukraine wasn’t involved, and 2) the ants were from ISIS or ISIS-K. ISIS and ISIS-K might as well be registered trademarks of the CIA. We know the empire was lying because it is the empire of lies and it said something. In this case, as with the original lie, there was a small grain of truth within the Red Herring deception. The empire that essentially created ISIS, its Syrian and Afghan variants, would probably be in an honest position to know if its creation planned to carry out an attack. Especially if the empire ordered and planned the attack.

The reader likely knows much of the late tactical developments. Around 140 civilians were murdered, as many as 200 were wounded, and the Crocus theater was destroyed. The mercenary terrorist ants and many of their associates, all or most from Tajikistan, were quickly detained by security forces. While I was initially skeptical about direct ISIS involvement, I did allow that somewhat connected actors from the group might have played some role. This was confirmed by President Putin, that the attack was directly committed by radical Islamists, though by those acting inexplicably during Ramadan. However, as for the indirect connections, he said, “We know whose hands this atrocity was committed against Russia and its people. We are interested in who the customer is.” Cui bono? 

Suspicion naturally falls on Ukraine and its NATO backers, specifically the US and UK. FSB Chief Alexander Bortnikov said as much: “We believe that this is true. In any case, we are now talking about the factual information we have. This is general information, but they have a long record of this sort.” There is the fact of the ant pre-planning the attack on the day the possibility of an attack was mentioned by a likely chief supporter. There was a rumor that the ants were recruited via a Telegram channel and that they met and coordinated with Ukraine at the Ukrainian embassy in Tajikistan about a mission of the “International Legion.” There’s the fact that this attack does not fit the established pattern of ordinary ISIS activity—during Ramadan, with a determined effort to flee the scene rather than be martyred, and payment that suggests a hired hit job instead of Jihad. The mercenary ants were allegedly promised 500,000 rubles ($5,500) each, in reality receiving only half upfront, to wantonly murder random people. There is the fact they were apprehended trying to cross into Ukraine. There is the fact that as Ukraine and NATO continue to lose horribly on the battlefield, terrorist attacks are their only means of trying to harm Russia. There’s the fact that the Western media instantaneously began parroting a series of ridiculous lies and distortions that would be the envy of any fictional evil mirror.

In addition to all of the foregoing, the ants were painstakingly captured alive. They are talking or will talk. Russian intelligence is obviously far ahead of my estimations and guesses; they likely already have substantial evidence as to whom the ants worked for. The customers, if one will. Or the queens, in ant-speak. Nothing that happened at Crocus degrades Russia’s efforts or abilities. With Russia already visibly quickening its progress in the SMO, this episode will certainly heighten their resolve and the scope and pace of their actions. In fact, it already looks like that is happening. Time will tell exactly how it all unfolds, though there really isn’t much doubt.

Nor is there any doubt there are all kinds of people in the world. Some are heroes and some are sociopathic losers. Some of the losers evidently congregate at a Kiev bar aptly called, in English, Offensive. They certainly are, naming some fried snack “Crocus” just a few days after the attack. Offensive might be thought of as an ant hill if it turns out to be connected in some way to these hideous events. If so, then perhaps someone should kick it. Maybe with a Kinzhal boot? No one in any position of power needs my input. Still, I remind all that when keeping ants away from the picnic blanket, sometimes one just has to spray and kill all of them. 

Yet, there are many more good people around. One of them is fifteen-year-old Islam Khalilov, a legitimate Muslim who works part-time at Crocus. If part of the queen customer’s intention was to sow a little division between religious groups in Russia, then Mr. Khalilov did his part to preemptively undo the plan. He’s credited with saving 100 lives by quickly ushering confused patrons towards safety—while ignoring his own. When asked about his personal risk, the young man simply said, “It’s better to sacrifice yourself than to let a hundred people die.” A hero. Shaman also stepped up like a true patriot, offering condolences and vowing to pay all funeral expenses and extraneous medical costs. Behind these two champions, behind the police, firefighters, doctors, nurses, FSB, and military personnel who did their jobs, and behind Vladimir Putin and his government, there are another 150 million strong men and women who will not be frightened, divided, or defeated. 

When they are victorious, or even before full victory is realized, I would very much like to join them once the Crocus theater is rebuilt for a concert. I’d happily take Shaman, KINO, or anyone else as the featured entertainment. In light of the circumstances, that especially includes Picnic. I’ll close with a link to their 2022 concert at Crocus.

Deo vindice.

UPDATE: Also at Geopolitika and Katehon.

Also, it was at least 2 young heroes at the scene: