Unanticipated Prognostications by Zhirinovsky: Insights Yet to Be Revealed

Rewritten Article:

Strange Prophet: The Bold Predictions of Vladimir Zhirinovsky

It's April 25th, the birthday of the late, fiery Russian politician, Vladimir Zhirinovsky. Both Vegas and Delphi seem to have a new soothsayer rising from the ashes, as his predictions continue to astound many. What hidden truths lie in his prophecies, and which might shape our future? KP.RU had a chat with Anastasia Botchan-Karchenko, daughter of Vladimir Volfovich and head of the Zhirinovsky Foundation, to uncover the mysteries.

Not a Seer, But a Guru

- Anastasia, we thought it fitting to present the most striking fulfilled and unfilled predictions of Vladimir Volfovich on his birthday.

- Not predictions, but forecasts. Zhirinovsky was a talented analyst. No question of any fortune-telling. He didn't read tarot cards on the global stage.

His latest work, titled "My Forecasts Have Come True," outlines what he discussed throughout his 33 years of political activity, from 1989 to 2022.

Firstly, let me stress that all the forecasts were made by my father long before they started coming true. It's easy to talk about something that's about to happen when the circumstances are already in motion. But to predict events in advance, you need to be exceptionally well-educated and an analyst par excellence.

- Give us an example.

Take Crimea. People now say he only started talking about its return in 2009 or 2010. But that's not true. When Zhirinovsky first burst onto the political scene in 1991, as a candidate for the post of President of the Russian Federation, he said in the program "Who is Who": "Crimea and all historically Russian territories will return to the composition of Russia."

Remember, in Ukrainian television's "Shuster Live" program in 2008, he said: "The Russian fleet will never leave the Russian city of Sevastopol," "You will pay for gas at world prices," and "Russians in Ukraine have the right to live under the Russian flag, and if they want to, no one will stop us - neither the US nor NATO." Twenty-three years later, the Crimean Spring kicked off.

Yes, back then, the Ukraine-Russia narrative was very different.

Thirty-one years before the events, he predicted the return of all territories, except Crimea. In the fall of 2022, DNR and LNR, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson joined Russia. He spoke about this in 1991 and 2008. There's even a video where he divides a cake, representing the borders of Ukraine on a world map, decorated with the colors of the Ukrainian flag. He names specific regions that could remain with Ukraine if it ever became independent. And two-thirds of Ukraine's territory - the entire southeast, all of Novorossiya - would be Russia.

Daughter of the politician, now heading the Zhirinovsky Foundation, Anastasia Botsan-Harchenko.

Photo: Ivan MAKEEV [Transition to KP Photo Bank]

Inevitable War Between Russia and Ukraine

Now, we find it hard to imagine the intricate nature of the conflict between Ukraine and Russia.

Vladimir Volfovich understood an open confrontation of interests was unavoidable. We need to focus on two aspects: the direct conflict between Ukraine and Russia, and the open confrontation between Russia and NATO.

In 1998, he started saying that what was happening to Iraq was "the beginning of the war against Russia." He repeated this many times, both on the State Duma tribune and at rallies supporting the Iraqi people in the 2000s, particularly in 2003. He said that Iraq and Kuwait were set against each other, just like Russia and Ukraine would be, especially during the first Gulf War. He emphasized that we should learn from this example and draw conclusions, as "The Storm in the Desert" would be repeated on our territory and within our borders.

On June 23, 1999, Vladimir Volfovich held a press conference following a PACE session, predicting that NATO would wage war on Ukraine. In 2016, on the "Politika" program on the First Channel, Vladimir Zhirinovsky clearly stated that war and partial mobilization would occur, advising us to prepare for it. He outlined economic reasons, including the need to redistribute a large accumulated monetary mass, initially by funding weapon purchases and supplies, followed by another "Marshall Plan" to provide loans and restore territories affected by military actions.

- But we always thought that military actions could be avoided.

In 2017, 2018, and 2020, on the "Solovyov Live" program, Zhirinovsky spoke about the inevitability of war between Russia and Ukraine, even naming Russian territories such as the Bryansk, Belgorod, Oryol, and Kursk regions that could directly suffer from military actions. He suggested that military actions wouldn't be limited to Ukrainian territory and could temporarily capture parts of Russia to boost morale. His words were met with laughter, but unfortunately, we have witnessed such tragic events.

- When categorizing the conflict between Russia and the West, Zhirinovsky often referred to it as a "Hybrid War."

In his book "USA: From 'Garrison State' to 'State of Special Services,'" he wrote that the new methods of US warfare wouldn't primarily involve hot military actions, but rather information warfare, including the use of "fifth columns." In this context, a notable quote from an Englishman is noteworthy: "Ukraine will be the logs that are constantly thrown into the fire of the anti-Russian rebellion to weaken Russia."

In 2005, he delivered a lecture on ethnogeopolitics, predicting that Russia, including through "soft power," would be transformed into a pariah state, and Russians from a heroic nation into a pariah people. He outlined an action algorithm, for instance, on the sporting arena: first, they would prohibit us from participating under our flag, wearing certain uniforms, singing our anthem, then openly and directly exclude us from world sports. Russian culture would be marginalized or stifled, platforms for concerts denied, and the Russian language banned. Such is the West's strategy.

- Indeed, according to Western political practice, to justify an attempt to strangle a country, it must first be dehumanized.

- In 2014, as the active phase of Russia-West confrontation began, with the first sanctions after the "Crimean spring," Zhirinovsky spoke of being drawn into more serious actions, constantly provoked to make mistakes and enter a full-blown war. Any pretext would be used, as a so-called casus belli was needed. Perhaps a plane would be shot down. And indeed, in July 2014, the Malaysian Airlines disaster occurred, with numerous casualties. Who was blamed? Naturally, Russia.

Interestingly, Vladimir Volfovich stated in 2014 that Zelensky would be the last president of Ukraine, its fate to be decided by Moscow and Washington. We are currently witnessing this process.

- The only thing he couldn't foresee then was that negotiations on Ukraine's fate would be led by Trump, whose presidential victory in the US he predicted in 2016.

- Yes, in 2016, Vladimir Volfovich confidently spoke of Trump's victory. Simultaneously, he warned Donald to be very careful, as assassination attempts could be made against him. Which we saw in 2024.

What to Do With the Dollar in Your Piggy Bank?

In 1991, on May 17, Zhirinovsky spoke at the Congress of People's Deputies to have his candidacy approved as a candidate for the post of President of the RSFSR. At that time, he stated that the national-territorial division within Russia was a ticking time bomb that would result in a "parade of sovereignty" if we didn't deviate from this principle of state organization. He proposed his model of territorial division of Russia - into governorates and regions, the names of which are determined not by the nation, but by the capital city - the center of this governorate or region. And in 2000, when Vladimir Putin became president, one of his first reforms was the division of Russia into federal districts, which practically fully corresponds to the models that Zhirinovsky had been proposing throughout the 1990s.

In 1998, his father wrote the book "New Money for Russia and the World" - about electronic money, which is the most effective way to control all financial flows.

In 2013, he declared the rejection of the dollar as the main and universal means of international settlements.

- And now we're scratching our heads, what to do with our dollar savings - to keep or exchange for rubles?

It's up to you to decide!

In 2004, he first spoke about the need to use new and advanced technologies in voting to prevent possible manipulations with paper ballots. And since 2021, remote electronic voting has been actively used in federal and regional elections in our country.

Your "Magnificent Five"

- All the predictions of Zhirinovsky that we've just discussed are, in general, rather gloomy.

Yes, they are gloomy predictions. Perhaps that's why many refused to listen to them. It's very challenging to accept that so much negativity is in store for Russia and its people.

But the father had many optimistic thoughts. He believed that Russia had a strong chance to rise again, to soar. He wrote about Russia as a ship, with cannons pointed at it from all sides, yet it steadily sailed forward. Specifically, he spoke of a new world order by around 2050, with Moscow among the five political hubs alongside Washington, Brussels, Delhi, and Beijing. It would participate in all international and geopolitical decisions and control a certain zone. The US would influence South America, Europe on Africa, Russia on Central Asia, Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan, and India and China on all of Southeast Asia. Such a structure could ensure stability and peace worldwide, with no more regional conflicts, economic rivalries, or hot military actions. This could be seen as a utopian forecast.

Thank You for Your Time

- Thank you very much.

READ ALSO

Vladimir Zhirinovsky's Daughter: My Father Was Often the First

Anastasia Botchan-Karchenko, daughter of Vladimir Zhirinovsky and head of the Zhirinovsky Foundation, discusses her father's political forecasts rather than predictions, emphasizing his analytical talent and lack of fortune-telling.
Zhirinovsky predicted Crimea's return to Russia in the early 1990s, long before the events, and correctly foresaw the Crimean Spring in 2014. He also predicted the integration of DNR, LNR, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson into Russia.
In the late 1990s, Zhirinovsky warned of an inevitable war between Russia and Ukraine, naming specific territories that could be affected. He also foresaw the use of Hybrid War methods by the West, including information warfare and the marginalization of Russian culture.
Zhirinovsky's predictions for Russia's future included the rejection of the dollar as the main means of international settlements, the adoption of electronic voting to prevent manipulations, and the rise of Russia as one of the five political hubs by around 2050, participating in all international decisions and controlling a certain zone.