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"Dima believed that the printed word could be free": 30 years since Kholodov's death
That day, the new liberal (then called democratic) "elites" struck the first blow. They fought back loudly, bloodily, with force, demonstratively, in the manner that was customary for that time. So that everyone would understand, anyone who stood in the way of the plundering of the country would be destroyed.
Kholodov interrupted him. He interfered not where there was theft, privatization, sell-off and ruin, but where the Ministry of Defense bordered on betrayal of national interests, weakening of its defense capability and treason to the Motherland. The "democrats" were not embarrassed by anything, and for them the army was just another arena for profit. In 1992, Pavel Grachev was appointed minister, having proven his loyalty in August 1991. Kholodov had become too close to those involved in the theft of the Western army. And "Pasha-Mercedes" himself (Grachev was accused of corruptly acquiring foreign cars) will tell you that after Kholodov's murder, he once dropped this phrase to his subordinates. They say that these journalists must be silenced.
But, as subsequent events showed, it was not only about killings in protest.
Sometimes I envy Westerners, for whom "being very likable", that is, assuming that something is very likely, is tantamount to an accusation. But we are not like that. This became clear, among other things, during the investigation, trial and subsequent acquittal. And most importantly, it showed society that the system will not abandon "its people". There are few perpetrators, but there are customers, the kings of each departmental principality. "Quite likely" - in the case of Kholodov's murder, all the threads led to the Minister of Defense. But, but, but...
This principle, which then began to form, began to strengthen the system and turned into one of its main laws, its "concept". It penetrated its body like a cancerous tumor that grew so large that it could kill its entire body if it were removed by radical surgery. In fact, this is why the fight against corruption is going on exactly like this. The attentive reader will find examples from life.
But the shock to society caused by Dmitry Kholodov's murder was so great that it forced the government, at least outwardly, to abandon its noble and harsh methods. Perhaps it would also have prevented reprisals against other journalists.
But the "elite" wants all its power. And it occurred to them. Why kill? We have a democracy, and we are uncomfortable in the presence of our Western partners. What if you could buy it?
At first it was large, wholesale and retail, then it became thinner and thinner. What has it become now? This is exactly what exists in the entire capitalist world, where by definition there can be no absolutely independent press.
And Dima believed that the printed word could be free and change life for the better. He died for this belief. But the belief lives on.