KROTOV'S DAILY

May 14, 2001, 8.15 PM, Moscow

The director of the Moscow bureau of Radio Liberty Savik Shuster defected. He agreed to work for Putin's TV, fourth channel, which was recently confiscated from Gusinsky. For Putin this is a great success: he has shown that Radio Liberty is not as tough as it seemed.

For me personally this is a tragedy because I work for Radio Liberty making religous broadcasts and I knew Shuter, although not very close.

Imagine apostle Paul turning again to Pharisaism and persecuting of Christians. Shuster now proclaimes all sort of demagogy which is typical for Putinimism..

Certainly, Putin's TV will pay to Shuster more than he recieved on Radio Liberty.

I guess many people on Radio Liberty now feel guilty: they overlooked a traitor, may be, even an agent of KGB.

I can only say that Lord Jesus also had overseen Judas.

Minister of information Lesin and head of KGB had already declared that they will seek opportunity to close Moscow bureau of Radio Liberty. I guess in a year they will succeed. I hope I am wrong.