ITAR-TASS: Seven years good luck predicted, actual luck to remain bad

If you’re interested in Russian affairs, I highly recommend subscribing to the Johnson’s Russia List newsletter, a daily digest of Russian news put together by the Center for Defense Information’s David Johnson. Today, I found this progression of news headlines from Russia’s official state news agency really amusing: ITAR-TASS: Russians Become Healthier This Year -Ministry. ...

By , a former associate editor at Foreign Policy.

If you're interested in Russian affairs, I highly recommend subscribing to the Johnson's Russia List newsletter, a daily digest of Russian news put together by the Center for Defense Information's David Johnson. Today, I found this progression of news headlines from Russia's official state news agency really amusing:

If you’re interested in Russian affairs, I highly recommend subscribing to the Johnson’s Russia List newsletter, a daily digest of Russian news put together by the Center for Defense Information’s David Johnson. Today, I found this progression of news headlines from Russia’s official state news agency really amusing:

ITAR-TASS: Russians Become Healthier This Year -Ministry.

ITAR-TASS: Crisis To Cleanse Russian Society, Says Country’s Chief Auditor.

ITAR-TASS: Weathermen Forecast Record Harvests Of Grain Crops, Fruit, Vegetables This Year.

ITAR-TASS: Economy Keeps Nosediving Despite Optimistic Forecasts.

Hmm…well thanks for all those optimistic forecasts. This reminds me a bit of Yeltsin-era prime minister Viktor Chernomyrdin‘s famous line, "We hoped for the best, but it turned out as always."

Joshua Keating was an associate editor at Foreign Policy. Twitter: @joshuakeating

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