August is traditionally a difficult month for the Kremlin.  It’s the time of year when the Kremlin tries to keep quiet.  Putin takes himself off on a fishing trip, where his naked torso is made an exhibition for the world to see.  Then another month is spent secretly lounging around on his yacht in Crimea feeding the TV its usual diet of pre-planned stories.  His servants also silently take their leave.

They keep silent and they wait.

They keep silent and neglect the passing of the anniversary of the Kursk disaster, as they are so desperate for this page of history to be erased forever.

They are silent while an ISIS supporter carries out a terrorist attack in the city of Surgut as it cannot be admitted that the country which is so strenuously fighting terrorism on distant frontiers is left unprotected and is vulnerable from within, like many other European countries.

They are silent while construction companies set fire to a whole swathe of slums in Rostov, destroying the last remnants of citizens’ property in order to further develop business and decorate the city ahead of the football World Cup.

They are silent as investigators haul in to custody the artistic director Cyril Serebrennikov and force others to be silent by banning demonstrations of support and solidarity.

They keep silent, but we must not.  Silence is consent.  If we remain silent, then we are complicit in the contempt, the lies, betrayal and injustice that has become the norm for our government.