The news about the Ukraine crisis is getting to be fun as of late. At Paris talks aimed at finding for the Russians a face-saving way out of the mess, the American secretary of state, John Kerry, has spoken of president Putin’s fiction. The State Department report presented at the meeting calls Putin’s claims about the Ukraine crisis “startling Russian fiction.” The report also mentions Fyodor Dostoevsky’s quip that the formula “two plus two equals five” is not without its attractions in fiction. The falsehoods that the Russian leader has used to justify his actions are thus linked to the Russian writer of world renown. Every single argument used by Putin to justify his military shenanigans is subjected to a mocking review. Charming, this. Putin will be delighted by the startling connection, no doubt. Talented as he undoubtedly is, he may well use Kerry’s comments to push Russian fiction to its limits. Many a reader will surely enjoy this unprecedented twist in the story. With the possible exception of Ukrainian readers, they will follow the plot with growing interest and even passion. Go Putin, go!