Oh, these Russians!

Prague is still not the best place to live in. At least, from the point of view of new books. I am desperately waiting for Edward Lucas's new book New Cold War, which I ordered in one English bookshop in the centre of Prague. "Leave us email, we will give you a note," was last version.
I am getting suspicion on them. There are many things which you could blame Russians on: nervosity about gas supplies, high prices of property in Karlovy Vary (Carlsbad), fear of Russian spies in Czech army and government, demonstrations against planned US antimissile radar. But supplies of books from London? If I would not decide to save money for Amazon delivery, I would already had it, but in above mentioned book shop they promised month ago that book comes quickly.
Therefore I wait and wait. Last time when I called to bookshop, there was some Russian voice speaking from behind, so my suspition have grown.
But maybe it is only Russofobia, which I am pracitising. Mr. Putin's policy from last years forced me to refresh my Russian from good old school days, when we all had to learn that language (familiar story to all postcommunists). I am not complaining about Russian literature or culture, but to learn it as a MUST, one cannot love it too much. But thanks to basic knowledge of Russian alphabet and language I did not have big problems to learn other Slavic languages in Balkans. Last year, when Bulgarian sisters were released from Libya, I found myself translating report from our sister Bulgarian newspaper and realizing that as byproduct of journalistic carreer I have learnt almost all Slavic languages - at least passively.
What we had learnt in school in Russian language classes was usualy for nothing. I can still extract from my head words of some communist songs, but to ask for towel in hotel or for menu in restaurant I have to search in dictionary.
But, whatever we think, Russia is back. And we in Central Europe feel the heat of breath of Russian bear. We still remember his embrace, his tightness, his determination, even many Czechs are still pro-russian and leftists (read pro-soviet and pro-russian also). But as pragmatist Czechs (read Good soldier Svejk for explanation), we aplaud loudly that between us and Russia there are other states being buffer zone.