A dozen kernel maintainers have been removed from the developers’ official Linux file. Greg Kroah-Hartman, the Linux project’s number two, has removed them from MAINTAINERS as part of a patch with a few words: “Some entries deleted due to various compliance requirements. They may return in the future if sufficient documentation is provided.”
Kroah-Hartman did not want to explain exactly what this means in the mailing list. However, it is noticeable that most of the affected maintainers use a .ru address. Shortly afterwards, however, Linus Torvalds made it clearer what the reasons are: Of course there would now be a bunch of Russian trolls. And it was clear why this had happened. The trolls would not be able to undo this. “If you want to send me a revert patch, please use the mush you call brains,” Torvalds said.
However, three other statements from Torvalds are clear: the “various compliance requirements” are not just a US thing. And anyone who has not yet heard about sanctions against Russia should read the news. He also asked why, as a Finn, he of all people would support Russian aggression –. Apparently, a lack of historical knowledge would be added to not reading the news. The background: Finland declared its independence from Russia in 1917 and has had to defend this by military means ever since.
