How Russian propaganda is destroying their country

Russian propaganda is doing everything to turn against Russia even those who still remain loyal to it. When we talk about loyalty, we don't mean great love. It's only about loyalty, because Moscow's propaganda and certain steps have simply left no room for love.

But loyalty is a very good and positive phenomenon in international relations. Relations between countries are not always based on friendship and brotherhood. They are more often based on interests and loyalty, which helps these interests develop in harmony. But judging by the propaganda, the Russian side does not need loyalty and cooperation along the horizontal line, it needs fear and submission according to the formula "afraid means loving." She no longer counts on love and friendship, and loyalty seems to her to be an insufficient payment for "everything she does." The latter is a favorite argument of Russian propagandists.

Perhaps the official policy is completely different, and after Solovyov's provocative new broadcast the day before yesterday, we will again hear from the Russian Foreign Ministry that the theses voiced are the private opinion of some propagandist, not the Kremlin. But judging by the frequency with which threats against Russia's neighbors began to be voiced, there is already doubt about this. The Kremlin cannot fail to understand that Solovyov himself is perceived in neighboring countries not as a "private citizen", but as an exponent of trends taking place in the corridors of power. Again, this may not be true, but the story of this propagandist's dislike of Baku can serve as a vivid illustration. The intensity of this dislike has always depended on what course Moscow pursued in the South Caucasus and in relation to Baku in particular. Sometimes the provocations disappeared completely, Solovyov seemed to forget about the existence of Azerbaijan. And it was noticeable that this was not the result of awakening conscience, but of a direct indication of "where to come from."

The lack of reaction from the authorities and the impunity of propagandists who help to join the ranks of countries disloyal to Russia speak for themselves. The argument about "private opinion" won't work here. It can only work in combination with harsh condemnation of provocateurs, at least verbally. It is not enough for Russia's neighbors, who are being sent messages through propaganda, to hear that this is not an official position. They need to hear the very position of official Moscow on these provocations. But she's not. The short removal of Solovyov from the air after the scandal with threats against a number of countries did not solve the problem. He was hidden behind the scenery, not as a punishment, but to calm the scandal.

The scandal really subsided to some extent, until Volodka's red face shone on the air. But it didn't last long. And on Tuesday, on the air of the Solovyov evenings, you could watch the second part of the Marlezon Ballet.

This time, the chauvinists were pleased with Sergey Mikheev. This political scientist continued the emerging trend and attacked Russia's post-Soviet neighbors with insults. Mikheev did not name specific countries, but judging by the details like migrant workers and rescue, it was again about Central Asia and Armenia, which Moscow has always considered a zone of its exclusive and indivisible interests. She did not want to share these interests even with these countries themselves. They simply had no right to have their own interests, so when they suddenly appeared, the sovereign neighbor did not like it. And this is his right. We all might not like something or someone. But a power on the scale of Russia must be able to accept reality with dignity. Instead of broadcasting various riffraff, which, instead of proving to the breakaway allies how much they have lost, repeatedly demonstrates to them how they did the right thing.

On the air of the federal TV channel Rossiya 1, political scientist Sergei Mikheev, in chauvinistic ecstasy, chastised the post-Soviet countries for "ingratitude." They all owe Russia something for "saving" them, and Moscow is to blame for the current situation, as it has "spoiled" its neighbors. Russia, Mikheev claims, solves "a lot of problems" for the post-Soviet countries, and they, you know, react nervously to provocations from the federal airwaves. In short, Russia's neighbors, as the propagandist warned, "need to know their place." 

It should be noted that the Russian propagandists themselves should save their nerves and not twitch so much in response to every sovereign action of sovereign countries. Let us recall how Solovyov's face turns red with rage when he falls into imperial ecstasy. And in the last broadcast, the inadequate reaction of the audience could be judged by the demonic chuckles of the host himself and the nervous giggling of his guests. 

Russia's neighbors would not react to the empty talk of propagandists. But, again, the overall picture does not convince us that Solovyov and other riffraff express their own opinion. Private opinions certainly do not sound in the Solovyov evenings. They even stopped inviting those who could seriously oppose the chauvinistic chatter. Perhaps reasonable experts themselves refuse to discuss, fearing not to fit into a very actively accelerated trend. As a result, it seems that everyone in the Russian expert community has gone crazy at once and does not realize where all this is leading their country. But the Russian expert community has always been distinguished by professionalism.

By the way, I remembered. During the Karabakh conflict and the 2020 war, political talk shows on Russian TV had an exclusively pro-Armenian bias. In order to amuse the audience, experts who represented a pro-Azerbaijani position were sometimes invited. But more often than not, these were weak experts who did not know the word and were unable to provide a reasoned opposition. They got the role of whipping boys. There are many political scientists who could have adequately participated in the discussion and defeated the pro-Armenian crowd, but they were not invited to the broadcasts. Propaganda shows on Russian TV have always had sponsors with Armenian surnames, and it was not necessary to expect anything else from them.

Who is sponsoring today's campaign of threats against Russia's neighbors? Whoever it is, these circles do not wish well for their country. They actually finance the expansion of the number of countries negatively disposed towards Russia along the perimeter of the Russian borders. We're not talking about enemies yet. But if the threats voiced by propagandists cease to be their "private opinion," we will also talk about hostility. Why Russia needs such a situation and why the situation is being persistently dragged towards such an outcome is unclear. If these are the "machinations of enemies" who want to drive a wedge and so on, then Solovyov, Mikheev and others are the main enemies of the Russian state. Surprisingly, the Kremlin still does not understand this and does not take measures, limiting itself to demagoguery about "private opinion."

Perhaps the answer to the question of why Russia needs so many detractors could clarify a lot. Why turn into enemies those who are needed by Russia itself? It's really incomprehensible and illogical. Perhaps all these processes have some kind of logic. Perhaps someone expects that the new world order, in which there is no longer any order, will make it possible to realize the dream of the USSR 2.0. Although the latter is so frivolous that we would not like to think so badly about those who make decisions in Moscow. There is no question of regaining influence over our neighbors by force today.

If the threats of talking heads from TV really cease to be their "private opinion" and Moscow decides to point out, as Mikheyev says, "its place" to the countries of Central Asia, Russia will lose the Asian region. Moreover, in the broadest sense of the word, because Central Asia today is a zone of interests, primarily of China. We are not saying that fishing rods are being thrown there from Europe and the USA.

So, guys, let's live together. Moscow really needs to think about where propaganda leads without brakes. She is working against the so-called "Russian world". Even where many people still speak, write and read in Russian.