Russian propaganda turns to “Lord of the Rings” to stir up hatred of Ukraine

With Russia’s increasing losses in its war against UkraineIn addition to Western sanctions threaten the country’s weak economy, state television propagandists resort to mythological religious claims. since Confirmation that the Ukrainian government is a “Nazi regime” Don’t hold back, the Kremlin’s trumpets depict the invading Moscow hordes as modern-day crusaders and their opponents as demons and demon worshipers.

During Friday radio The evening with Vladimir Solovyov, One of the most famous political talk shows in Russia, Kira Sazonova of the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration said: “I have thought a lot about the current situation with Ukraine, regarding what modern Ukraine represents for the West. It took me a long time to find the right word, but I think I finally found it. It is ” Gollum. Ukraine is Gollum.

This is a reference to a grotesque imaginary creature from the novel Lord of the rings It is fully in line with the latest propaganda strategy in the Russian state media. In an apparent attempt to dehumanize their opponents, state television critics and hosts have resorted to it Description Ukrainians as “impure” – the same word assigned to goblins, demons and witches in Russian fairy tales.

During the program session on Friday The big game On Channel One, State Duma deputy Vyacheslav Nikonov said: “In the modern world, we are the embodiment of the forces of good. This is a metaphysical clash between the forces of good and evil … We are on the side of good against absolute evil, represented by the Ukrainian nationalist battalions … and the de facto American Satanic Temple. In Salem, he expressed his support. For Ukraine. This is a truly holy war, a holy war we are fighting and we must win.”

Earlier in April on the Solovyov program, political scientist Sergei Mikheev went even further, claim That “the god of Ukraine is the devil”. “Ukraine is being cut down as a pig at a pagan altar of sacrifice,” he added. Same week on a government TV show 60 minutes, Politician Alexei Martynov describe it Blaming Russia for the massacres in Ukraine as “satanic”.

While Ukrainians routinely run insultingportrayed as an unholy country unworthy of existence, promoters and lawmakers in Russian state media called on Russians to abandon their personal needs in favor of Moscow’s crusade. During his Friday show, Solovyov was preaching to his audience about the importance of choosing morals over prosperity. This approach was appropriately timed to reduce the frustrations caused by Western sanctions in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Economists pridect The Russians are likely to deal with inflation of 20% or more by the end of the year.

Solovyov is a fan of recent austerity Lost Access to his Italian multi-million dollar villas. Speaking in front of the camera, he asked the audience at home: “What is more important: a prosperous life, when everything is simple, or when you head towards the unknown? But you believe, and your faith creates miracles.”

Solovyov urged the Russians not to worry about inflation, and instead focus on the positives: “There is no civil war, no intervention … and the war is not taking place on our lands.” To sweeten fate, he noted how far Russia has improved in comparison with Ukraine: “I did not talk about the losses that Ukraine is hiding, but speaking politely, I am afraid that we are talking about more than 50,000 dead Ukrainians. And all this is the fault of a certain criminal named Zelensky. ” The alarming number of alleged Ukrainian victims is not close to official or expected numbers, which means that Solovyov was likely a fabricated, possibly in anticipation of an escalation of Russian atrocities.

As for the victims in Russia, the official number of 1,351 released in March is a far cry from the figures estimated by experts. It hasn’t been updated since, but the file Request by the Federal Security Service (FSB) to increase funding for troop funeral services and gravestones speak volumes.

During Solovyov’s presentation on Friday, Duma Defense Committee Chairman Andrei Kartapolov tried to stir up excitement by presenting Russia’s war against Ukraine as an exciting challenge. He said, “We are entering a very interesting period in the development of recent history. We are all very fortunate to be able to witness these great events.”

Kartapolov arrogantly predicted, “Historians will study this period later to speak of its role and meaning as a turning point that defined the coming world order for many years to come. And we witness it firsthand! More than that, we participate in it! We should be proud of that alone. But most importantly, we have— And we should be proud – of our president and our army, for creating this turning point.”

Kartapolov veered into profane comparisons of Putin’s murderous troops, looting and rape in Ukraine with veterans of World War II: “Every day we lose veterans of the Great Patriotic War … New warriors and heroes must take their place, and of them we have many . .. I fully support the idea of ​​conducting the march of the Immortal Regiment, but I am absolutely convinced that next to the portraits of the veterans of the Great Patriotic War, we must carry the portraits of our men who carried out our actions. Targets in Ukraine, all of them! Those who died there, as well as those who are still They serve. They are the true heroes, and they are the foundation of our country’s future.”

The difficulty of convincing ordinary Russians that the next suffering is worth it and that Ukraine has come is seeping into every state television channel. On Thursday, he will appear on the program time will tell On the state-funded Channel One, State Duma Deputy Speaker Pyotr Tolstoy complained: “The realization that things will never be the same has been slow and difficult … This is a war for justice. This is a war for freedom … This is the nationalist ideology for Russia”.

During the same program, State Duma deputy Oleg Morozov noted that Moscow’s agenda will most likely not end in Ukraine: “Today’s world is very dangerous for us, but also dangerous for Americans, and for Chinese, for Europeans, for Poles, and, first of all, for the Baltic states. Let them remember that de-Nazification is a long and endless process that likely will not end with Ukraine.”

Morozov admitted: “This new world is very uncomfortable for us. We do not even know all the difficulties that we will encounter in the process of building this world … Everyone will face these difficulties. Someone will lose a job … Someone will lose a job.” asked the host. Artyom Sheinin Writer Zakhar Prilibin what he would like to say to the Russian people. The angry writer distilled his message into a childlike simplification: “No one loves us and save ourselves is in our own hands.”