Can you elaborate? How could Russian propaganda use Friday's attack on Crocus City Hall?
When you have no morals and no bitterness when it comes to lying to citizens, it is very effective. This attack can be used as proof of why the border should be protected and the threat from Ukraine should be neutralized. It wouldn't surprise me if we start to see some sort of Western conspiracy in Russian propaganda. And there's this idea: Yes, America warned about this, but was America involved and planning this? And the terrorist attacks in Moscow during Putin's presidency were very helpful in sending the message that it was. Why Russia Needs a Strong Leader There was an attempt to centralize power and invest heavily in the security forces.
All this may justify part of the Kremlin's argument, but only until one ignores the reality that the warnings are not being taken seriously. And many security forces are involved in the war in Ukraine. Putin has not really done a good job of keeping the Russian people safe. But as long as you ignore that, I think the Kremlin can use this attack in a very cynical but very effective way to show that Russia is under attack and that it needs to defend itself.
In the book he explains how Joseph Stalin used propaganda when he was the leader of the Soviet Union. Do you notice any similarities between Stalin and Putin?
I think the similarities between Stalin, Putin – and Xi Jinping in China – are total paranoia, total desire for control, wanting to position themselves at the center of power and trusting no one. All three are confident of their version of making Russia and China great again. They seem to have convinced themselves that to achieve this they must assume the role of emperor. So, all the steps they take justify the need to have a strong government and a strong security apparatus.
An important difference in relation to Putin and Stalin is that I don't see elements of ideology in Putin that Stalin had. I think Putin is more motivated to make Russia a great power. And unlike Stalin, Putin has no interest in exporting his governance model. Putin wants to consolidate Russia's power and sovereignty while cementing his place in history as someone to be remembered alongside Peter the Great, Catherine the Great, and Stalin. Putin wants to be a strong leader like them.
It's about legacy.
Yes, it's about legacy. Putin sees leaders like Gorbachev as unforgivable because they let power slip into their hands. And I think the president has convinced himself that his legacy and his role is to ensure Russia's power for decades to come. He sees himself as a great man in history, and therefore, the present sacrifices and hardships are justified. I'm sure he's thinking about how he'll be remembered and how he'll go down in the history books.