Russian journalist and publicist Ksenia Kirillova, not tolerating the intolerant policy of Russia, has left the country. Now she lives with her husband in the United States. Below is the exclusive interview with “Aravot”.
– Ms. Kirillova, you often write about Russia’s domestic political and social problems, especially about why Russian citizens have formed such a distorted picture about the country’s leadership and the government. What do you think about the role of the mass media here and the use of the country’s leadership manipulation in the formation of public opinion, and why in the 21st century, like a number of Russian public figures consider that Russian society continues staying under the influence of the state propaganda?
– We can separate two moments here. On one hand, I do not want to make the role of propaganda in our society absolute. Certainly, it corresponds to some sides of Russian public mentality still remained from the Soviet years, like for example, adaptability, irresponsibility by a large part of the society. One cannot also ignore some imperial complexes (though their role is less than it is seen from outside- K. K.). All this led to the fact that the Russians truly became succumbing before the Russian propaganda.
However, propaganda had a huge role in the formation of today’s Russian mentality. Incidentally, it began to affect even prior to the annexation of Crimea or even the Maidan. While the Russian-Ukrainian war propaganda was really not so active but in any case it has its influence by several directions for several years.
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For example, the Russians are vaccinated “patience” towards such phenomena as corruption for several years. The paradox is that the Kremlin propaganda machine has not even tried to hide the fact that the vertical power created by Putin was formed due to theft and lawlessness. However, in addition, the propagandists also showed that liberal opposition members were also tend to corruption. Thus, the Kremlin mass media managed to convince the public that it makes no sense “replace the available thieves by the new ones” and every person who appears in the government definitely steals.
The discrediting was even directed against the democratic values. Putin did everything for the terms “liberalism” and “democracy” to generate special “conditional reflexes” among the society. These are phobias associated with coups, bloody revolutions, indomitable crime, blood, death and anarchy. Thus, thanks to the propaganda, on the one hand, he managed to completely discredit and debunk the legality and freedom values, on the other hand, inject emotional fear into the consciousness of Russians against the outside community that has democratic views as well as the people in his own country.
The notion of truth has also been distorted among the society and people were inspired for many years that objective truth does not exist. Therefore, no need to be surprised that on the background of this discredited moral norms, the majority of Russians were glad to accepted the principles “the objective justifies the means” and “war as in war”, in other words, they were ready to recognize the permit of absolutely all methods to reach the goals, including military intervention in other country.
During the war, propaganda did another terrible thing. It artificially created a situation with extreme conditions. Yes, not everyone believes that there are “fascists in Ukraine” but many people believe, for example, that there is an “Evil West” and “the scaring US.” Many people truly believe that Russia is at war with the United States in Ukraine and if it does not fight with the US in Ukraine, then it will have to wage a war on its territory. And under this conditions, Putin is considered the only one who can save the country under the extreme condition of the hostile environment. He creates an illusion that he is keeping the barrier and Russia is surrounded by enemies. And his imperial illusions with such people are associated with the defense reaction. In other words, the Russian propaganda is actively inspiring in the course of few years that any discontent about the government ends up with a sea of blood. And then, inspiring fear in people, Putin has connected the guarantee of possible stability with his personality.
As a result, people almost unconsciously shape a connection that Putin is the only opportunity to preserve the normal existence of the country under the extreme conditions.
Hripsime HOVHANNISYAN, “Aravot” daily
