Putin Has a Grimly Absolute Vision of the 'Russian World'

[Celerity]

The Ukraine war is fuelled by a delusion of civilizational necessity.

https://foreignpolicy.com/2022/03/06/russia-putin-civilization/

https://archive.ph/xtkE4#selection-875.0-881.68



On Feb. 15, Russian President Vladimir Putin falsely claimed that a Ukrainian “genocide” of Russian-speakers was happening in the eastern Donbass region of Ukraine. He repeated that lie in his speech announcing the “special military operation” on Feb. 24 as his troops invaded Ukraine.

Putin believes an invasion of Ukraine is a righteous cause and necessary for the dignity of the Russian civilization, which he sees as being genetically and historically superior to other Eastern European identities. The idea of protecting Russian-speakers in Eurasia has been a key part of Putin’s “Russkiy Mir” worldview and 21st-century Russian identity. Under the rubric of Russkiy Mir (Russian World), Putin’s government promotes the idea that Russia is not a mere nation-state but a civilization-state that has an important role to play in world history.

Beginning in 2012, Putin began to refer to a distinct Russian civilizational identity and explained that “the self-definition of the Russian people is that of a multiethnic civilization.” Included within this civilizational framework are ethnic Russians and Russian-speakers in former Soviet republics that extend beyond Russia’s national borders. In 2020, Putin appeared on state television and said that Russia’s unique civilizational identity needed to be protected via genetics and technological sophistication. This ideology positions contemporary Russia as a global bastion of traditional values and national conservatism. Most of all, it argues that the Kremlin has a duty and right to defend the interests and culture of Russian-speakers all over the world. Putin rejects the Westphalian state system for an irredentist vision of an expansionist Russian civilization.

While the Kremlin refers to the Ukrainian government as “Nazis,” the actual neo-fascist ideologues in this conflict are those in the Russian leadership. Beginning as far back as 1994, Russian political elites started talking about a uniquely Eurasianist Russian civilization. In 1997, Russian post-liberal, neo-fascist philosopher Alexander Dugin, later an advisor to Putin, published his foundational book, Foundations of Geopolitics. Referred to as Putin’s Rasputin, Dugin argues that the world order is shaped by competition between Sea Powers (Atlanticists), such as the United States, the United Kingdom, and the EU countries, and Land Powers (Eurasianists), such as Russia.

snip

[SunSeeker]

1. Yup, like Trump, Putin plays on his countrymen's bigotry and sense of superiority.

Like Hitler before them.

[dalton99a]

2. Like in Trumpworld, Up is down, Barbarism is civilization

[Demovictory9]

3. Omni Media (public radio show) had long segment featuring expert on this. David duke lived in Russia

for years. It's become a blue print for an anti LGBT, pro Christian, white nationalist nation.

[NJCher]

5. Very interesting

About how long ago did you see it?

[Demovictory9]

6. March 4th episode, "on the media'. not Omni. listen to it here

https://www.npr.org/podcasts/452538775/on-the-media

MARCH 4, 2022
The Fog of War
Footage captured and shared by Ukrainian civilians is helping the world see through the fog of war. But not every video in your news feed is the real deal. On this week's On the Media, how to sift fact from fiction with our new Breaking News Consumer's Handbook: Ukraine Edition. Plus, how journalists and analysts are using OSINT to track the war. Then, how an international white Christian nationalist movement is fueling Putin's views and violence. 1. Jane Lytvenenko [@JaneLytv], senior research fellow at the Technology and Social Change Project at Harvard University's Shorenstein Center, on how to sort out the real from the fake while keeping up with the news from Ukraine. Listen. 2. Peter Aldhous [@paldhous], science reporter at Buzzfeed, on how open-source intelligence is changing how we all experience war. Listen. 3. Casey Michel [@cjcmichel], writer and investigative journalist, on white Christian nationalism—here and in Russia. Listen. 4. Jason Stanley [@jasonintrator], professor of philosophy at Yale University, on the anti-Semitic conspiracy theories that plague eastern Europe. Listen. Music: Exit Music For A Film by Brad MehldauMotherless Child by LaTonya PeoplesEye Surgery by Thomas NewmanThe Artifact & Living by Michael AndrewsTrance Dance by John ZornUsing the Apostate Tyrant as His Tool by Kronos QuartetFinal Retribution by John Zorn Waltz (From Swan Lake) by Europa Philharmonic Orchestra

[NJCher]

8. thank you so much!

eom

[moondust]

4. Sounds like eugenics.

Putinazism.

[brush]

7. This video reveals Putin's history. He's a selfish prick...

who was a miracle baby born to parents in their 40s who lived through and survived the siege of Leningrad during WWll...miracle baby being at that age and what they went through and having lost two other sons, Putin was special to them. The chosen one, which is how Putin views himself.

The video is long but worth it. Watch some and come back to it.