Russian Propaganda Turns to Lord of the Rings to Stir Ukraine Hatred

[Nevilledog]

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The Daily Beast
@thedailybeast
“I’ve thought a lot about the ongoing situation with Ukraine, in terms of 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’s “Gollum.” Ukraine is Gollum,” Kira Sazonova argues

thedailybeast.com
Russian Propaganda Turns to Lord of the Rings to Stir Ukraine Hatred
10:40 AM · Apr 17, 2022

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ith Russia’s mounting losses in its war against Ukraine, in addition to Western sanctions threatening the country’s feeble economy, state TV propagandists are resorting to mythical religious claims. Since the assertion that the Ukrainian government is a “Nazi regime” doesn’t hold water, the Kremlin’s mouthpieces are portraying Moscow’s invading hordes as modern-day crusaders and their opponents as demons and satanists.

During Friday’s broadcast of The Evening With Vladimir Solovyov, one of the most popular political talk shows in Russia, Kira Sazonova of the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration argued: “I’ve thought a lot about the ongoing situation with Ukraine, in terms of 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’s “Gollum.” Ukraine is Gollum.”

This reference to a fictional hideous creature from the novel “Lord Of The Rings” is fully in line with the latest propaganda strategy in Russian state media. In an apparent attempt to dehumanize their opponents, state TV’s pundits and hosts have taken to describing Ukrainians as “the unclean”—the same word reserved for imps, demons and witches in Russian fairy tales.

During Friday’s edition of the program The Big Game on Channel One, deputy of the State Duma Vyacheslav Nikonov claimed: “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’re on the side of good against absolute evil, represented by the Ukrainian nationalist battalions... and the American temple of Satan, located in Salem, expressed its support for Ukraine. This is truly a holy war, a holy war we’re waging and we must win.”

*snip*

[Dial H For Hero]

1. That...is the stupidest allegory I've heard in some time.

And by the by, Tolkien despised allegory as a literary device.

“I cordially dislike allegory in all its manifestations, and always have done so since I grew old and wary enough to detect its presence."

---J. R. R. Tolkien, forward to Lord of the Rings

[SunSeeker]

2. Putin, like Republicans, is always projecting. nt

[0rganism]

3. Seems like the easier comparison for Ukraine is Gondor

The similarity doesn't get very far as details are included but the basic tale of a proud people resisting a massive invasion by dark forces of corruption, dishonesty and base violence remains impossible to miss.

[haele]

4. How can a country be a person? Either the translation is off or the guy is nuts.

Is his "allegorical definition" an attempt of a response to the Ukrainians calling Russian soldiers "Orcs"?
Or maybe that Ukraine is the keeper of some "One Ring" that both Russia and the West wants?

Gollum was both hero and villain in the Lord of the Rings. He kept the Ring out of Sauron's knowledge down in the caves, and at the Pits, was the one character who ensured the destruction of the Ring. Sure, he was corrupt, and sneaky, but ultimately, the great Evil would not have been destroyed without him.

So that means that despite it's problems, he thinks Ukraine would be pretty special, no?

Haele

[anamnua]

5. I was goingto compare Putin with Sauron

but I think Saruman would be a better analogy: devious, secretive, and mendacious -- who ends his career by raping, but eventually getting his comeuppance in the Shire (Ukraine).

[gratuitous]

6. Gollum?

You mean the chap who kept the Ring safe for centuries and who completed the Rngbearer's quest when Frodo was about to betray all of creation?

[BootinUp]

7. Are we already at max rhetoric?

Putin's war is going very badly for him.

[ironflange]

8. Zelensky looks kinda like Frodo

[AntiFascist]

9. A golem....

brought to life in order to protect Eastern Europe from Russian oppression.

[muriel_volestrangler]

10. I don't understand - and that make me think she doesn't understand The Lord of the Rings

"what modern Ukraine represents for the West" - she thinks we see Ukraine like Gollum?

Someone mentioned 'golem' above - it is possible Davis misheard? That would fit the Russian view of their war better - a creature to be used and commanded by the West.

[Crunchy Frog]

11. They're a little late to the party. The Ukrainians are already calling them orcs.

And lots of people are thinking of Russia as Morder.

They can't even come up with an analogy on their own, but have to appropriate one from someone else.