British scientist Jade McGlynn remembers the creepy words that another Russian told him once. In Russia, it is natural to care more [kirjailija Aleksandr] Pushkin’s of the statue as of a dead Ukrainian child.
That’s what the Russian interviewed by McGlynn had stated.
Visiting Finland McGlynn is a doctor of philosophy familiar with Russian media and foreign policy, who works as a researcher at King’s College in London. He has surveyed the opinions of Russians with the help of interviews. He has also studied the way Russian media speak.
War propagandists are storytellers, not messengers
According to McGlynn, many Russians fully believe the Kremlin’s propaganda that Ukraine has no right to exist. Propaganda reaches many levels and is more about storytelling than the delivery of a single message by the Russian leadership.
– Several propagandists are worse than [presidentti Vladimir] Putin or politicians. The most horrifying are the messages related to the genocide that Ukrainians can be killed and that Ukrainianness is not real, describes Jade McGlynn.
According to McGlynn, it is currently impossible for the Russians to admit war crimes committed by their own forces.
– That takes a long time. Real change would mean going through genocide and horrific war crimes, says McGlynn.
The fate of Putin and Prigozhin
Wagner Director Yevgeny Prigozhin death is an interesting detail in Russian society for McGlynn.
– It solved the problem called Prigozhin, and now nobody has to try to do the same thing he did, says McGlynn.
The Wagner forces led by Prigozhin organized a short-lived rebellion in Russia during Midsummer. Prigozhin died a couple of weeks ago when the plane carrying him crashed.
According to McGlynn, Prigozhin’s death does not solve all the problems, because his messages had an echo base.
– The army is not capable, and the elites who keep their castles in the West send ordinary Russian boys to die. However, not their own sons.
An example of this, according to McGlynn, is the Minister of Defense Sergei Shoigun a son-in-law who is often seen frolicking on yachts.
According to McGlynn, it is not surprising that Prigozhin actually died in the plane crash.
– Putin has always been of the opinion that betrayal will not be tolerated. What is surprising is that Prigozhin felt safe and flew with transponders on.
The researcher has only one opinion about Putin’s situation.
– Putin will probably die in office, although I really hope I’m wrong.
McGlynn hopes that Russia will still find democracy and human rights. However, he doesn’t believe it.
According to him, the divided elite will find a successor to Putin among them, and that successor will become almost as popular and the same type of leader as Putin is.
– Public opinion is then important in order for the leader to gain strong approval, but Russians do not long for Western democracy in their country.
Western governments should look in the mirror
McGlynn does not believe that Russia will change in the near future. That’s why he demands from Western countries a more rigorous reflection on the situation of the Russian oligarchs.
– In addition to Putin, we must also focus on all those who fuel Russia’s war efforts. Even when it’s a bit inconvenient for our own Western governments, says McGlynn.
According to McGlynn, people who supply steel to the Russian military should not be allowed to own estates in Scotland or businesses in Belgium.
He believes that the war will continue for a long time.
– This is a marathon, not a sprint. Western countries have to stay involved, in addition to our own security, for the sake of Ukraine, McGlynn emphasizes.
Propaganda is spread in Russia by people other than the Kremlin, such as TV journalists. Watch the video below.