Inside Putin's propaganda machine. Ordinary Russians were led to believe Europe faced imminent famine
To hinder independent media in Russia, Vladimir Putin and the Kremlin's elite ensure that the messages conveyed through television or radio strictly align with their interests. This has been ongoing for years, giving rise to a society with a faulty perception of the world.
A prime example of this can be seen in an interview with ordinary Russians, who are led to believe that Europe is grappling with a food crisis and will soon be at Russia's mercy for help. "They will disappear like the mammoths," the Russians ridicule Europeans.
From where do they acquire such misconceptions about global affairs? They unsurprisingly come from government-controlled media.
Given that the state media is meant to drum up support for Vladimir Putin and his allies, they conveniently overlook inconvenient topics. Instead, they are fed a concoction of lies, ambiguities, half-truths, and downright disreputable deeds. This is the modus operandi of propaganda, which has been at full throttle in Russia for years. Tragically, ordinary people often fall prey to this deception.
A journalist asked Russians about their perception of life in the West, highlighting the comfort and wealth available there. He cited the quality of life enjoyed by retirees in Western countries who can afford worldly travel. What was one response? One individual dismissed it as "a lie because people in the West are impoverished and have nothing to eat".
That marked just the onset of a tirade by one elderly man who believes Europe is incapable of survival without Russia's aid. "They will soon begin to perish unless they receive aid from Russia to survive. Complaints are already being voiced. If the winter is harsh, they will go extinct like the mammoths. I say this in all seriousness," the Russian citizen contended.
An elderly woman, when asked about the same topic, had a different perspective. She declared she didn't care about happenings in Europe. Another woman stated she is not interested in travel since she already has everything she needs in Russia. Furthermore, she is comfortable and content and feels her motherland could spur envy in Western countries.
And the reason for their satisfaction? Well, it's thanks to Vladimir Putin, at least according to Russians.
As for the mammoth queues at stores where eggs and fish are scarce, the inflation, the labor shortage, and the deaths of hundreds of thousands sent to battle. The same goes for the insight that some Russians see through the propaganda and distrust it. They know the deceit of Putin and his associates on the public. Regrettably, they also realize they are in the minority.
Russians are persuaded to believe that Europe is on the precipice of destruction without their intervention. But do they truly understand, or even choose to recall, that their army signifies destruction, poverty, starvation, and complete annihilation?
