Disinformation and propaganda have played a determining role since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, last February. Both sides have played with the story to, in the Russian case, justify the deployment of troops in the neighboring country, and in the case of Ukraine, increase the morale of its combatants in the face of a superior enemy, both in number and in weapons.
Since the beginning of the so-called “special military operation”, Russia broadcasts a program in prime time where the evolution of the offensive in Ukraine. This space has been characterized by its warmongering tone where it has even threatened to destroy the great European capitals. “Berlin, 106 seconds, Paris, 200 seconds, London, 202 seconds,” indicated a label in the program 60 minutesbroadcast on state television Rossiya 24 while a commentator stated that attacking United Kingdom it would mean “no one would survive.”
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These statements contrast with the latest statements made in this same program by a retired Russian colonel, who acknowledges that the situation for Russia “will get worse” and that they are “internationally isolated”. “This situation is not normal,” he adds. Furthermore, he admits that the support of the Indian and Chinese to his country is not “unconditional”, deepening in that position of isolation. The turn from the state of initial euphoria to a more pessimistic view, in one of the programs that dominate the prime time Russian, coincides with a stalemate on the Ukrainian front.
The ukrainian war It is already predicted as a conflict that will be postponed in time, neither of the two sides seems to be willing to sit down at the negotiating table to reach a ceasefire agreement. Both Russia and Ukraine are aware that they are not in a position of superiority to impose their conditions. In this context, Russian public opinion seems to be toning down the warmongering tone, perfectly portrayed in the program 60 minuteswhere the «reeducation or the sterilization», as well as «internment in concentration camps» for all opponents of the letter ‘Z’, a symbol that identifies Russian troops in Ukraine.
Not only has Russian television moderated its views, since the Kremlin it also seems that he has chosen to tone down his statements about the West. Last February, the Russian Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrovthreatened “military consequences” if Finland y Sweden they entered the OTAN. Given how little effect this warning has had, Moscow has decided to play down the Nordic countries’ request for accession to the Atlantic Alliance.
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The Russian President, Vladimir Putinhas revealed that this fact does not represent “a direct threat” to Russia, but clarifies that “the expansion of military infrastructure towards these territories will certainly generate a reaction as a response.” In fact, the expansion of OTAN was one of the main arguments put forward by Putin to launch the offensive against Ukraine.
One of the demands Moscow did to the alliance, before launching its “military operation”, was for the organization to commit itself not to deploy military weapons in those countries that had joined the organization after 1997, among which are several former Soviet republics. In the end, neither NATO – with the United States in the lead – nor Russia were able to reach an agreement defining a new “European security framework” that would convince both parties, which triggered the Russian invasion of Ukraine who is already 84 days old.
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