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The review for April can be found here.
The Russian authorities have seriously considered transferring its society to a state of "prolonged war". In May, the Kremlin tried to convince its subordinates that the multi-year armed confrontation with its neighbors was planned, according to which the "SMO" (special military operation) began in February 2022. At the same time, the Russians were promised the disruption of the Ukrainian counteroffensive, were scared of fakes about the "atrocities" of the Ukrainian troops, and schoolchildren were lured by the advantages of serving in the army. Meanwhile, in the Russian hinterland, evidence of how the authorities do not deal with the consequences of 15 months of "special operation" appeared more often.
During a visit to the burials of the Wagner soldiers in the Krasnodar region, Yevgeny Prigozhin uttered the words given in the headline, which became prophetic for the future of all of Russia. It is the cemetery where the prisoners are buried, whom the authorities demand to call heroes for the war crimes they committed on the territory of Ukraine, that should become a model and the pinnacle of career growth for hundreds of thousands of young Russians in the foreseeable future — not Potemkin's Skolkovo, not the Olympic complex in Sochi, not Moscow State University, and not the opportunities for recreation or study in the West.
The Kremlin is aware of how unconvincing and unattractive such a "ticket to life" is. However, no one can promise it otherwise. Moreover, no one should even dream of such a thing.
For this reason, the Russian authorities are trying to create a new "horizon of desires" with the help of fakes, horror stories, and outright lies that everything is "going according to plan" in the country preparing for a prolonged war.
The war is still going "as planned"
In early May, Russian military propaganda focused on achieving two goals. First, the authorities convinced Russians that victory was just around the corner. Secondly, they actively denied and refuted the assumption of a powerful Ukrainian counteroffensive. Even the arrival of drones on the roof of Putin's Kremlin residence was presented by propaganda as "proof" of the inability of the Ukrainian army to achieve any success on the battlefield.
In particular, attention was focused on attacks by cruise missiles and Lancet drones.
"The Russian Armed Forces delivered powerful strikes with cruise missiles on the areas where the Ukrainian army is concentrated. Military experts note that this undermines the capabilities of the Armed Forces of Ukraine for an offensive. On the night of May 1, the expert said that long-range aviation of the Russian Air Force and ships of the Black Sea Fleet launched a joint attack on the places of concentration of Armed Forces of Ukraine reserves. In particular, an echelon carrying almost 200 tons of ammunition for the Ukrainian army was destroyed in the Kramatorsk region" (Izvestia, 05/02/23).
"The new tactics of the Russian army leave no chance for the Ukrainian military to avoid a blow. Lancet barrage munitions are used to combat long-range anti-aircraft missile systems, for example, S-300 complexes. At the same time, up to a dozen kamikaze drones can be used in one raid. Such a tactic allows one attack to destroy entire air defense units of Ukraine at once" (RIA Novosti, 05/03/23).
"Military expert Vladislav Shurygin noted that the Russian command has changed its tactics, and instead of strikes on infrastructure, strikes are now being carried out on the reserves of the Ukrainian army. He added that it is connected, among other things, with preparations for the Ukrainian offensive. According to him, the Kiev authorities [transliteration which the original text uses] began to pull reserves to the line of combat contact, including warehouses with ammunition and fuel. The expert explained that it is more difficult to hide the movements of large reserves than small units, so our intelligence detects them, and the armed forces successfully strike. This disrupts the preparations of the Armed Forces of Ukraine for the offensive and seriously reduces their chances of a successful breakthrough, said Vladislav Shurygin" (Izvestia, 05/10/23).
Selective citation of publications in the Western press was used. This hinted that even Westerners are aware of the "inevitability" of Russia's victory:
"Russia's main advantage over Ukraine is its air force," said journalist Brendan Cole in an article for Newsweek. The Russian Air Force is the second largest in the world, as noted by the author of the article, "900 fighters and 120 bombers." Given Russia's volume of reserves, in case of their use, Kiev [transliteration which the original text uses] will need a multi-level air defense system. Meanwhile, the journalist stated that attacks on infrastructure have seriously weakened Ukrainian air defense" (Izvestia, 05/05/23).
Covering up numerous failures with the use of "Kinzhals" [hypersonic air-launched ballistic missiles] and mass shelling of Ukrainian cities in the first half of May, the Kremlin stubbornly lies to its subordinates about significant successes in achieving the goals of the "special operation".
"During the special military operation, Russia achieved some of its goals, said Dmitry Peskov, press secretary of the President of the Russian Federation. According to him, one of the goals of the special operation is the demilitarization of Ukraine, which has already been partially achieved. With the help of high-precision missiles, the Russian army destroyed many military industries on the territory of Ukraine and pretty much "damaged the Ukrainian military machine", Peskov said. "We are not waging war. Waging a war is a completely different matter: it is the destruction of infrastructure and cities. We do not do this" (TASS, 5/11/2023).
Attracting attention, hyperbolizing the threat of a Ukrainian counteroffensive, and simultaneously denying it, Russian propagandists have been actively using these methods since May 5, 2023. We can assume that it is done to divert the Russian citizens' attention from the incident with the drone attack on the Kremlin.
Another possible explanation: the Russian audience was forced to believe that the counteroffensive had already begun and was not succeeding. Thus, the propagandists preemptively formed the expectations of the audience so that before the real trouble started at the front, ordinary Russians would lose interest in this topic. It is evidenced by the fact that the message about the predictability and weakness of the Ukrainian counteroffensive was spread both in the central and regional media:
"Acting head of the Zaporozhye [transliteration which the original text uses] region Yevgeny Balytskyi said that the offensive of the Ukrainian army could begin in the next few days or even hours. About 70 thousand people are resettled from the shelled areas of Zaporozhye. "According to information from our people in Zaporozhye, Dnipropetrovsk [transliteration which the original text uses], and other cities where they are fighting the regime, as well as information from the frontline, the enemy is increasing its forces," said Balytskyi. He noted that this is clearly visible, as Russian UAVs penetrate to a depth of up to 150 km in enemy territory" (TV channel "Solovyev Live", 05/05/23).
"Commander Semyon Pegov stated that the counteroffensive of the Armed Forces has actually begun. Kiev [transliteration which the original text uses] operates according to the classic scheme, as per the author of the WarGonzo project. According to Pegov, the first phase of the counteroffensive is a terrorist attack on the internal, often distant from the front, territory of Russia. He stated: "What everyone has been waiting for so long has already started." Kiev acts classically - the intelligence cells, prepared long before the SMO, have woken up. It is nothing but a "traditional" scheme. "First, there was a big and resonant terrorist boom in the rear, then a surge at the front. Kiev is preparing the ground because terrorism is primarily about psychology," as noted by Semyon Pegov (KrasnodarMedia, 05/07/23).
"The military expert was asked what could disrupt the counteroffensive of the Ukrainian army. In his opinion, everything will be decided by the outcome of the battles for Artemovsk (Bakhmut in Ukrainian). According to him, the Ukrainian army is now using all its forces so they do not leave the city. "After Bakhmut, only the Slavyansk-Kramatorsk [transliteration which the original text uses] agglomeration will remain. This will change the line of contact to which the Armed Forces must send all their reserves. Therefore, they will not be able to counterattack," explained the military commander (URA.RU, 05/19/23).
Even the realistic notes in Prigozhin's statements were supposed to convince the Russians that there was no need to fear a Ukrainian counteroffensive: all reserves were already deployed, and Kyiv had no others.
"According to the head of the "Wagner" PMC, all units that were preparing for a big "offensive" have already been activated. On May 11, the head of "Wagner" Yevgeny Prigozhin answered a question about whether the decision of Vladimir Zelensky postponed the counteroffensive of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. — Vladimir Alexandrovich Zelensky is cunning. The counteroffensive is in full swing. In the Artemovsk direction, units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine go into the flanks and, unfortunately, in some places, they succeed in doing this, - said Prigozhin in a recording distributed by his personal press service" (Bloknot Voronezh, 05/11/23).
Throughout May, Russian viewers and readers continued to be convinced of the importance of a complete victory in Bakhmut. Then it turned out that all the bloody efforts and the throwing of thousands of prisoners into the "Bakhmut meat grinder" were used exclusively for the personal PR of Yevgeny Prigozhin and the promotion of the "Wagner" PMC brand.
It seems that the battle for Bakhmut was just an expensive preparation for the advertising campaign of Prigozhin's tour of Russia. As early as May, advertisements with appeals to join the Communist Party of Ukraine began appearing in remote Russian regions. Prigozhin personally claimed credit for the alleged destruction of 50,000 Ukrainian soldiers.
"Storm troops of the "Wagner" PMC knocked out Ukrainian military from two quarters in the western districts of Artemovsk. The battles for the city's liberation are ending, but the Armed Forces continue to fight for every house. Despite the complicated situation, the Ukrainian units in Artemovsk tried to carry out several counterattacks to return the lost lines of defense, said an expert familiar with the course of hostilities. According to him, the attacks were repulsed. At the same time, the situation for the Ukrainian military is getting worse every day; they cannot deliver reinforcements and ammunition, and in the city itself, they are stuck in the western areas, explained the military expert" (Izvestia, 05/05/23).
"The head of the "Wagner" PMC, Yevgeny Prigozhin, told how many fighters died in the battles for Artemovsk (Ukrainian name - Bakhmut). According to the founder of the private military company, "Wagner" lost around 20 thousand "musicians" [slang naming for Wagner soldiers]. And The Ukrainian Armed Forces lost 50,000 fighters, another 50,000 – 70,000 were wounded, Prigozhin added ... The Ukrainian Armed Forces suffered high losses since the fighters of the "Wagner" PMC led the offensive, preventing the Ukrainian military from evacuating, added Prigozhin in an interview with Konstantin Dolgov" (KrasnodarMedia, 05/24/23).
"Billboards appeared in Orenburg in honor of Russian troops' capture of Artemovsk (Bakhmut in Ukrainian). The photo shows the moment of raising the Russian flag over Artemovsk. This is a screenshot of a video published by the "Wagner" PMC. The picture is accompanied by the inscription: "Bakhmut – Artemovsk is ours". The administration of Orenburg told us that they had nothing to do with the appearance of such billboards" (Ural56.ru, 05/25/23).
However, Prigozhin’s tour of the Russian hinterland's main goal was to promote the "long war" and restructure the entire society to meet military needs. By the way, all of Prigozhin's theses fully correspond to the messages of Putin's other confidants: Dmitry Medvedev and Dmitry Peskov. The sign of "victory" should be the destruction of Ukraine. Prigozhin convinces his audience of the need for "eternal war" in other, more down-to-earth words. According to the traditions of Kremlin propaganda, everything happens in a coordinated manner:
"Russia opposes the freezing of the conflict in Ukraine. In this matter, the Kremlin is in solidarity with the position of Western countries, Dmitry Peskov said. Russia is considering the possibility of only completing a special military operation: securing its interests, achieving Russia's goals either by completing the special military operation or by other available means, the press secretary of the head of state said. At the same time, earlier Dmitry Peskov clarified that it is unlikely to solve the conflict through peaceful negotiations since Ukraine has banned its conduction. The press secretary of the President of the Russian Federation noted that there are no prerequisites for a peaceful settlement" (TASS, 05/24/23).
"Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, Dmitry Medvedev, spoke about the scenario Russia needs so that the conflict in Ukraine ends and does not resume. According to him, part of the Ukrainian regions should become part of Russia. Medvedev indicated that Ukraine would disappear. He described several options for developing events in his Telegram channel (18+). In one such scenario, Ukraine's central and other landlocked regions should become part of Russia. There is also another option. The western part of Ukraine will become part of the European Union. According to Medvedev, no other options exist" (RIA Novosti, 05/26/23).
"If we hold the line of defense, then this will be a long special operation, which should end fine for Russia. Everyone will calm down since they have lost territories, and everything will come to naught. The country will face long isolation; we need to stop our IT specialists from leaving [the country], get used to making microcircuits ourselves." - said the head of the "Wagner" PMC. There is a lot of work to be done inside the country. There is gold, electricity, metal, and people. We can also make weapons, shells, and everything one needs. The country can feed itself. But the countries that imposed sanctions will treat Russia well only under one condition. They will say come, kneel, bow your head. If people are ready for this, the West will forgive. If this does not happen, preparing for a prolonged confrontation is necessary. Is it possible to break through the defense? These are long-term plans; the short-term task is to hold the line where the Russian troops are located and not let anyone in" (Uralsky Meridian, 31/05/23).
News from the regions indicates that preparations for the "long war" also continue at the grassroots level. In particular, for this purpose, the Russian military systematically visits schools. It organizes summer camps to instill in teenagers thoughts about the "sacred duty" of serving in the army and preparing to participate in hostilities.
"In Tatarstan, a regional branch of the Military Sports Training and Patriotic Education Center was opened. Such centers also appeared in Buryatia, Kalmykia, Pskov, Sverdlovsk, Tyumen, Belgorod regions, DNR, Kalmykia, the Chechen Republic, and the Khabarovsk Territory. Shortly, it is planned to open such centers throughout all of Russia. According to the organizers, under the guidance of instructors, young people of pre-conscription and conscription age can undergo an intensive course of training in applied military affairs. "Today, when we need to carry out the tasks of a special military operation in Ukraine when the enemy is shelling the settlements of Belgorod, Bryansk, and Kursk regions, the ability to hold a weapon, provide medical assistance, and the ability to protect the homeland should become a mandatory part of education," said Yuriy Trutnev, Russian President's Plenipotentiary in the Far East. Now, more than 3,000 people have already started training. The duration of the training will last from three weeks to three months, depending on the training program" (Kazanfirst, 12/05/23).
"In Khanty-Mansiysk, Lieutenant Colonel Mikhail Tremasov, the deputy head of the Department for Military and Political Affairs, together with the officer of the Special Rapid Response Unit "Nord", the police captain Evgeny K., met with the cadets of the sub-chiefs school 8. The Russian Guardsmen told the children about the importance of love for the Motherland and the special features of service in units of the Russian Guard. A participant in a special military operation to protect civilians in the Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics, Kherson, and Zaporozhye [transliteration which the original text uses] regions informed the cadets about the tests a special forces soldier must undergo to receive the right to wear a beret. At the end of the meeting, the officers showed the children educational videos" (Uralsky Meridian, 05/17/23).
"900 children from Tatarstan will spend their summer holidays in military-patriotic education camps, said Rinat Sadykov, Minister of Youth Affairs of the Republic of Tatarstan. "During the summer holidays, together with the Military Sports Training and Patriotic Education Center for children and youth, we will conduct several new specialized shifts at the base of the Chaika camp and the Patriot Center. We will provide such holiday vacation for up to 900 people," said Sadykov (Kazanskie vedomosti, 05/17/23).
Additionally, events designed for consumers of primitive mass culture, such as circus performances and meetings with racist ideologues such as Alexandr Dugin, are organized in various ways. This means that the appearance of the "reasonableness" of the country's course of isolation and confrontation with the civilized world is being created.
A special screening of the film "Russian Reactor" was held in Samara at the "Khudozhestvennyj" center, directed by Alexandr Zaldastanov, the leader of the All-Russian motorcycle club "Night Wolves". The audience comprised the members of youth military-patriotic associations and organizations, students, and teachers of schools and universities in the region. After the screening, a meeting with the film's creators took place. The screening was organized as part of the first International Anti-Fascist Song Festival, "Guitars in Line", which is being held in the Samara Region this week. Governor Dmitry Azarov watched the film with his compatriots and shared his impressions of the screening" (Samarskaya gazeta, 05/02/23).
"Leader of the Voronezh division of the "SR-ZP" party [A Just Russia – For Truth party], State Duma deputy Dmitry Kuznetsov shared his video dream on the SMO topic on the Internet. At the Mining College in Lisichansk [transliteration which the original text uses], which seemed like a ghost town back in February of this year, the politician and potential opponent of Alexander Gusev in the gubernatorial elections unexpectedly met the ghost of the President of Ukraine... The background of the video is a work of art; the line of combat contact still runs in the area of the Lisichansk refinery. The proposal of the deputy of the State Duma makes sense; if Zelensky and his office leave, Lisichansk students would continue attending their favorite college" (Bloknot Voronezh, 05/03/23).
"The question of the existence of Russia's ideology, which it can offer to the world, was addressed today to the famous philosopher Alexander Dugin at a meeting organized as part of the "Open dialogue" series and the "Native Harbor" media project in the showroom of the Higher School of Journalism and Media Communications of the Kazan Federal University (KFU). "In the form as it was in the Soviet Union, we do not have such an ideology. We don't want any more power of global capital," Dugin answered. "The issue of our ideology is not trivial. It requires setting before establishing values and key nodes. If we correctly crack the code of Western ideology, crack it, understand it, then we can say "no" to it," said Dugin, as quoted by the KFU press service" (Kazanfirst, 05/19/23).
To justify the war, fake stories about the "kindness" of the Russian military and the "atrocities" of the Ukrainians have been created. All this, as if, according to Orwell, should convince Russians that "war is peace, and peace is war."
"Nizhny Novgorod scouts helped a low-income family in the Kherson region. "People's Front" of the Nizhny Novgorod Region has reported this. The SMO fighters asked for help in a village house on the territory of hostilities. They [soldiers] were immediately accepted there. As it turned out, grandmother and grandfather lived in the house with their 5- and 12-year-old grandchildren. There were no parents; they disappeared, and nothing is known about their whereabouts since then. Then the servicemen decided to help and gave them their own food and medicine. Afterward, they turned to volunteers to send the necessary humanitarian aid to the family. As a result, the initiative group "All for victory!" bought clothes for family members, bedding, products, stationery, and sweets for children. The family has already received the parcel and thanked them for the attention" (Nizhnehorodskaya Pravda, 05/30/23).
"Ukrainians practice extracting organs from the bodies of wounded soldiers of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Such a practice was created to transplant organs into other people's bodies further. Such "dark" medical services are located in the Kiev-controlled [transliteration which the original text uses] Kherson military hospital, said a representative of the Russian security forces, citing a source in the city's medical facilities. He says operations are carried out only on seriously wounded and dead soldiers. Then they are burned in the crematorium, and the relatives are informed about the disappearance of the fighter, added the source" (RIA Novosti, 05/23/23).
"Russian servicemen, who Ukraine captured, were kept in harsh conditions and were subject to regular torture," said the chairman of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation, Alexander Bastrykin. Russian prisoners of war were often kept in containers and then transported to pre-trial detention centers in Kharkov or Kiev [transliteration which the original text uses], Bastrykin reported. According to him, many servicemen talk about the cruel torture that Ukraine’s Security Service officers arranged; they often forced servicemen to kneel, after which they were severely beaten. Ukrainian militants have also committed numerous crimes against civilians in Ukraine, the chairman of the Investigative Committee said. From the testimony of victims and witnesses, it became known that Ukrainian Nazis could shoot people for poor knowledge of the Ukrainian language, careless statements against the Kiev [transliteration which the original text uses] regime, or simply for the sake of entertainment" (KrasnodarMedia, 05/06/23).
All this would look serious and very threatening if reality did not contradict the statements and plans of Putin's war criminals. While Prigozhin was "destroying" tens of thousands of Ukrainian Armed Forces soldiers, and Medvedev was "dividing" Ukrainian lands between Russia and the West, facts were accumulating in the Russian hinterland that eloquently testifies not only to unpreparedness for a "long war", but also to the unsatisfactory adaptation of the regime to the consequences of the"special operation".
So, let's dwell on these facts.
In Nizhny Novgorod, where several tens of thousands of Russians were mobilized, only one "rehabilitation center for SMO fighters" was opened, which is supposed to accommodate all services. Everything was done to increase the distance between the authorities and the "mobilized" soldiers. There is also no mention of a rehabilitation center:
"The center has an adaptation hall, a psychologist's office, a rental point for rehabilitation equipment, a library, and a children's room. The fund assists SMO fighters and their families from household to legal issues. Social coordinators in all districts of Nizhny Novgorod connect families, specialized departments, and authorities" (Nizhnegorodskaya Pravda, 30/05/23).
In Yekaterinburg, the mobilized families knew nothing about their relatives participating in the war for over five months. The authorities openly say that, most likely, they will never find it out:
"Relatives do not know anything about the fate of at least 14 people. These people have been missing since the beginning of the year. According to the deputy of the Duma, Maksim Ivanov, there is no information about them. The deputy sent a request to the head of the military police, Sergei Kuralenko, and asked him to conduct such a search. Nevertheless, Maksim Ivanov admitted there is little hope" (Uralsky Meridian, 05/29/23).
The wounded are being falsified with fake diagnoses and forcibly returned to the front:
"A wounded soldier with a bullet in his leg has returned to the front without pay and proper treatment. He began to argue [regarding his situation], brought a witness, and showed a photo. They began to look for a certificate but to no avail. "Ten days later, at the beginning of April, I was asked to attend the Military Medical Commission (MMC). When I arrived, the commission's conclusion with signatures was already ready. They did everything for me. The doctor set a condition: "If you agree with the decision of the MMC, we will send you to a sanatorium. If you do not agree, we will send you back to the unit in Ukraine." There was no choice; I had to choose a sanatorium option – it was at least something," Alexander sighs. He expected to take another certificate from the hospital to obtain insurance and regional payment. Still, this document was not issued to him" (NGS. NOVOSTI Krasnoyarsk, 05/29/23).
Diabetes and hypertension will not save thousands of Siberians from mobilization:
"Such is an order from the Ministry of Defense. "It is clearly written there, who should be called up by whom, and who should be sent to the Military Medical Commission. Only due to the validity of this document, 40 thousand people were sent to a military medical examination directly from the conscription points. After conducting the MMC, about 6 thousand were recognized as (category) "D" and were not immediately mobilized. Another 7 thousand were granted a reprieve," as reported by the military commissar (NGS.NOVOSTI Krasnoyarsk, 5/25/23).
In Ural, 50-year-olds are being invited to a contract-based military service:
"Residents of Yekaterinburg over 50 years of age began to receive calls from military recruitment centers with the offer to sign a contract for military service. An employee of the military enlistment office tells over the phone that age is not an obstacle to signing a contract. Residents who received such invitations told the Ural mass media that they were told that this did not necessarily mean participating in the special military operation. The person could choose the place of service himself " (Uralsky Meridian, 05/22/23).
All over Russia, relatives of those mobilized are denied payments and other promised "social benefits":
"A man participated in the SMO as a soldier, and his wife and child are being evicted from a municipal apartment in Yekaterinburg, as per Ural Meridian, 22/05/23: "In April, the families of two SMO participants who were posthumously awarded the Order of Courage turned to me: they were not paid the statutory one-time payment for the award," State Duma deputy Maksim Ivanov mentioned in his Telegram channel. — "This is even though the Presidential Decrees for the award were issued in July-September, and in October, the military commission sent the necessary documents to the military unit." The deputy said that he involved the military prosecutor's office in solving the issue, and the reason for the non-payment turned out to be "banal red tape at the level of the "responsible persons" of the military unit in Yekaterinburg." The families were paid the required money. The guilty were punished" (Uralsky Meridian, 05/15/23).
However, that's not all. In the second part of the review of the Russian media space for May 2023, we will show how the Ukrainian drone attacks in May and the raid by Russian military volunteers in the Belgorod region hit the shaky constructions of Russian propaganda about victory and readiness for a long war.
Photo: Getty Images
