Putin’s Surreal Artillery Confession: Russia’s Cynical View

A question many have asked me as a former defense attaché in Russia is: why does the Russian population accept Putin‘s war in Ukraine?

The war has taken its toll.

• Hundreds of thousands of Russian soldiers have been killed or maimed
• many young well-educated people have fled
• the country will have an enemy in Ukraine for generations
• the country has become completely dependent on China
• Russians are seen as a pariah in large parts of the West
• the economy suffers with almost 20 per cent interest on loans.

Why then is not a stop to the war of aggression demanded in the population?

War is not like in Norway

The answer is complex. Firstly, Russia has a different history and tradition of war than Norway. The country has been at war continuously, with only short breaks, since Tsarist times.

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There have been wars against Japan, China, Poland, Sweden and the surrounding countries. Norway is probably the only country with a common border with Russia that has not been at war with the country. The violent communist revolution in 1917, the Second World War (41-45), the war in Afghanistan (1979-89), two wars in Chechnya (1994-96 and 1999-2009) and South Ossetia (2008) are recent examples of war and conflict being a political instrument on the same level as other instruments.

War is not like in Norway – the very last resort. The consequences are that war in Russia is a normality, the country is imperialist, and also more violent than our society.

RECRUITMENT POSTER in Petrozavodsk, the capital of Karelia. (Translated: Honor to the defenders of the fatherland – Karelia is proud of you)
Photo: Private

Used to a strong leader

The Russian population is used to a strong leader who oversees security and defense policy. Previously it was the Tsar, then the Secretary General of the Politburo, and today President Putin.

There is no culture for demonstrations. The population must shine a spotlight on the immediate challenges, while the Leader decides on relations with other countries. He is best suited, and is right in his politics.

POLICE BUSES at Red Square, there are many of these around Moscow and St. Petersburg.
Photo: Private

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Lies and manipulation

Professional and well-coordinated propaganda is the main reason why the Russian population supports, or is neutral about, the war in Ukraine.

On Russian TV and in Russian state media, the influence is enormous. Lies are used. The Kremlin’s propaganda from Maria Zakharova and Dmitry Peskov builds up under Russia’s message.

The narrative is that all Western countries are “out to harm Russia” and Russian citizens, the West is “decadent” with homosexuality, crime and anarchy, while Russia is highly moral, including their military – hand in hand with the Orthodox Church. Russia is a world power that has an important role to play. Narrative justifies the use of military force through the special operation in Ukraine. Russia must break the “Nazi leadership” which is supported by the West.

“War work” with classical music

How does the Kremlin do this in practice?

Every evening there are discussion programs where experts discuss the special operation in Ukraine, and events in the USA or Europe. The most famous program is led by Vladimir Solovyov, who has also threatened Norway several times.

His experts are normally ultra-nationalist – Putin appears balanced and moderate in relation, which is probably also the intention. Retired military experts claim, for example, that tactical nuclear weapons must be used, in Solovyov’s TV program.

In my apartment in Moscow there was access to approximately 60 Russian TV channels. Of these, more than 15 channels continuously showed programs with military content. There were nationalist war films, discussion programmes, military services, military competitions, military training of children, and reports from Ukraine.

The most surreal was “war work” (voyennaya rabota) with classical music. This shows artillery, tanks, fighter jets etc firing without commentary but accompanied by great music.

PATRIOT PARK with church, museum and weapons exhibition
Photo: Private

Awakens bad feelings

Street-level poster series are another form of propaganda used in most Russian cities. Suffering, violence and killing of Russian civilians, comparison of the war in Ukraine with World War II, as well as recruitment posters for the war are common themes on these posters.

These posters are used to create bad feelings and justify the war.

POSTER SERIES on one of Moscow’s largest pedestrian streets, Gamle Arbatskaya Street, shows Russian children between the ages of 3 and 11 from Donetsk and Luhansk. They have parents who were killed in the war.
Photo: Private

Critical voices are stifled

Changing laws that make it a criminal offense to criticize the war, together with an extensive deployment of the police, contributes to those who are critical not daring to protest.

White police buses with riot police are placed strategically in central locations in Moscow and St Petersburg. This has a preventive effect that passives the population.

Not a knot about Putin

In Russia, it is President Putin and his inner circle who make decisions about the war in Ukraine – the population has no influence.

Effective and lying propaganda manipulates so that most people support or accept the terror against the neighboring country.

In more than three years, not a single negative word was uttered about Putin – he is the father of Russia as the Tsar was before – but in reality a cynical imperialist leader.