Thread by @andrewsweiss

Question: am I correct that @JosepBorrellF's briefing this week was the first time the EU has formally said that containment is one of the main goals of its Russia policy? That word drives the Kremlin crazy.
Putin's comments in a speech at FSB today are a case in point 1/

https://twitter.com/dimsmirnov175/status/1364546692431937538

Putin speech earlier today: "We are confronting a policy of containment of Russia. We're talking about an aggressive policy aimed at slowing our [economic] development, creating problems along our borders & provoking internal instability..." 2/

Putin (cont'd): "In the end, it's aimed at weakening Russia and subjugating us [once again] to the control of foreign powers." 3/

The Russian leadership's paranoia about foreign-led plots and the threat of color revolutions and neo-containment is hardly new news. And it's plenty self-serving in terms of fostering "besieged fortress" and rally round the flag sentiment that consolidates support for Putin. 4/

But we should not take false comfort that this part of the Kremlin's belief system is pure fantasy. It's not. To the contrary, it is deeply engrained and impactful on actual regime behavior both inside and outside Russia. 5/

Putin's comments are part of the ongoing dog whistle campaign that anyone who acts against the regime is acting at the behest of foreign enemies of Russia. 6/

As my colleague @baunov explained recently, such talk may sound totally ludicrous in the West, but it is potentially a very effective tool against #Navalny and anyone who is tempted to engage in street protests or other forms of unsanctioned political activity 7/

Here's a link to Baunov's very insightful piece "Why the Kremlin’s Anti-Navalny Strategy Just Might Work" carnegie.ru/commentary/838… END

ADDENDUM: Interesting reply to my thread from
@bdtaylor_SU: "The Russian Foreign Ministry now uses the word "containment" to describe its strategy toward the United States. 2 recent examples from Deputy Foreign Minister Ryabkov in the next tweet." 👇

https://twitter.com/bdtaylor_SU/status/1364574953161560065