In today's #vatnik soup I will introduce 🇷🇺's most "hawkish hawk" and Putin's old friend,Nikolai Patrushev.He belongs to Putin's siloviki faction & he's considered to be one of his closest advisors.He's also seen as one of the likeliest candidates for continuing Putin's work. 1/6
Patrushev directed FSB 1999-2008, and he's been involved in the espionage business since the 70s. He worked with Putin already during this time at Leningrad KGB. UK public inquiry stated that Patrusev (with Putin) was responsible for the 2006 poisoning of Alexander Litvinenko.2/6
Litvinenko had accused Putin of ordering the assassinations of Berezovsky & Politkovskya, but 2016 UK report suggested that Litvinenko was actually killed for calling Putin a pedophile and stated that at some point FSB had videos of Putin having sex with underaged boys.
3/6
Nikolai's role has also been questioned in the 1999 Russian apartment bombings.Over 300 people died in them & they were used as casus belli in the 2nd Chechen War.Some historians say the bombings were coordinated by 🇷🇺 security services to help bring Putin into the presidency.4/6
Patrushev is also a big fan of conspiracy theories. He believes that the West is trying to reduce world's population drastically and that the US is trying to destroy Russia completely. He's also stated that marriages between humans and animals are legal
in the West.
5/6
Russian politics expert Mark Galeotti has called Nikolai as the "most dangerous man in Russia" because of his paranoia and conspiracy-driven thinking.
Patrushev was sanctioned by EU in 2014 and by US in 2018 and more so in 2022.
6/6
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In today’s Vatnik Soup, I’ll introduce Russian propagandist Sergei Tsaulin. He’s best-known for spreading pro-Kremlin narratives in Estonia, fleeing to Russia after breaking several laws in Estonia, and almost getting blown up by a bomb in St. Petersburg.
1/17
For years, Tsaulin was known for organizing marches and events glorifying the Soviet Union. Under the excuse of “remembering history,” these events were nothing more than Kremlin propaganda, wrapped in a red flag with a hammer and sickle.
2/17
One of his most infamous events was the “Immortal Regiment” march, held every 9th of May, where people carried portraits of Soviet soldiers. These marches are used by Russia to push the idea that the Baltics owe their existence to the Soviets.
In today’s Vatnik Soup, I’ll introduce a podcaster and conspiracy theorist, Joe Rogan (@joerogan). He’s best-known for launching the biggest podcast in the world, promoting various conspiracy theories, his support for Donald Trump and his anti-Ukraine rhetoric.
1/22
Joe Rogan started as a stand-up comedian in the 1980s, found fame on NewsRadio, and became a household name with Fear Factor. But his biggest impact came in 2009 when he launched The Joe Rogan Experience (JRE), one of the first major podcasts.
2/22
JRE started as casual but deep conversations, often covering countercultural topics like psychedelics, MMA & hunting. Joe’s podcasting style is largely non-confrontational, often allowing his guests to share their views without significant pushback or critical questioning.
In today’s Vatnik Soup, I’ll introduce KOOS party leader and Estonian crypto businessman Oleg Ivanov. He’s best known for running shady businesses, spreading Russian false narratives in Estonia, and participating in the pro-Kremlin political party KOOS.
1/18
As a talented youngster, Oleg learned Estonian almost flawlessly, was a promising karate athlete, and landed a job at a law firm at just 20. He caught the eye of Estonian fuel entrepreneur Endel Siff, who quickly took him under his wing.
2/18
Oleg’s father, Vladimir Ivanov, was a longtime politician from the Russian-funded United People’s Party of Estonia. His career at the town hall ended abruptly when he was caught drunk at work. After that, he went into business with his son, Oleg.
In today’s Vatnik Soup, I’ll talk about the takeover of social media by illiberal, populist influencers. For the last ten years, social media has been dominated by these voices and it is one of the main reasons for the political rise of people like Trump and Orban.
1/25
“Illiberal populists” like Trump reject democratic norms while claiming to speak for “the people.” They centralize power, attack institutions, and push nationalism over rights. Elections exist, but checks & balances erode. This is democracy in name, autocracy in action.
2/25
The media landscape has changed drastically over the past two decades. The Internet and social media have changed how we interact online & how we consume media,but it has also become our main source of news. In many ways,social media companies have control over information.
In today’s Vatnik Soup, I’ll introduce Lithuanian far-right politician and Seimas member Remigijus Žemaitaitis. He’s best known for his extremist political views and for falling for a scam that convinced him he was flying to New York to meet Elon Musk.
1/17
Like many vatniks before him, Remigijus worked as a lawyer before entering the world of politics. Once just another politician, he gradually embraced far-right nationalism and populism, following a trend seen across Europe over the past 15 years.
2/17
Instead of real policies, he tapped into fear, resentment, and anger, turning 4chan talking points into a populist political strategy. His speeches became more extreme, targeting minorities, Western institutions, and Lithuania’s support for Ukraine.