In today's #vatnik soup I'll continue talking about Russkiy mir, the "Russian World". This time I'll focus
on the Russian idea of nationality, "Narodnost", and I'll also discuss Russian imperalism.
Narodnost is Russia's version of nationality. The definition of Narodnost came from Russia's leadership, rather than the population itself. The idea behind Narodnost is that Russian people should be ready to sacrifice themselves for the Tsar, for the country.
2/12
This led to a situation that common folk in Russia is very good at suffering & they've actually made it into a virtue.The general idea behind their suffering is that if you suffer for Mother Russia, you'll have lots of good things afterwards: after your death for the country,3/12
... after we have communism, after the "Kyiv junta" is beaten, etc.
In the 1830s Mihail Glinka composed an opera where peasant sacrifices himself for the Tsar - this kind of thinking is still reinforced in modern Russia and it's reinforced further through religion.
4/12
During the Soviet years a term called "Homo Sovieticus" was born. It referred to a creation of a better human, a one that lives for the state and for the
greater good. In reality people living in the USSR were cynical, passive and wouldn't take any responsibility.
5/12
The fall of USSR also led to two realities: the one in the public sphere and the one at home. In the public sphere, everything was fine and dandy, but at home people were criticizing the whole system.
6/12
From the border of Poland to Moscow, the landscape is mostly flat plains having very little protection from mountains, rivers, etc., making it geography-wise a potential target for invaders coming from the west. Both Napoleon and Hitler attempted (and failed) to capture it.
7/12
The "enemy at the gates" thinking is very strong in Russian culture and media, and media often refers Russia as a "besieged fortress", surrounded by
NATO.
It's ironic that most NATO members join the defensive pact because out of their fear of Russia.
8/12
In addition, Russia claims that they've been infiltrated from the inside by "foreign agents" - this gives them an excuse to destroy all opposition inside the country, including figures such as Boris Nemtsov and Alexei Navalny.
9/12
So the Russians are used to being the target of invasions, which of course affects their worldview.
Whereas US imperialism is based on gathering resources such as oil and precious metals, ...
10/12
... Russian imperialism is built on fear - the idea that enemy is constantly at the gates is used to reinforce the idea of invasions, buffer states, etc. It's what one could call "defensive imperialism".
11/12
To conclude, Nicholas I stated during the 19th century that "constant small-scale war at Russia's borders is necessary to keep the patriotism alive." This kind of thinking is still very strong inside the Russian leadership.
Source:
12/12
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In today’s Vatnik Soup, I’ll introduce American propagandist Alexandra Jost, aka “Sasha” (@sashameetsrus). She’s best known for being paid by the Russian state to spread pro-Kremlin propaganda — and for doing it with a big smile.
1/23
Alexandra, now 26, was born in Hong Kong. Her father is from Texas, and her mother is from Siberia. According to her, she has “dreamed of living in Russia since childhood.” Sasha's mother runs a dance studio in Moscow and her younger brother is avoiding mobilization.
2/23
Since the beginning of her creator career, Sasha has been adamant about one thing: that she’s “never had to be paid” to speak of her “love” for Russia. But, as always with Russia, this turned out to be nothing but vranyo — a Russian “tactical lie.”
In today’s Vatnik Soup REBREW, I’ll reintroduce an American political commentator and pro-Kremlin propagandist, Tucker Carlson (@TuckerCarlson). He’s best known for his promotion of crazy conspiracy theories and for his support of authoritarian regimes around the world.
1/24
Tucker’s career spans decades, but he’s also been very active in recent years, so a lot has happened since our previous soup on him, which can be found here:
Once described as “the most powerful conservative in America”, Tucker has now fully transformed into a grifting conspiracy theorist and propagandist willing to work for whoever pays him the most. It’s unclear whether Tucker truly believes his endless conspiracy theories or…
3/24
In today’s Vatnik Soup, I’ll cover the agenda-setting and flood of disinformation that spread on X and other platforms right after Charlie Kirk’s assassination. It’s far from the first or last time a tragedy has been weaponized for political purposes.
1/18
Every major political event, especially those involving violence, attracts massive attention. In the immediate aftermath, reliable information is scarce, making it highly vulnerable to both coordinated and improvised disinformation campaigns.
2/18
As I’ve mentioned in my previous soups and lectures, in disinformation campaigns, being first with a narrative is crucial, as people often remember the first version best — psychology studies show it sets the mental schema, and later updates rarely overwrite it.
In today’s Vatnik Soup, I’ll introduce American social media personality David Freeman, AKA Gunther Eagleman™ (@GuntherEagleman). He’s best known for spreading political disinformation on X and shamelessly sucking up to Trump, Putin, and other authoritarian leaders.
1/22
David is a textbook example of someone profiting from MAGA grievance politics. He uses extreme, provocative language to farm engagement on X and never hesitates to flatter anyone who might give him more exposure — or money.
2/22
But David wasn’t always like this. At some point, in his mid-40s, he even tried a real job: he trained to become a cop. He spent three years with the Metro Transit PD, but after that he either got fired or quit, and never looked back.
In today’s Vatnik Soup, I’ll introduce a Russian-Estonian businessman, Oleg Ossinovski. He is best-known for his deep ties to Russian rail and energy networks, shady cross-border dealings, and for channeling his wealth into Estonian politics.
1/14
Oleg made his fortune via Spacecom Trans & Skinest Rail, both deeply tied to Russia’s rail system. Most of this is through Globaltrans Investments PLC, a Cyprus-based firm with 62% held via Spacecom and tens of millions in yearly profits.
2/14
Ossinovski’s Russian-linked ventures made him Estonia’s richest man in 2014, with an estimated fortune of ~€300M. His business empire stretched across railways, oil via Alexela shares, and Russian bitumen imports from Help-Oil, a supplier to the Defense Ministry.