Thread by @P_Kallioniemi

In today’s Vatnik Soup REBREW, I’ll introduce a Russian ultra-nationalist propagandist and “philosopher”, Aleksandr Dugin. He’s best-known for his blueprint on Russia’s geopolitical strategy and for his genocidal rhetoric towards Ukrainians.

1/17

In my first Dugin Soup, I covered the man’s 1997 book Foundations of Geopolitics — a manual for dismantling the West, breaking up NATO, and building a Russian-led empire. In it, he makes eerie “predictions” that seem to be playing out today.

2/17

Dugin called for destabilizing the US by exacerbating internal divisions. Fast forward to today: culture wars, conspiracy theories, far-right lunatics, and social media algorithms doing half the work for him.

3/17

He also envisioned a fractured EU, torn apart by nationalism and internal disputes. Cue Brexit, rising far-right movements, and debates over which pro-Russian EU party is the biggest headache for Brussels. And all this was already planned back in 1997.

4/17

Some of Dugin’s most extreme fantasies – wars, occupations, and ethnic cleansings – are unfolding in Ukraine and Georgia. The final outcome is still uncertain, but his vision is being carried out in real-time.

5/17

Eventually, Dugin envisions a multipolar world where authoritarian empires—led by Russia—replace Western liberal values with traditionalism, spiritualism, and, of course, absolute power. He frames this as a struggle between a “corrupt, materialistic West”…

6/17

…and a “pure, traditionalist Russia.” And these same ideas are echoed by Putin. His ideas aren’t just philosophy; they’re actual blueprints for destruction. Foundations of Geopolitics has even been used as a textbook and mandatory reading in the Russian military.

7/17

Dugin has consistently advocated for Ukraine’s annihilation. He claims Ukraine is an “artificial country” that must be absorbed into Russia. His rhetoric has dehumanized Ukrainians, even calling them a “race of degenerates” in 2014.

8/17

During the early stages of the Moscow-driven war in Donbas in 2014, Dugin declared on Russian state television that “Ukrainians need to be killed, killed, killed,” later continuing that “Ukraine needs to be cleansed of idiots. A genocide of cretins is a given.”

9/17

For years, Dugin’s influence was mostly confined to Russian and far-right European circles, with some weirdos like Jackson Hinkle thrown in the mix. But now, he is appearing in major Western media outlets, often framed as an “intellectual” rather than an extremist.

10/17

This trend was started in Apr 2024 by everyone’s favorite vatnik propagandist and “Russia expert”, Tucker Carlson. He gave Dugin an uncritical platform. By doing so, he mainstreamed his ideology to millions already primed to distrust their own democratic institutions.

11/17

Tucker, who can’t even pronounce Dugin’s name (WTF is “Duujin”?) has also complained that the madman’s books can’t be found on Amazon. Despite being an ultra-nationalist propagandist, he is increasingly being normalized as a “philosopher” in Western discourse.

12/17

And Carlson isn’t alone. CNN’s @FareedZakaria also platformed Dugin, referring to him as a “Russian political philosopher” instead of an extremist fascist. This normalization is dangerous and shifts the Overton window in favor of authoritarianism. To be fair, CNN REALLY…

13/17

…needs better ratings, and maybe someone thought this would help. Imagine Western media giving Goebbels airtime in the 1930s under the guise of “understanding different perspectives.” That’s what’s happening with Dugin today – his ideas are being…

14/17

… legitimized rather than condemned. Dugin presents himself as a philosopher, but he’s really just a second-rate Rasputin cosplayer. His “theories” are nothing more than dressed-up justifications for authoritarianism, genocide and imperial conquest.

15/17

Dugin’s Eurasianist theories have been used to justify Russia’s wars, interference in Western politics, and violent geopolitical strategies. But I guess normalizing Russian imperialism and fascism is just the next step in restoring trade relations and lifting sanctions.

16/17

The West doesn’t need to “understand” Dugin’s ideas – it needs to reject them outright. Every time he’s platformed, his dystopian fantasies get one step closer to reality. The world has enough problems without indulging another failed authoritarian dreamer.

17/17

More here: balticsentinel.eu/8154472/an-x-r…

The 2nd edition of “Vatnik Soup — The Ultimate Guide to Russian Disinformation” is officially out!

You can order your copy here:

kleart.eu/webshop/p/vatn…