Continuing the trend, the Russian government has intensified its witch hunt against pro-war intellectuals. This newly increased push is spearheaded, of course, by the infamous television propagandist too, Vladimir Solovyov. Solovyov, who’s been tight with the defense ministry, is now making moves to purge vocal pro-war bloggers/volunteers. The overarching effect of this crackdown is to raise grave concerns regarding the state of freedom of expression and democratic political discourse in the country today.
The situation escalated when Sergei Markov, a well-known political analyst, was designated as a “foreign agent,” a label that carries significant stigma and legal restrictions. Markov previously praised President Vladimir Putin as a great man of history. Now, he has to face the outcome of that praise by publicly having to out himself as such on social media and specialty publications. That label can result in devastating financial constraints, severely hindering his ability to function.
At the same time, Roman Alyokhin, another pro-war blogger, was granted the “foreign agent” designation. Alyokhin’s alleged misuse of the funds he raised for Russian soldiers adds another wrinkle to the environment for pro-war advocates. The term foreign agent evokes the dark Soviet period. It is used to deter and demonize the people and movements that challenge powerful state interests.
Now professionals have started to pick apart what these actions mean. Ekaterina Schulmann, our first guest, is a widely respected Russian political scientist. She says the current repression is a sign of the growing rift in the pro-war camp. She describes this schism as a struggle between two rival camps: the “loyalists,” who are veteran propagandists closely aligned with the Kremlin, and the “militarists,” a grassroots movement of ultranationalist war supporters.
“First, they went after the anti-war voices. Now there are none left, and the repressive machine cannot be stopped.” – Ekaterina Schulmann
This ominous internal struggle appears to be in part a reaction to concerns about democratic mobilization from below. Schulmann notes that autocracies tend to perceive any authentic movement, including those supporting the war, as potentially obstructive and dangerous. She fears more arrests are to come as the government attempts to strengthen its grasp on narratives about the war.
These dynamics should play an important role in shaping the Kremlin’s calculus about the desirability and feasibility of new military actions. Markov’s ties to Azerbaijan’s political elites are undercutting Markov’s credibility by drawing fire. This occurs as Moscow’s relations with Baku have deteriorated sharply in recent months. This social promotion of technocracy and assured impersonal progress might explain why Markov, despite being closely knit with the regime, fell from grace.
Observers have pointed out, the impact of these designations go far deeper than just to the named person. Criminalizing pro-war supporters as “foreign agents” creates an atmosphere of fear among the community. This intimidates everyone and prevents others from coming forward and speaking out. This climate of repression begs the question as to what will happen with pro-war discourse in Russia.
Political commentator Tatyana Montyan provided her own theories about the motivations behind this sudden and unprecedented crackdown. She stated, “The Russian repressive apparatus has to fill its quotas. The machine must keep feeding itself.” This perspective suggests that the government may be using these designations as a means of justifying its repressive measures while diverting attention from other pressing issues facing the nation.
We’re not the only ones to have noticed the irony in this situation. Philippov noted that those who actively drove repression against anti-war voices now find themselves on the receiving end of a practices of selective justice.
“It’s been amusing to watch how those who never objected when liberals were imprisoned are suddenly discovering that justice in Russia is selective, that literally anyone can be thrown in jail without cause.” – Philippov
The third act of this internal conflict is playing out before our eyes. The long-term impact on the general public’s attitude and growing anti-war movement is anyone’s guess. The Kremlin’s efforts to stifle dissent may very well blow up in their faces. Rather than silence dissent, these initiatives could generate increased criticism and pushback from communities that see themselves as excluded or profiled.