THE STRUCTURE AND CONTROL OF PROPAGANDA IN PUTIN'S RUSSIA IN 2022

For more than 20 years Russia, and by default Vladimir Putin, has employed multiple propaganda weapons to prepare its citizens for the invasion of Ukraine. The 2014 annexation of Crimea being the first step. The structure and hierarchy of Putin's / Russia's propaganda machine has utilised the following simple and uncomplicated messages;

• There is Putin – There is Russia – one and the same

• Russia – is always right – do not challenge or argue

• Enemies are everywhere – be prepared to fight

• Russia has the Strong army – always ready to defend

• Russia is a single, strong, rich country, uniting different regions and ethnic groups

• I will defend my country – a national obligation and expectation of every Russian

• Ready to endure hardship for the sake of victory – an automatic expectation

• A Strong vertical power – based on Putin -

• Moscow is the capital of our Motherland -

2022 will be remembered as the year of the Ukraine war or called Putin's war, for all of the right reasons

This war has left hundreds of thousand civilians and military personnel dead, wounded or injured. Threatened regional nuclear security; created millions of refugees, responsible for a world-wide financial crisis, food shortage, and had a global impact on the price of gas and oil. Why? To consolidate one man's determination to expand Russian influence in the world and remain in power.

As we shall explain, the invasion of Ukraine based on a series of lies and myths, and the use of propaganda to justify and support an illegal invasion conducted against an independent state. Which, today, six months later continues as a full-scale war.

Putin, like many autocrats before him, weaponised Russian fears and insecurities, used false economic pressure, withheld natural assets, created imaginary threats and disinformation, through propaganda, applied pressure, practised false diplomacy for years until February 2022, when Russia launched a full-scale aggressive military invasion of Ukrainian with the bombing of all cities, towns, military installations, roads, airports, railways and ports, led by columns of tanks and military vehicles with the intention to capture of Kyiv, which it failed to do.

Having been subjected to months of Putin's propaganda before the invasion, unsurprisingly Russian society supported the aggression against Ukraine and the actions of Vladimir Putin in this war.

According to sociological agency VCIOM https://wciom.ru/, Putin's rating for the week ending February 27 jumped by six percent and reached 70%. A similar polling agency, FOM, recorded a seven percent increase over the same period, with Putin's approval rating reaching 71 percent. And on July 10, 2022, the same agency gave 80% support to Putin.

How is it possible that the Russian society supported the war, the illegal invasion of an ally and neighbouring country the killing of its citizens and the liberal destruction of housing, hospitals, schools and cities?

The reason lies in preparing the minds of Russians by the use of focused propaganda. It is interesting that the Russian propaganda machine, operates in all countries of the world, via hotel and satellite packages on internet, national and regional TV channels. Russian news with Russian military propaganda can be seen on all global satellite channels, and for many democratic countries this is not recognised as a threat or something extraordinary... It is filling time and space at no cost, until it is too late.

Putin's Russia used several artificial images as markers for his war on Ukraine: "denazification of Ukraine", "demilitarization of Ukraine", "special military operation" and the letter "Z". But these are such artificial messages and arguments that they are just pieces in the propaganda of this war.

Let us review the messages and narratives that really affect the consciousness of ordinary Russians citizens.

How propaganda turned Russians into zombies

According to Wikipedia, the term "zombie" is a fantasy creature, a living person who has completely lost control over his consciousness and body, being under the power of an outside force. In modern mass culture, the word "zombie" is most often used as a synonym for "animated corpse".

To an outside observer, Russians supporting Putin, the war, and murder are insanity beyond the comprehension of the average person. However, it would seem whole country is not simply silent to this barbarism, but also complicit.

While there are isolated cases of protests, arrests of activists, departure of active anti-war intelligentsia abroad, for a country of 146 million people, these protects have no impact or effect.

The Centre for the Study of Russia (www.r-studies.org),conducted research on Russian propaganda on the basis of the reports of the NATO Stratcomcoe http://www.stratcomcoe.org/russian-propaganda-concerning-ukraine-during-syrian-campaign-innovative- approach-assess-information

Using and applying different protocols; https://www.slideshare.net/DenisBohush/russian-propaganda- denis-bohush-vilnius-2016, by which it is possible to draw conclusions.

THE STRUCTURE, HIERARCHY AND APPLICATION OF PROPAGANDA IN PUTIN'S RUSSIA IN 2022.

THERE IS RUSSIA AND THERE IS PUTIN – WHERE THERE IS PUTIN – THERE IS RUSSIA

Allow us to introduce you to the " STRUCTURE AND CONTROL OF PROPAGANDA IN PUTIN'S RUSSIA, how the Russian propaganda machine "inserted" into the consciousness of the Russians. After understanding the structure, hopefully you can begin to recognise and understand the motives and attitudes of the average Russian citizen to this war.

"THERE IS PUTIN – THERE IS RUSSIA!"

This is the main message of Putin's propaganda, which was used during Putin's three (!) election campaigns with television advertising, outdoor advertising, in the regions. This is such an unbreakable attitude in the minds of most Russians that, as of today, it is impossible to change it through counter-propaganda, especially in the context of the original structure of the Russian government: "the king is the slave."

"RUSSIA IS ALWAYS RIGHT"

This is the second level in the structure of Russian propaganda. This is the defiant non-negotiable right of the Russian Federation, which is constantly broadcast in the Russian media. Every expert, every news argument is based on this message. There is no need to seek an understanding of a legal right, or look for democratic rights and freedoms. There are no logical or balance arguments for conflict resolution. This is an irrevocable message that is inserted into the consciousness of ordinary Russians with the help of a propaganda machine.

"STRONG ARMY"

This message is also on the second level, but it is an axiom for the Russians.

"The second army in the world", "the largest manufacturer and exporter of weapons in the world" – this message is broadcast inside the country and also abroad. Due to this statement of, Russian sold weapons, NATO countries form their budgets, defence programs and military strategies accordingly. Putin promotes this message because inspires respect and fear, and justifies his myth of military threats to Russia by the West.

Interestingly, this causes neither respect nor fear in Ukraine, and the myth of the "second army in the world" is crumbling. However, in Mother Russia it is still an axiom which is believed.

"ENEMIES EVERYWHERE" –

The third corner of Putin's propaganda, is the fact that there are enemies surrounding the Russian Federation.

is constantly broadcasted on the state media.

All democratic countries, are united by the Russian propaganda under the common term "the West". Putin constantly uses the semantic construction "the West against Russia." Despite the reality of the fact, it is Russia, against the West.

The war against Ukraine, on propaganda channels, is not a war with Ukraine, but a war with the USA, NATO, the West, etc. One of Putin's main justifications behind the start of this war was to prevent an attack on Russia, by the "West" from the territory of Ukraine. Putin's war, was the only option to stop a pre-empt the strike of the collective West against Russia.

This message, having been planted for more than 20 years, it is very difficult to remove it from the minds of the Russians.

ONE (BIG, RICH) COUNTRY UNITING DIFFERENT REGIONS AND NATIONS

This a message remains from the Soviet times, when the USSR was a large country, Russia having inherited or acquired many national republics.

The Russian Federation, with an estimated population of 146 Million, which includes 83 "equal" regions/states, including: 21 republics (Adygea, Altai, Bashkortostan, Buryatia, Dagestan, Ingushetia, Kabardino-Balkaria, Kalmykia, Karachay-Cherkessia, Karelia, Komi, Mari El, Mordovia, North Ossetia, Tatarstan, Tuva, Udmurtia, Khakassia, Chechnya, Chuvashia, Yakutia), 9 regions, 46 regions, the Jewish Autonomous Region, two cities of federal importance – Moscow and St. Petersburg, and 4 autonomous districts (Nenets, Khanty-Mansiysk, Chukotka, Yamalo-Nenetsk). Russia also considers the occupied Crimea and Sevastopol to be separate subjects.

A large amount of Russian propaganda, has focused on expanding and developing the Russian myths referred to above, the cultural expansion, the destruction of national/ local identities, reduction of education of the peoples who inhabit the Russian Federation – have done its job.

However, after the start of the 2022 war, with conscripts from the minorities being sent to war as part of the Russian army, this message and attitude may gradually change.

A large number of conscripts of small nations killed in the war has the potential to increase protests by these independent regions/ states and national republics.

This message and attitude in the minds of ordinary Russians is already starting to change at this level.

The next levels of Russian propaganda are already in a state of transformation.

Because the war, Western sanctions are beginning to change the attitudes that Russian propaganda has cultivated in the minds of the Russians. There are reasons to be optimistic, that the inevitability of these changes, gives hope for the "enlightenment" of the Russian people.

I WILL DEFEND MY COUNTRY

Is an historic mobilization call, use to defend Mother Russia during Stalingrad, is still used by the Russian Federation today.

However, based on the latest sociological research https://russianfield.com/mozhetmir, young Russians do not want to go to war. While there is great support for this message among older people, they will definitely not be drafted into the army.

in a country large in size and population as Russia, today, the mobilization response is low for a "special military operation". Russia is unable to recruit "patriots" to go and die for the vague notion and ephemeral "demilitarization" and "denazification" of Ukraine.

READY TO ENDURE FOR THE SAKE OF VICTORY -

This is no longer the 1940's. In 2022 it's about the competition of "television and refrigerator". That is to say the influence of the socio-economic situation will impact on the rating of the government and Putin. Many times, Putin started wars around Russia and thus his rating increased. It increased especially after the annexation of Crimea from Ukraine. The Russians liked it.

According to the Levada Center https://www.levada.ru/2021/02/04/prezidentskie-rejtingi-i-polozhenie- del-v-strane/, after the annexation of Crimea and the start of the war in Donbas, Vladimir Putin's rating was the highest since he became the head of the country. In June 2015, 89% of surveyed Russians approved of his activities.

Although this has happened previously, but now the deterioration, decline and negative impact of the socio-economic reality, is happening rapidly and on a large scale. The war in Ukraine will give "insight" to certain sections of the population and opportunities to influence their responses.

Most of the Russian population is poor and may not notice this deterioration. Conversely if large and medium-sized businesses in Russia suffer major losses and problems, it will be joy for the poor population.

STRONG VERTICAL POWER.

Putin's ability to keep the subjects of the Russian Federation under discipline, and his control, is the main task of the authorities and special services. The large scale of corruption and the cooperation of the authorities with regional mafia clans, form a hybrid version of the of power hierarchy. Navalny's group did a great job of uncovering the facts of corruption at all levels of the Russian government. Chechnya and Tatarstan in general show their own variants of their regional power autonomy from the Russian Federation.

With the decline of the socio-economic situation in the Russian Federation, "strong hierarchy of power" will face big problems.

MOSCOW IS THE CAPITAL OF OUR MOTHERLAND.

This message is currently being criticized the most in the Russian Federation. If in previous years it was possible to explain that all money and resources flow to Moscow, and then distributed to all regions, now one of the main oligarchs of Russia, Oleg Deripaska, says "Enough is enough of feeding Moscow" https://www.rbc.ru/rbcfreenews/5f521a359a79477994d4a0c6. This trend of regional leaders to object to feeding Moscow is gaining momentum.

As counter-propaganda, this message is the most effective, because this message can be maximised and transform thinking in connection with the deterioration of the socio-economic situation in Russia.

Counter-propaganda and changing the consciousness of Russians

After many studies of psychological attitudes in the minds of the Russians, we conclude that there is a possibility of changes from external sources. This requires high-quality counter- propaganda messages and communication channels to target audiences in Russia.

External Communication Channels

It is clear that in order to really change the attitudes of the majority of the Russians, it is necessary to have access to the central TV channels, since the main propaganda comes from these media platforms. This can be seen from the study of media consumption in Russia: https://mediascope.net/upload/iblock/a50/DBD_Mediapotreblenie_17052022.pdf

As these are controlled, alternative communication channels need to be used The Internet is the most accessible, it is mainly viewed by young people. While older people still have TV as their main channel of communication, the Internet is also watched by people who are paternalistic and know how to think through propaganda. Those are the people who are ready for real action and opposition to Putin's regime.

Other communication tools include;

Calls to the relatives of those killed and captured in Ukraine are quite effective, albeit more expensive.

Calls to millions of Russians using databases with a summons to the Military Commissariat were also practiced https://www.rbc.ru/society/26/03/2022/623ee8549a7947391df3ea12

Calls from Zelensky https://russian.rt.com/russia/article/970405-feiki-ukraina-rossiya etc. The organization of protest movements in Russia in various regions are not lost or finished.

Brave people come out with signs against the war in Ukraine.

Also, famous personalities and bloggers gather,

Russians on their social media pages who can hear and see the truth about the war in Ukraine.

This is just a small list of tools that can be used to "reach" ordinary Russians. Based on the top messages, and structure and control of the Russian propaganda directed at the majority of the people, especially the elderly, it is impossible to change all attitudes.

However, there is still hope for the Russian youth, who still have a chance to learn how to think outside the attitudes of the Russian propaganda.

Ukrainian and Russians can make the decision to start, with a hope of success, or do nothing and thereby be assured of failure.

Dr. Denis Bohush, Strategic communications specialist, political and military expert, columnist, analyst.