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Amidst Vladimir Putin's relentless push to conquer Ukraine, he is simultaneously orchestrating a profound transformation within Russia, steering the nation towards a regressive, militarized state that perceives the West as its ultimate adversary.
Putin's upcoming fifth term inauguration not only signifies his 25-year grip on power but also underscores Russia's evolution into what pro-Kremlin commentators tout as a "revolutionary power," intent on overturning the global order, establishing its own rules, and advocating for totalitarian autocracy as a legitimate alternative to democracy in a world divided by major powers into spheres of influence.
Dmitri Trenin, a pro-Kremlin analyst, notes that Russians are now experiencing an entirely new reality, indicating that Russia's anti-Western shift, while radical, is just one facet of a broader transformation affecting the economy, politics, society, culture, values, and spiritual and intellectual life.
The Washington Post's "Russia, Remastered" chronicles the sweeping changes Putin is effecting, which have accelerated during two years of brutal war, prompting tens of thousands of Russians to flee the country. This crusade aligns Putin with China's Xi Jinping and some supporters of former President Donald Trump, hinting at a potential civilizational conflict aimed at undermining Western democracy, as warned by Putin.
To achieve this transformation, the Kremlin is:
- Forging an ultraconservative, puritanical society opposed to liberal freedoms, especially targeting LGBTQ+ individuals, promoting traditional Orthodox values through family policies and social welfare spending.
- Revamping education to indoctrinate a new generation with patriotic zeal, rewriting textbooks to reflect Kremlin propaganda, mandating patriotic curricula set by the state, and introducing compulsory military lessons from September.
- Sterilizing cultural life by blacklisting liberal or anti-war artists, directors, and writers, and imposing nationalistic mandates for museums and filmmakers.
- Mobilizing zealous pro-war activism symbolized by the Z symbol, initially painted on tanks invading Ukraine, now pervasive in government buildings, posters, schools, and orchestrated demonstrations.
- Rolling back women's rights, propagandizing for more childbirths and restricting access to abortions, while cracking down on feminist activists and liberal female journalists.
- Rewriting history to glorify Joseph Stalin, erecting at least 95 monuments in Russia during Putin's tenure, while shutting down Memorial, a human rights group exposing Stalin's crimes.- Accusing scientists of treason, equating criticism of the war or Putin with terrorism or extremism, and building a new militarized elite willing to violate global norms on Putin's orders.
Putin aims to develop "scientific Putinism" as a propaganda, ideological, and historical education basis, creating an obedient generation supporting Putin and his militarization agenda.
Just before ordering the war on Ukraine, Putin issued a decree prioritizing the protection of "traditional Russian spiritual and moral values," naming the United States as a direct threat. This decree aims to position Russia as a defender of traditional values on the international stage.
Putin's demonization of the West and glorification of the war increasingly resonate in Russia, where authorities are cracking down on dissent, raiding nightclubs, and prosecuting LGBTQ+ individuals. Dissidents are jailed, reminiscent of Soviet-era repression.
Putin is urging Russian women to have more children while issuing passports to Ukrainians in occupied territories, effectively expanding Russia's population and influence.
Putin's ambition to shape a new national identity is as profound as the Russian October Revolution, overturning established values and creating a state dominated by him. His worldview draws from ancient Russian history, with World War II as a central pillar, promoting Russian pride and self-reliance.
Putin's long-term plan to restore Russia's superpower status includes projecting military power, distorting history to justify actions, and targeting democratic neighbors as threats to his regime.
Putin's re-engineering of Russia is a departure from democratic ideals, using propaganda, repression, and military aggression to assert control and reshape the nation's identity.