Russian propagandists are very active on social media
Earlier this year, former Fox News anchor Tucker Carlson traveled to Moscow and declared the Russian capital “nicer” than any city in the United States. Carlson went on to praise the cleanliness of the streets and its well-stocked grocery stores. At the time, Carlson’s critics countered that he offered a misleading view of Russia.
Yet hardly a week goes by without similar admiration for Russia on social media. The reports will speak of the greatness of Russia while trumpeting the view that the United States is a nation in decline. Similarly, comments on the platforms continue to defend Russia for its unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, suggesting that Kiev was somehow led into the war by the West.
The New Red Orchestra
It’s all part of a carefully orchestrated campaign by the Russian propaganda machine, experts warned – to sow division in the West. It’s also important to note that these images of clean streets are carefully filmed and edited, and then contrasted with America’s worst.
“To be honest, anyone who has been to Russia would be shocked to see clean streets outside the tourist areas of Moscow and St. Petersburg. How anyone can argue otherwise is beyond me. The garbage is in plain sight.” , explained Dr. Matthew Schmidt, professor of national security and political science at the Henry C. Lee College of Criminal Justice and Forensic Sciences at the University of New Haven.
“It’s confusing. The stores aren’t full and the streets aren’t clear,” added Scott Talan, an assistant professor of communication at American University. “There are amazing buildings, but they are not in good condition.”
Both Schmidt and Talan have traveled to Russia and can speak from experience, unlike many who simply comment on social media.
Defending The War and Strongman Rule
Russian propagandists have also seen a change of tack as the Kremlin’s war in Ukraine drags on, so instead of claiming victory is imminent, the aim is to suggest that Ukraine cannot win, but that Russia she is not the enemy.
The conflict is often compared to the crisis on the US southern border, which suggests that Moscow is simply handling its problems more effectively than Washington.
“It helps when you’re waging a bloody war against your biggest neighbor in Ukraine, seizing territory on your southern border in Georgia and destroying the border province of Chechnya—which is what brought Putin to power,” Schmidt explained. “In other words, after you’re done killing people on your borders, I guess you can say it temporarily affected things, but if you do that by waging wars, how can you not call it a crisis?”
However, the campaign seems to be successful as many Americans on social media believe that Russia is the clean, friendly and safe version shown in these online videos.
“Those who praise Putin are proof that the world is turning upside down,” Schmidt continued. “Putin is extremely dangerous and he’s not going to stop in Ukraine. Almost anyone in Russia would rather live here. And for those who think it’s so great, we should ask if they’ve actually been there. Russia is a dysfunctional state that held back by an autocrat who rules by creating endless crises.”
However, videos on social media tell a different story. And we have to remember that this is in an election year—and the goal may be to promote the political divide in America, which helps Moscow.
“This is just a page from the old Soviet playbook, you lie, lie, lie and eventually it is believed,” Talan warned. “You shouldn’t trust everything you see on social media, especially when it comes to Russia.”
