Dec 14: E-Stories back on track
E-Stories back on Track
My warm thank you to you all for continuing to read EuroFile’s “E-Stories”.
You will have noticed that at one point E-Stories was coming out less frequently than the summer or what I have normally put out for the past 2 years.
There’s a reason: I’ve started a professional certificate in Statecraft, specifically, political, psychological, and ideological warfare. It emcompasses all the tools of statecraft as they apply to the discipline. I felt I needed much more depth than what I was offering my readers in terms of analysis and research. After 30 years, I found myself on the other side of the desk: facing the professor. It’s been a challenge for my mind and my ego, and I’m fortunate to be meeting so many knowledgable people who truly care about our countries and world. I’d also like to thank our small group on the Wednesday Kremlin File-EuroFile zoom who have been a tremendous moral and intellectual support.
So…first course done…and off on the second.
Maria Prymachenko, "Our army, our defenders", 1978
Care of Ukainian Art
E-Stories will now resume its normal frequency and I hope, with better indepth analysis and stories that we should all be paying attention to. The focus will continue to be Ukraine’s fight against totalitarian Russia, and how we can all keep up our support going materially and morally.
Speaking of which, brace yourselves because this winter will bring challenges to our democracies and to our allied help to Ukraine. The Kremlin and its proxies and clients have been hard at work since last June to demoralise us, and push the themes of negotiation and Ukraine’s so-called martial weaknesses. They are trying to shape the discourse and condition our responses, so be aware of it. If the Kremlin is working this hard to shape our vision of Russia, things aren’t going as great as they would have us believe.
Remember that they control all the information space, and that means that they will want to control us. Like in this example below:
These were supposed to be ‘real’ questions from the online audience on Putin’s yearly call in show (cancelled last year):
"Why does a tray of eggs cost 550 rubles in Dagestan?"
"Mister President, when will the reality in Russia not be different from what is told on television?"
"Why is your reality different with our reality?"
These questions are being posted on social media with the claim that they come from ‘real people’. We are all aware that nothing gets on Russian TV unless vetted and in keeping with the Kremlin line or talking points for that show. The talking points are decided beforehand, and sent to all TV producers and other forms of media.
Everyone must conform. That’s reality.
If they have permitted these questions it means they wish to demonstrate to us that they are a ‘pluralistic’ and ‘democratic’ state, which we all know is a lie. It’s the same strategic concealment and deception that the Soviets have practiced since 1953, when it became policy under the new Chairman Nikita Krushchev. Thanks to documents that have been found in the former STB archives in Czechia, we know that the practice became part of their modus operandi in diplomatic, political and military affairs and in international relations. (If you want more on this, I can write a post about it. Fascinating period.)
Have times changed? No. The methodology is exactly the same. The only difference between the Soviet empire and Russia’s current totalitarian state is that the current regime is using new technologies. That’s what makes propaganda so successful: use the same old lies and distortions but disseminate them via a new form of communication. The Kremlin has coopted all political ideological positions so that the regime will not have to deal with any real dissent, allowing them to create a democratic facade. The real dissenters are in prison, or have been killed.
So let’s buckle up and get prepared for the onslaught at home and abroad. The most important election in our times will be held in the U.S. in November. That’s the target for the Russians.
The Ukrainians have been successful in stopping the Russian offensive in the east, degrading their forces, and their counteroffensive will now need added support in terms of ammunition and (cross-fingers) air defence systems, and long-range weapons. All wars are a series of offensives and counteroffensives: this war is no different. Now they are bracing for the winter war, and Russia’s attacks on infrastructure, and inhumane attacks on the civilian population. Their leadership has been superb: they have managed to gather over 50 nations to stand up to Russia’s aggression through diplomatic efforts and dialogue. We need to do our part with more conviction and a dose of humility.
Your daily E-Stories will be in your inbox over the holidays and beyond, and again, let me thank you for sticking with the publication.
Cheers
Mo