While Russia claims to have escaped the grip of Western sanctions, everyday Russians are struggling. The Kremlins mouthpieces responded with admiration for penniless North Koreans. <\/p>\n
The week-long visit of Kim Jong Un to Russia couldnt have come at a more perfect time, allowing Putins mouthpieces togush over Russias newfound affinity for North Korea,to express admirationfor the hermit kingdom, and conclude that viewers should reject savage capitalism. <\/p>\n
During last weeks broadcast ofThe Evening With Vladimir Solovyov, political scientist Sergey Mikheyev praised Kim Jong Un as a dude with a square head, who is keeping the West on tenterhooks. He marveled at the way the people of North Korea were able to withstand Western pressure because they arent sensitive to the absence of modern luxuries and are therefore inured to sanctions. <\/p>\n
What can you forbid to North Koreans? Mikheyev said. To drink Coca-Cola? They dont have it anyway! To watch Hollywood movies? They dont have them anyway! Youll turn off their Internet? They dont have it anyway! You wont import iPhones? They dont have them anyway! You will forbid them to travel to Europe and America? They arent traveling anyway! There is no way to get to them. <\/p>\n
The irony of this celebration of hopeless poverty seemed lost upon the host, Vladimir Solovyov, who uses the latest version of the iPhone, had his $9m Italian properties on Lake Como seized by the authoritiesand complainedabout the sanctions-related inability to service foreign-made cars. <\/p>\n
Presenters on Solovyovs own channel, Solovyov Live, took the austere line of reasoning even further. The host of Day Z, Yulia Vityazeva, played video clips of a Russian military choir giving a concert in Pyongyang, claiming that the appearance of clean and smiling people in the audience disproved Western narratives about the scarcity of food. She said that on closer inspection, all the stereotypes are shattered into a million pieces, while admitting that Russians have habitually ignored North Korea, and acknowledged shes never visited. <\/p>\n
On Karnaukhovs Labyrinth, host Sergey Karnaukhov called upon Russia to reject savage capitalism and usher in a North Korean-style asceticism, for the sake of the state. He scolded wealthy Russians for becoming accustomed to living in the lap of luxury and added: Turns out, there are different values and a different lifestyle. North Korea preserved them and even increased them. It means we can rely on them! We can go there, look at their life, and see that what weve considered to be valuable in our country isnt valuable at all. <\/p>\n
Karnaukhov added: North Korea is offering its system of values! Weve been chuckling at Juche [North Koreas state ideology], but turns out it isnt funny. Turns out we should laugh at ourselves! Weve dissolved our identity in hedonism and leisure. Russia no longer exists! Thats what we have achieved. But now is our chance and all will be well. <\/p>\n
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Even as Russias tightly controlled state media has been perpetuating the myth of an unscathed, booming economy, the cracks are showing. Prominent propagandists now regularly acknowledge that things are difficult and prices are on the rise. Videos of everyday Russians periodically posted on social media recognize that price increases and high-interest rates leave them unable to afford much more than the bare necessities. <\/p>\n
In one of the street interviews posted on Telegram by a popular user @slvn_pomet, an unidentified womanadvised all poor Russiansto simply eat less and then everything will be alright. <\/p>\n
However, at least one leading propagandist saw the problem with this thinking. On September 18, Sergey Mardan, the host of Mardan on the Solovyov Live channel, attempted to raise the alarm over a potential repeat of what happened in the Soviet Union. <\/p>\n
The host asserted that Russia can be destroyed by its internal problems: What can fuel this discontent? Economic problems, poverty, hunger, currency depreciation, inflation. Mardan recalled the 1980s when the Soviet people suffered chronic food shortages. He added: The problems with food existed all the way until the dissolution of the Soviet Union. They varied from region to region, but always existed. <\/p>\n
He concluded that this failure to meet even the most basic needs created a widespread feeling of discomfort and said: I think this contributed to the end of the Soviet Union more than the CIA, Mossad, BND, MI6, and the rest of the global intelligence services put together. <\/p>\n
And yet the Kremlin is unable to contain the worsening situation and is tightening its grip, determined to contain the blowback. <\/p>\n
The medias celebration of North Korea paints a grotesque portrait of the future that might lie ahead for the average citizen. Of course, this dreary vision would certainly exclude Putin and his clique of oligarchs and cronies, including the propagandists. For the common people, the future looks rather less cheery. <\/p>\n
Julia Davis is a columnist for The Daily Beast and the creator of the Russian Media Monitor. She is a member of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, the Screen Actors Guild, and Women In Film. <\/p>\n
Europes Edgeis CEPAs online journal covering critical topics on the foreign policy docket across Europe and North America. All opinions are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the position or viewsof the institutions they representor the Center for European Policy Analysis. <\/p>\n
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