Julia Davis is the creator of “Russian media monitor” and writes for The Daily Beast.
This week, on her Twitter profile, she shared several video sequences from the program with journalist Vladimir Solovyov on the state channel Rossiya-1.
– The host and panelists giggle uncontrollably as they discuss firing nuclear weapons at the United States, she writes, obviously shaken by the scenes.
The broadcast shows a video of a test launch of horror missile «Sarmat»and one of the panelists says that the weapon can completely destroy a city like New York.
Meanwhile on Russian state TV: hosts and panelists giggling uncontrollably, while discussing nuclear strikes against the continental territory of the United States. Can you imagine any of our prominent media anchors laughing at the idea of destroying cities? Watch this: pic.twitter.com/uOp7MaBh9K
— Julia Davis (@JuliaDavisNews) April 21, 2022
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Recently, Solovyov also stated that Russia is not only at war with Ukraine, but also NATO.
In the United States, there has been a strong reaction to the tone of the program.
“It is astonishing and ignorant behavior by the Russian media, and it is incredibly dangerous,” writes retired General Barry R. McCaffrey, who during the war worked as an expert for NBC News and MSNBC.
He claims that the Americans have the weapons to kill almost the entire Russian population within 72 hours, and that it could happen if the Russians carry out an unprovoked first attack.
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– Extreme
Atle Grønn, who is a professor of Russian, says that he has followed the program for several years. He says that it is a program that has a similar status as Fredrik Solvang’s Debatten in Norway, but that it is broadcast five times a week.
It is broadcast on Russian state television, and is an important part of President Vladimir Putin’s propaganda apparatus.
– Solovyov invites the same gang day after day. They incite each other to be as extreme as possible, Grønn explains.
You will not see this
– Conscious strategy
But why are Putin’s propagandists threatening to attack the United States with nuclear weapons?
Green believes it is a conscious strategy.
– My impression is that they are so extreme to make the Russian authorities and Putin appear more moderate. If those on television, who do not make the decisions, go extremely hard, Putin will appear more like the father of the country who can gather the people behind his warfare. But I have a hard time believing that they themselves believe what they say.
The Russia expert says the program moved in an extreme direction after Russia annexed the Crimean peninsula in 2014, and has found constant ways to surpass itself.
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He thinks it may have something to do with Russia’s more extreme policies, which culminated in the war in Ukraine that began in late February.
– One could imagine that the propaganda directly reflects the authorities’ policy, but what we have seen here is that the propaganda goes further, Grønn explains.
Host: – At war with NATO
He points out that Russian politics is grotesque, and then the propaganda becomes limitless.
– If there was a coincidence between propaganda and politics, ordinary Russians would think that Putin is extreme, but when they are fed with this, he will look far less extreme, even though what they are doing with war crimes, Grønn concludes.
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