Even though the Russian authorities shut down his newspaper, journalist Dmitry Muratov will not be silenced. When we meet in Moscow, the editor-in-chief of Novaya Gazeta and laureate of the Nobel Peace Prize is concerned about how far the Kremlin would go in its conflict with the West.
“Two generations have lived without the prospect of nuclear war,” Mr. Muratov tells me. “But, this era has come to an end. Will Putin touch the nuclear button, or won’t he? Who knows? No one knows for certain.
Since February 2022, when Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Moscow’s nuclear saber-rattling has been loud and frequent.
Not-so-subtle signals have been made by senior officials that Western nations arming Ukraine should not push Russia too far. Vladimir Putin, president of Russia, has declared plans to place tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus.
Then, one of his most trusted advisers, Nikolai Patrushev, warned that Russia possessed a “new, one-of-a-kind weapon capable of eliminating any enemy, including the United States.”
How about bluster? Or a threat that requires serious consideration? Mr. Muratov has detected alarming indicators within Russia.
He continues,
“We observe how state propaganda prepares people to believe that nuclear war is not a horrible thing.”
Here, nuclear war and nuclear weapons are advertised on television as if they were pet chow.
“They proclaim, ‘We have this missile, that missile, and another type of missile.’ They talk about striking Britain and France; about triggering a nuclear tsunami that washes America away. Why do they say this? So that people here can be prepared.”
A popular talk show host recently said on Russian state television that Moscow “should declare any military objective on the territory of France, Poland, and the United Kingdom a legitimate target for [Russia].”
The same presenter has also proposed “leveling an island with strategic nuclear missiles and conducting a test launch or discharge of tactical nuclear weapons to dispel any illusions.”
Yet, state propaganda promotes Russia as a peaceful nation, while Ukraine and the West are portrayed as aggressors. Numerous Russians agree.
“The Russian people have been irradiated by misinformation,” adds Mr. Muratov. “Propaganda is a form of radiation. Everyone is susceptible to it, not just Russians. In Russia, propaganda consists of twelve TV channels, tens of thousands of publications, and social media like VK [the Russian equivalent of Facebook] that supports the state ideology in its entirety.”
“But what if the propaganda suddenly stopped tomorrow?” I wonder. What would the Russians think if all went silent?
Mr. Muratov responds,
“Our younger generation is amazing.”
Almost a million Russians have left the country, and the majority of those who remain are utterly opposed to what is happening in Ukraine and the nightmare that Russia has caused there.
“I am confident that as soon as the propaganda ceases, this generation, together with everyone with common sense, will speak up.”
Twenty-one thousand administrative and criminal proceedings have been initiated against protesting Russians, he says. The opposition is imprisoned. The media have been shut off. Many activists, ordinary citizens, and journalists have been labeled as foreign agents.
“Putin has an enormous support base, but it is comprised of elderly people who view him as their own grandson, as someone who will protect them and who brings them their pension each month and wishes them a Happy New Year each year. These individuals believe that their actual grandchildren should fight and die.”
Mr. Muratov auctioned off his Nobel Peace Prize to generate funds for child refugees in Ukraine. He lacks optimism regarding the future.
There will never again be normal ties between the people of Russia and Ukraine. Ukraine will never be able to accept this tragedy.
“In Russia, political repression against all government opponents will continue,” he adds.
“My only hope is with the new generation; those who regard the world as a friend and not an enemy, and who want Russia to be loved and the world to love Russia.
I hope this generation outlives both me and Putin.
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