“Anglo-Saxons” vs “Russian world”: A Digest of Russian Propaganda for June 6
Why Putin doesn’t like the Anglo-Saxons so much, but like Hitler, there’s nothing he can do about them.
The Centre for Strategic Communication and Information Security has collected the main fakes and narratives of the Russian propaganda of June 6.
- How the “Anglo-Saxons” became Moscow’s enemies
- London and Washington “split the European community”
- Sexual violence perpetrated by the occupiers in Ukraine
- History repeats itself 81 years later
How the “Anglo-Saxons” became Moscow’s enemies
On June 6, Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov said that “Ukraine does not want to negotiate, and we have every reason to believe that it is thus fulfilling the will of the Anglo-Saxon leadership of the Western world.”
Who are these “Anglo-Saxons”, and why has the struggle against them become one of the main narratives of Russian propaganda?
IN REALITY, this concept is hardly new. Russia has long had a sour spot for the so-called “Anglo-Saxons.” Although the real Anglo-Saxons did not give any reason for this, at least because the Germanic tribes of the Angles, Saxons, Utes landed in Britain in the era of the Great Migration. And in the eleventh century, they were suppressed and assimilated by the Normans. This is where the history of the Anglo-Saxons ends.
Before the Crimean War (1853-1856), the medieval tribes did not bother Russia. But after Russia’s defeat at the hands of the coalition of Britain, France, Sardinia and Turkey, Petersburg decided that London had no right to prevent the Russians from capturing Constantinople, but instead had to support them.
It was from that time that the offended troubadours of the Romanov Empire began to preach the idea of the threat of Anglo-Saxon global domination.
They also persuaded their compatriots that the Anglo-Saxons professed a special hatred for the “Russian world.” This myth was not undermined even by Russia’s allied relations with English-speaking countries during the two world wars.
In 2016, Kremlin spokesman Peskov literally said that Russia is at war with “Anglo-Saxons” in the information space.
Volodymyr Pastukhov, PhD in Political Science from the University College of London, explains that “the Kremlin ideologues believe that the Russian nation has an enemy — the Anglo-Saxons. As befits a mythical enemy, the Anglo-Saxons are a mythical category. The less real the Anglo-Saxons are, the more convenient they are as the natural enemy. The main supporters of the Anglo-Saxons are now Ukrainians, but this is a purely functional decision, and anyone can be in the Ukrainians’ place.”
London and Washington “split the European community”
According to the Kremlin, hatred of the Anglo-Saxons should not only unite Russian patriots, but also split the European enemies. Hence the narratives that “Brussels is dancing to the tune of Washington” and its variations: “The US is forcing the EU to help Ukraine,” “Anglo-Saxons are provoking tensions on the European continent,” and so on.
Basically, if not for the “foreign” influences from London and Washington, Europe, led by Berlin and Paris, would be fine: Putin would appoint authorities in the countries of the former Soviet Union, his gas would heat the homes of Europeans, and trade with Russia would help the EU cope with crises.
Putin supporters also has other valuable advice and conclusions for Europeans “brainwashed” by the “Anglo-Saxons.” For example, that “pumping weapons into Ukraine at the expense of European taxpayers leads to a rise in the cost of their lives.” That’s what Medvedev, the former warmer of the presidential chair in Russia, writes on his platform.
IN REALITY, it was on June 6 that dozens of companies in the UK started an experiment to introduce a four-day working week without a loss of wages.
And while the British can afford such experiments, in Russia, which “only benefits from the sanctions,” 67% of companies have stopped hiring, and 21% are preparing for mass layoffs.
Here is a side-by-side comparison of food prices in Russia and in the UK (for the latter, in pounds and in Russian roubles).
Remember that the average monthly paycheck in Russia constitutes 712 pounds at the current exchange rate, while the British are getting 2352 pounds on average.
Sexual violence perpetrated by the occupiers in Ukraine
On June 6, the First Deputy Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the United Nations, Dmitry Polyansky, said that sexual violence perpetrated by the occupiers in Ukraine is blatantly unproven and unverified.
IN REALITY, the UN Special Representative for Sexual Violence, Pramila Patten (also an “Anglo-Saxon” from Mauritius, a former British colony), said this:
– Reports of 124 cases of sexual violence in Ukraine have been received. The most affected category is women and girls, but there are 26 cases of violence against boys and men.
– Due to active hostilities, mass displacement within the country, disruption of relevant services and stigmatization related to sexual violence, potential victims are often unable or unwilling to report to law enforcement what happened to them.
– 49 out of 124 allegations concern sexual abuse of children. In seven cases, boys were abused, and in 19 cases, men were abused.
– From the experience of other conflicts around the world, it is clear that the information received is just the tip of the iceberg.
– In order for the international community to react properly, it is not necessary to wait for all complaints to be verified. Even one case is enough for all parties to take preventive measures.
– There should be no amnesty for crimes related to sexual violence.
History repeats itself 81 years later
And finally, let’s talk about one of the pillars of the “Anglo-Saxons,” Boris Johnson, whose resignation was so awaited by the Russian World on June 6. Moscow frankly does not like him. It would seem strange, since he was one of the driving forces behind Brexit, the Kremlin’s dream of splitting the EU. But in 2022, Johnson became one of the main figures in the global movement in support of Ukraine. That is why he became an immediate target of the Russian propaganda.
IN REALITY, it was exactly 81 years and a month ago, on May 7, 1941, that then-PM Winston Churchill held a no-confidence vote concerning himself in the Parliament. Things were bad in London at the time, and the government had no major achievements in its confrontation with Hitler. But there were only three votes against Churchill. And three days after the vote, the Nazis blew up the parliament building during the bombing of the British capital. Apparently, in this way they also tried to express their attitude to “Anglo-Saxon democracy.” The democracy survived, as you can tell. Moreover, four years later, it celebrated the victory over Nazism.
That is why we need to fight for democracy. Boris Johnson said, Hitler convinced you he can do everything, and Churchill — that you can do everything.
Centre for Strategic Communication and Information Security
First photo: Andrew Parsons / No 10 Downing Street