In a last-ditch attempt to defend the outgoing U.S. President Donald J. Trump, Russian-speaking participants in the recent mob at the Capitol flooded the airwaves of the Kremlin-controlled Russian state television. They claimed that the pro-Trump insurrectionists were merely “peaceful demonstrators” and blamed “antifa” for the violence that took place in Washington, DC on January 6, 2021. Russian state media propagandists and their mouthpieces apparently didn’t […]
Julia Davis
14 posts
Russian President Vladimir Putin was practically glowing while leaving a Russian Orthodox Christmas Eve service this Wednesday. Speaking to state TV reporters, he gushed about “the anticipation of a miracle” that can get a person through any rough patch in their life. Putin wasn’t talking about the United States, of course, but he might as well have been: America’s outgoing president had just delivered the biggest […]
On Tuesday, the Kremlin finally acknowledged that U.S. President Donald J. Trump has been defeated by President-elect Joe Biden, by sending an official congratulatory message to the incoming American president. Russian state media immediately noted that Russian President Vladimir Putin was the last leader of the G20 to recognize Biden’s indisputable victory. Russian state TV hosts, pundits and lawmakers were also quick to point out the […]
With Joe Biden declared America’s newest president-elect, darkness descended over Russian state media this week. Pro-Kremlin news anchors, pundits and experts have long dreaded former Vice President Joe Biden’s victory in 2020, having described it as “the worst scenario for Russia.” As their nightmare became an inevitable reality, Russian state television shows were permeated with angry faces and raw emotions. “Nothing will ever be the same… […]
Moscow’s domestic propaganda apparatus—which targets Russian speakers all over the world, including the United States—has blatantly disregarded the Kremlin’s stringent broadcast regulations and started airing excerpts of the so-called “Hunter Biden sex tapes” during prime time, almost daily. As Election Day in America draws ever near, Russian state media is covering events in the United States with dogged determination—acting as though the U.S. was one of […]
The shocking announcement that the President of the United States Donald J. Trump has contracted the coronavirus was promptly followed by well-wishes from the Kremlin. Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday sent President Trump a telegram, wishing a speedy recovery to the U.S. president and the first lady. According to a Kremlin readout of the telegram, Putin wrote: “I am sure that your inherent vitality, good […]
There is no shortage of local topics that interest the Kremlin—from the poisoning of an inconvenient dissident, to the events in neighboring Belarus and the ongoing battle against the coronavirus. In the thick of it all, America remains front and center of the Russian state media’s steely focus. In Putin’s Russia, U.S. President Donald J. Trump’s rallies, events and press comments are viewed and reported with […]
As the presidential election in the United States draws closer, Putin’s Russia is paying close attention. Pro-Kremlin talking heads on Russian state television are discussing events in America with an air of both profound interest and deep understanding, treating electoral turmoil abroad as a real-life game of The Sims. In Moscow, President Trump’s potential re-election is still considered the sole beneficial outcome, and the expectations are […]
This week, U.S. President Donald Trump reiterated his intent to move forward with reducing the U.S. military presence in Germany, without any consultations with Berlin. And even as members of the U.S. Congress and America’s allies abroad expressed concerns about the drawdown, the Trump administration’s decision brought joy to the Kremlin and Russian media. Back in June, 22 Republican members of the House Armed Services Committee […]
On Thursday, the United States, Britain and Canada alleged that hacking group APT29, known as Cozy Bear and believed to be part of the Russian intelligence service, is attempting to purloin information from academic and pharmaceutical research institutions involved in coronavirus vaccine development. “While the Russians would like to be the first to acquire the vaccine they want Westerners to play the part of the guinea […]
Kremlin-controlled Russian state media set out to tickle U.S. President Trump’s fragile ego amid falling ratings after his blustery appearance at Mount Rushmore on Friday. Mentioning that the American head of state had previously toyed with the idea he might be featured alongside Washington, Jefferson, Teddy Roosevelt, and Lincoln, Russia’s premier state media channel Rossiya-1 aired a graphic of Trump’s mug right up there on the […]
While the world is being rocked by mass protests against racism and police brutality, in Russia the situation is viewed through a starkly different lens. Far from being concerned with the rights of minorities, Russian experts, pundits and government officials worry in appalling language about the fate of white people—and obsess over Donald J. Trump’s declining chances of re-election. The evolution from measured observation to commentary […]
America’s heartbreak brought considerable joy to Vladimir Putin’s Russia, but the gloating also exposes the deep ugliness of his regime. Russian reporters covering protests on American soil appear to sympathize with the protesters, but state media reports for domestic audiences tell an entirely different story. “Mockery of the ongoing protests in the United States made references to ‘muscular criminal Negroes,’ described ‘twerking’ as the ‘national Negro […]
President Donald J. Trump has announced the U.S. intends to exit the “Open Skies” treaty. The 34-nation agreement allows the United States, Russia and other countries to conduct observation flights over each other’s territories in the interests of transparency and international security. “An infectious disease specialist for the Russian Health Ministry said Trump must really be taking hydroxychloroquine, since it’s known to cause psychotic side effects. ” […]