Putin’s Conservative Masquerade

When reflecting on modern Russia, it’s worth to recall its political regime’s Soviet origins, which are fundamentally at odds with traditionalism

When I left Russia in 2022 and began travelling the world, I noticed that many foreigners hold a strangely distorted view of the country where I was born and lived for 20 years. I often struggle to even recognise Russia in their descriptions – as if my interlocutors are talking about some alternative, ‘export’ version of it that bears very little resemblance to the actual state of affairs.

In my observations, Russia has two main mythologised images that are widely accepted in different parts of the world. I‘ve often found myself debating the first image with people in India, Morocco, Egypt, Lebanon, and Jordan, where I’ve spent nearly a year altogether. In these countries, there is a pervasive belief that modern Russia stands as a selfless opponent of Western neo-colonialism, defending the sovereignty of the Global South within the Ukrainian conflict. Many perceive this situation as a proxy war, where Kremlin confronts NATO’s hidden imperialist aspirations.