Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree yesterday on a new “Strategy for countering extremism in the Russian Federation,” Radio Liberty reported.

In the updated strategy, the concept of Russophobia was introduced for the first time. It is defined as “unfriendly, prejudiced, hostile attitude toward the citizens of Russia, the Russian language and culture.” Discriminatory actions by the authorities of states unfriendly to Russia are also considered Russophobia.

The strategy claims that extremism is used by some states for hybrid wars and interference in the internal affairs of other countries. Among the sources of extremism is Ukraine, which, according to the Russian authorities, supports “radical neo-Nazi formations” that threaten Russia.

Advertisement

The document emphasizes that the so-called “Ukrainian crisis” (as the Russians and Chinese name for Moscow’s war against Ukraine) is a tool for inciting Russophobic sentiments and a hybrid war against Russia. Eliminating threats from the territory of Ukraine is called a key task in the document.

Uncoordinated protest actions that “deliberately” turn into mass riots, as well as the illegal activities of migrants and the destructive work of international non-governmental organizations, are noted as factors of destabilization.

The strategy envisages surveilling persons who travel abroad to participate in extremist activities, as well as “for training in educational centers of unfriendly states, whose activities have signs of extremism.”

Polish Deputy PM Accuses Russia of Trying to Recruit Election Trolls on Dark Web
Other Topics of Interest

Polish Deputy PM Accuses Russia of Trying to Recruit Election Trolls on Dark Web

Digital Affairs Minister Krzysztof Gawkowski accused Russia on Tuesday of attempting to recruit Poles on the dark net to try to influence Poland’s presidential election campaign.

The criteria for defining “educational centers of unfriendly states” are not specified in the document, but presumably would mean Western universities, where many of Russia’s elite politicians and oligarchs send their children.

To suggest a correction or clarification, write to us here
You can also highlight the text and press Ctrl + Enter