Russia mocked over ’1984 language’ after branding itself ‘leader of the free world’

Moscow officials have been appearing on Russian television, particularly on Channel One Russia, to downplay damage done by their country and promote the causes of the war since the troops first crossed the line into Ukraine. Many have taken their propaganda campaigns to extreme heights, including branding the conflict a “holy war” being waged not merely against Ukrainian forces but “pagans” and “satanists”.

Most recently, United Russia MP Andrei Isayev said his country was clearly becoming the “leader of the free world”.

He, quoted by Francis Scarr of the BBC, said: “The US promote the myth that they’re the leaders of the free world.

“But today we’re seeing with our own eyes it is being demonstrated that Russia is becoming the leader of the free, that’s to say sovereign, world.

“A world free from diktat, because firstly, Russia is bearing the main burden, especially in the military struggle for the world, for a world without the diktat of one courtly.

“And owing to that, the authority of Russia, which has withstood the economic blitzkrieg [sanctions from the West], has shown that despite all its efforts the Western coalition hasn’t managed to break Russia’s economy.”

New Voice of Ukraine Editor-At-Large Euan MacDonald said the message reminded him of the propaganda pushed by the state in George Orwell’s dystopian novel Nineteen Eighty-Four.

Adapting part of a famous line from the book, he wrote in a post on Twitter: “War is peace, ignorance is strength, and Russia is the leader of the free world.”

Pundits have questioned the extent to which the general population of Russia accepts such propaganda lines as those issued by Isayev.

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Reports suggest that Kremlin insiders are, in fact, rather more concerned about the impact of the “special military operation” on Russia’s standing.

A number of officials told Bloomberg shortly after the war was launched that they were worried Russia would now be increasingly isolated on the world stage.

They said they could not, however, raise such concerns to Vladimir Putin himself because there was “no chance” of changing his mind.

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Russian business leaders and military officials are also understood to have expressed scepticism about the value of the war for their country.

Journalist Mark Galeotti wrote in a post on Twitter in April: “[Concern] is certainly not confined to technocrats/businesspeople.

“Even within the security structures, there's growing alarm and dismay at the invasion, the way it was mishandled, and Putin's apparent refusal to appreciate the long-term dangers.”

Moscow’s military efforts in Ukraine are now increasingly being propped up by countries including China, Belarus and now also Iran.

Tehran is said to be set to offer Russia hundreds of drones and, according to a report issued this morning, weaponry and other military equipment.

Any such support will be warmly received by the Kremlin, whose forces intelligence officials have said were nearing the point of exhausting their offensive capabilities due to the rapid rate of ammunition and artillery consumption in the conflict.