A Russian propaganda talk show titled “Evening with Solovyov” on the state television channel Rossiya-1 on 10 March proposed to extend Russia’s invasion beyond the borders of Ukraine. Also, it discusses a possibility of a nuclear strike, referring to a Russian military comedy.
“The most important thing is that in no case can we stop halfway. Like leaving Lviv to someone else, etcetera. Then, otherwise, there was simply no need to start anything,” says one of the invited guests of the studio, referring to the west-Ukrainian city of Lviv, which so far has not been invaded by Russian forces.
He is supported by Russian TV propagandist Vladimir Solovyov (under EU sanctions, had two villas in Italy confiscated from him).
“With such sanctions, who said that it is necessary to stop at all at the borders of Ukraine,” Solovyov agrees.
The invited guest continues:
“Then they [Western countries – Ed.] will understand that the borders of Ukraine are absolutely not important and that we may not stop at them if they themselves do not capitulate on our terms.”
At the same time, Solovyov notes that the recognition of occupied Crimea as Russian territory and the puppet “republics” of the “LDNR” as independent states does not fall within the framework of the “conditions of capitulation” that the propagandists propose the West: “they [the West – ed.] are nobody for us,” in the sense that Russia now wants a lot more.
Solovyov also admitted the possibility of a nuclear strike. At the same time, he quoted a phrase from the Russian army comedy film DMB (2000):
“We will definitely bang. And more than once. So the whole world will be in ruins. But later.”
This is not the first episode where Russian propaganda TV threatened the West with an invasion and nuclear strike. Rather, this is the norm.
In 2014, in response to the first Western sanctions slapped upon Russia after it occupied Crimea, Russia rolled out a state PR campaign threatening its nukes.
A notable episode of such threats was aired in 2015: then, Russia’s TV5 visualized such an invasion and nuclear strike.
Russian war propaganda threatens to invade Warsaw, Berlin, London in 2015
The same message is also reiterated by Russian-backed, or even Russian militants in Donbas bragging to take “Novorossiya” tanks to Warsaw and London:
On 24 February, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the start of an invasion of Ukraine. Russian troops are shelling and destroying key infrastructure facilities, carrying out massive shelling of residential areas of Ukrainian cities and towns using artillery, multiple rocket launchers, and ballistic missiles.
Martial law has been introduced in Ukraine, general mobilization has been declared, the country is rebuffing the invaders.
Also, Ukraine officially sent a lawsuit against the Russian Federation to the International Court of Justice in The Hague.
Related:
- Russian war propaganda threatens to invade Warsaw, Berlin, London in 2015
- In response to sanctions, Moscow goes nuclear
- Is Putin mentally ill? Would he press the nuclear button? Interview with top Ukrainian psychoanalyst
- A guide to Russian propaganda
