What’s new? In recent years, the Kremlin has pursued a policy of patriotic mobilisation – encouraging national pride, commemorating past military victories and promoting a vision of Russia as a reborn global power. While hardly unique to Russia, this project is notable for its scale and its connection to Russia’s newly assertive foreign policy.
Why does it matter? For President Vladimir Putin, patriotic mobilisation is a means of shoring up his rule and building popular support for military interventions in Russia’s near and far abroad. It can escape the Kremlin’s control, however, notably with far-right movements that turn love of country into ethnic chauvinism and perpetrate violence.
What should be done? Rising patriotic sentiment – like assertiveness abroad – is likely a feature of Russian politics today. Western countries should endeavour to understand its roots in post-Cold War grievances and engage the full spectrum of Russian society. The Kremlin should stop accommodating far-right nationalist groups lest they push Russian policy in dangerous directions.
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