For weeks leading up to February 24, as Russian military equipment moved into position around Ukraine’s borders and as U.S. government spokespersons warned of an “imminent” attack, foreign and domestic Russia analysts did not expect that an actual war was about to begin. Many pointed to the lack of a “rally around the flag” propaganda campaign as evidence that the Kremlin was not preparing the public for a potentially generation-defining conflict. This expectation was a mistake. The Kremlin propaganda’s goal was not to rally support, but to suppress opposition. At least for now, this campaign has been a success. …read more
Source:: Institute of Modern Russia
