Vsevolod Chaplin: ‘We are not aggressive. But it is time to attack’

New enemy — Ankara

According to Levada-center data, the citizens of Russia very definitely identify their friends and foes. 72% of them consider the USA as the most hostile country, 48% — Ukraine, 29% — Turkey. Two latter countries have become identified as unfriendly just recently. The attitude to the United States has steadily deteriorated lately – since the mid-2013. And for three months of 2014, according to the center, the negative attitude towards the policy of Washington have increased significantly: in January it was shared by 44% of respondents, in March — 61%.

It is clear that uniting of threats around enemies – not the most stable, the most constructive and certainly not the most morally pure. However, consider this: what is the reason for the negative attitude to some countries? Is it really 'natural Russian aggression', to which periodically allude in the West?

The explosion of distrust to Turkey has reasons. After several years of dominance in our society of good attitude to the country as a holiday destination and economic partner, everything has changed after the attack on the Russian aircraft and following shameless political statements. Ankara was not allowed to 'profit' the Syrian territories, and happened what happened. Do you really think that the people of Russia would not notice that?

'The explosion of distrust to Turkey has reasons. After several years of dominance in our society of good attitude to the country as a holiday destination and economic partner, everything has changed after the attack on the Russian aircraft and the following shameless political statements.' Photo: rf-smi.ru

The worst brotherly state

About Ukraine – a separate topic. The country, which, under different regimes was traditionally treated as brotherly, squeezed into Russia many social activists, who valued the Imperial and Soviet past, defended the unity of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church with the rest of the Moscow Patriarchate, and considered themselves Russian and not afraid to talk about it in the media and on political platforms.

Democracy, freedom of speech and the right to be elected in Ukraine is for anyone, but not for these people: many of them have become political refugees, some turned out to be in prison or died under more than mysterious circumstances. The Russian authorities did little to preserve their freedom and their public influence, but you cannot fool the people.

Remembering the German newsreel of 1941

Germany in 2006-2011 was considered as a 'friend' by approximately a little more than 20% of respondents in Russia, 'the enemy' — 2-4 %. Now all this has changed: about unfriendly attitude towards our country from the leading EU states say 19% of Russians, about friendly – 2%, and this is a stable pattern of the last two years.

And what? The country, the victory of which we celebrate every year, is paradoxically treated worse as the war goes down in history?

Maybe 'Immortal regiment' is to blame? Or the statements and actions of German politicians? Thus, recently it has become known that in the new edition of the 'White book' – a policy guide for national security, developed by the German Defence Ministry, — will establish that Moscow is promoting its own interests by violent means, unauthorized changes the guaranteed by international law borders and therefore pose a threat to the world order in Europe, formed after the cold war' and also 'is turning away from the West, strengthening the strategic rivalry and increasing military activities at the external borders of the European Union'.

'And what? The country, the victory of which we celebrate every year, is paradoxically treated worse as the war goes down in history? Maybe 'Immortal regiment' is to blame? Or the statements and actions of German politicians?' Photo: Mikhail Kozlovsky

By the way, a similar argument was used in the German newsreel of July 1941: there was mentioned 'the plans of the Bolsheviks to seize Europe', 'preparing for war', 'aggression against Finland'… And now in response we are supposed to admire and to repent, as the Germans repented half a century for the attack on the Soviet Union?

American directions

However, I hope that the negative attitude towards Ukraine, Turkey and even Germany – a temporary phenomenon. Each of these countries has many chances to change its policy towards Russia, and, believe me, it very quickly will change the attitude to them of our people. It doesn't matter if it is good or bad, but we are forgiving.

With the USA – another story. For many decades this country, or rather, its elite pretends to change our basic political and social attitudes, to change us to their 'democratic' patterns, take our soul. Including through the ruling class of Turkey, Ukraine, and Germany. Our people know that perfectly.

And the answer is, probably, may be one: a powerful message to the American people about the wrongness of the political system of the United States. That financial circles have captured the country's real power, not allowing their critics to the power levers and to the formation of the information agenda. About that they are now desperately trying not to let even the obvious leader of likings of the American society Donald Trump to the White house because he will not dance to the tune of existing elites. So, democracy in America is becoming a fallacy.

' And the answer is, probably, may be one: a powerful message to the American people about the wrongness of the political system of the United States. That financial circles have captured the country's real power, not allowing their critics to the power levers and to the formation of the information agenda.' Photo: reuters.com

'We value the independence'

We are not aggressive, and we form our likes-dislikes mainly on the basis of facts of aggression against the us – military, political, economic, informational. But it is time to attack – at least, at ideological and informational fronts. Otherwise we will have to defend ourselves on the battlefield.

By the way, the countries which treat the people of Russia as friends: Belarus (50%), Kazakhstan (39%), China (34%), India (18%), Armenia (13%) – they are not necessarily close to us in religious and ethnic lines, and even they do not share the Imperial-Soviet experience. Some much more historically close countries do not treat us as friends, for example, Serbia (6%) and Bulgaria (4%). The reason is simple: we value the independence. And willingness to negotiate with us on equal terms and without intermediaries, especially in the face of the USA.