"Troll factories and on-duty media spokespeople are harnessed to explain that Putin's Russia is an anti-fascist state. And fascism came from the liberal world. You see!" This is what the chairman of the PG of "We continue the change" wrote on his Facebook profile Nikolay Denkov.
"For anyone who is starting to get confused by this strange propaganda, I recall some of the signs of Russian fascism under Putin (also known as "racism"):
Aggressive extreme nationalism.
The attack on neighboring independent states is justified with fabricated nationalist arguments. That is, the attack on Ukraine, for example, is defined as normal and natural.
Imperialism.
The collapsed USSR must be restored, therefore the former Soviet republics and territories must be "returned". That is, after Ukraine, other neighboring countries should also prepare.
Cult of personality of the leader.
Putin is a sinless ruler, and all oppositionists are emigrants, prisoners or dead (involuntarily). Some critics fall from high floors.
Language of “denazification“.
Political oppositionists and entire societies declare themselves “Nazis“, without a single fact to support this label. The young neo-Nazis from Plovdiv are creating a problem for our rulers after it became clear that they are following the example of a Russian neo-Nazi. Responsibility must immediately be thrown elsewhere. That is why politicians join the trolls and alcohol-reddened commentators - just to cover up this connection.
War-mongering and glorification of violence.
The army, war, weapons are declared symbols of patriotism and peace. Violence is accepted as the norm, not a crime. And all who want a just peace are declared enemies.
Demonization of the domestic opposition.
Opposition politicians, independent journalists, civil organizations and critics of the government in general are presented as “traitors“, “janissaries“, “foreign agents“. When the heat gets hot and the government starts to lose ground, the oppositionists become “Petrokhan's supporters“ and “Nazis“ - to make it sound even scarier.
Fusion of Orthodoxy, nationalism, power and war.
Religion classes in school that prepare future soldiers. Praise for the Russian Orthodox Church and its patriarch, who blesses weapons and war, responsible for the deaths of innocent people. How Christian!
Indicating a permanent external enemy.
NATO and the West are declared the ultimate threat. Maybe because all Russian citizens fleeing the war flee there.
State propaganda and control over the media.
Freedom of speech is being banned, and the media and journalists are being replaced by troll factories and propagandists who praise the government, put ugly labels on the opposition, call for aggression and instill hatred and division among the people. Exactly what we have been seeing in our country lately.
Political violence and repression.
Limiting protests, persecuting the opposition, throwing all opposition parties out of the elections - just in case. The entire state apparatus - institutions, services, judiciary, are complicit in the dictatorship. Bans, threats and restrictions for all citizens are growing", Denkov states.
"Do some similarities with Bulgaria seem coincidental to you? I do not believe in coincidences. But I believe that it will take much more than propaganda and lies to break and subjugate Bulgarian citizens, who are already accustomed to living, working and traveling freely and in peace. Like all other Europeans", writes the chairman of the PG of "We continue the change".