Russian Isolationists Providing Powerful Support for Putin’s War, Pastukhov Says

Paul Goble

            Staunton, Mar. 31 – A very important factor behind militant Putinism and the war in Ukraine, Vladimir Pastukhov says, consists of “Russian neo-isolationism, a cultural and in part ideological movement directed against the influence of the West on Russia’s spiritual life” – only the West since “the isolationists don’t see any threat from the East.”

            This trend in Russian thought is based on the propositions that “Russian culture is unique and has a special past,” that Western liberalism represents a threat to that culture, and that Russia must turn away from the West and focus on its own values (t.me/v_pastukhov/89 reposted at kasparov.ru/material.php?id=6245B13FD9D1D&section_id=50A6C962A3D7C).

            Each of these propositions by itself is not without some good sense, but when they are combined together as they are now, the London-based Russian analyst says, they “resemble a Kalashnikov” that can be used to attack everything not Russian. How those who are unprofessional will use such a weapon can be seen in the invasion of Ukraine.

            “Although many isolationists do not directly support the restoration of the Soviet empire and war, they relate to this in a very sympathetic way because the vector of this war is anti-Western and largely corresponds with their worldview.” They are thus especially valuable as supporters of the Kremlin because theirs is the result of “a confused but conscious choice.”

            Russian isolationists, Pastukhov continues, points out that “they of course are in principle against the cruelties of the war and don’t want to bomb Kharkiv or Kyiv, let alone destroy completely Mariupol. But if that is required to achieve their ends, then they are prepared to accept and support it.”

            According to the London commentator, “the refined minds of Russia are squeamish. They accept violence as it were reluctantly, with truly Christian humility. But you can’t expect them to display Christian sympathy for the victim because they always remain in their favored position, above the fray.”

            “The archaic and florid views of Russian isolationists are incomprehensive to many; and at first glance, they appear to be harmless nonsense,” Pastukhov concludes. “But in reality, they display the same ideological view that is disseminated by state television like a Molotov cocktail. It’s just that the first is ideological haute couture while the second is ideological ready to wear.”