https://www.thedailybeast.com/putin-insiders-pray-for-frightening-gop-election-sweepRussian state media is following the midterm elections in the United States with great interest, but the mood in Moscow’s studios had noticeably soured in comparison to the fun-filled episodes of the years preceding Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. While the experts and the hosts are still rooting for the Republicans, they stop short of promising the audience total salvation even with the GOP back in charge. Even the most seasoned propagandists can’t hide the fact that Russia’s war against Ukraine—and the global fallout that followed—is only going from bad to worse.
Appearing on the state TV show 60 Minutes on Tuesday, Dmitry Abzalov, Director of the Center for Strategic Communications, noted: “Of course we depend on the U.S. elections. Anyone who is doubting that should take a look at today’s dominating news topics. Every field commander is reporting that they’re plugged into American elections, planning to watch them at night. Why would they need to watch if everything was decided over here?”
Even former President Donald Trump’s anticipated reemergence on the political scene did little to cheer up Putin’s mouthpieces. During Sunday’s broadcast of the show, Sunday Evening With Vladimir Solovyov, the top pro-Kremlin propagandist Vladimir Solovyov described a video clip of Trump’s diatribe against President Joe Biden as the opinion of a “smart person who openly says everything that many Americans are thinking.”
Andrey Sidorov, deputy dean of world politics at the Moscow State University, bitterly complained about the Biden administration trying to force Russia to negotiate with Ukraine. The host and the panelists recoiled, questioning what would be the point of negotiations. Sidorov explained that the U.S. wanted Russia to retreat from the territories it occupies in Ukraine. Solovyov incredulously asked: “Retreat where?” Head of RT Margarita Simonyan blurted out: “To Siberia.”
