Russian propagandists turn on pro-Western “traitors”
But dissenting voices continue to make themselves heard
THE E-MAIL was anonymous and written entirely in capitals. “TRAITORS!!! SHUT UP!! SHUT YOUR UGLY MOUTHS WITH YOUR LETTERS, YOU PACFICISTS!!! BITCHES, PROSTITUTES, BASTARDS. DON’T DIRTY RUSSIA WITH YOUR PRESENCE, NOBODY IS KEEPING YOU HERE!!!” It was part of the barrage of hate mail sent to Marina Davydova, one of Russia’s best-known theatre critics and the organiser of a prominent festival, who on the day that Russia attacked Ukraine published an open letter against the war.
This article appeared in the Europe section of the print edition under the headline “The Z factor”
From the March 19th 2022 edition
Discover stories from this section and more in the list of contents
Explore the editionMore from Europe
Herbert Kickl, Austria’s hard-right ideologue who played the long game
The Freedom Party leader is on the verge of becoming chancellor
A dispute over old war crimes strains Polish-Ukrainian relations
The beneficiary is Russia
Austria could soon have a first far-right leader since 1945
Herbert Kickl of the Freedom Party could be the next head of government
Europe has lots of lithium, but struggles to get it out of the ground
Its targets for strategic autonomy look hard to meet
Spain’s government marks 50 years since Franco died
Opponents say it is the birth of democracy that should be commemorated