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Pearls of Kremlin propaganda
Mister “turtle brothel” indulges in malicious joy – because the Germans “can no longer wash themselves”
Alexei Zhuravlev is a regular guest on state television propaganda programs
© TASS/Stanislav Krasilnikov / Picture Alliance
A freezing Germany sends Kremlin propaganda into ecstasy. Even the nationalist Alexej Schurawljow can’t help but dance in joy because gas is getting scarce in Germany. While almost 30 percent of Russians can only dream of a gas connection.
At first glance, Alexei Zhuravlev could be taken for an almost perfect prototype of a politician. Even straight features, trimmed gray beard, tailored suits. But when Zhuravlev opens his mouth, this deceptive impression vanishes with the first word spoken. The chairman of the nationalist party Rodina (Homeland) is a regular guest on Russian propaganda talk shows.
The Duma deputy churns out one bizarre statement after another. The range of tastelessness to which he presumes is immeasurable. Sometimes he calls for the “annihilation” of two million Ukrainians who, in his confused mind, are ready to “let the SS rise again”. Sometimes he rants about turtles being raped in Danish brothels, earning him the nickname Mister “Turtle Brothel”.
Since the death last April of Vladimir Zhirinovsky, who was notorious as the Kremlin’s court jester, Zhuravlev has been doing everything to fill the vacant post.
In an hour-long propaganda program on the Rossija 1 channel, he is now demonstrating anew what elicits shouts of joy from a Russian ultra-Putinist: the suffering of others.
A freezing Germany puts the propaganda in ecstasy
At first he gloated over the stopped gas supplies to Germany. Nord Stream 1 has not delivered any gas since last Monday due to maintenance work. The work is expected to last until July 21. “I want to say to Gazprom: We have to be careful here. This is a hostile country. You have to check everything carefully, without haste,” he explains with obvious malice. “Maybe for three or four months. Then we can turn the tap on again for New Year’s Eve.”
A liberating Europe – this idea has been driving Kremlin propagandists into veritable ecstasy for months. Zhuravlev is no exception. “They can no longer wash themselves, no longer heat, and have to save on food,” he counts on fingers. The moderator of the program and also Duma deputy Evgeniy Popov adds with satisfaction: “Restrictions on hot water and gas consumption are already being introduced there,” rejoices the talk master, who has been drumming into viewers since 2016 how degenerate the West is, how malicious independent Ukraine and how blessed Russia is under Putin – every day. You can find out more about Popov here.
“If you ate, washed, and it’s warm in your house, then you were born a Russian. Then you were lucky with your country,” Zhuravlev explained in verse to his compatriots.
29 percent of Russians have no gas connection
Do his countrymen appreciate their luck? When in many regions of Russia people can only dream of a gas connection. According to official data from the Russian Federation Council, 29 percent of Russian citizens have no access to gas. That means they have no hot water and have to heat their houses with small stoves – with coal or wood. In some regions only a fraction of the population knows the joys of a gas connection. In the Altai Krai at the beginning of 2021 it was only 13.1 percent, complained last year the Chairman of the Economic Policy Committee of the Federation Council.
Only recently, Vladimir Putin was amazed at how many schools in Russia are not connected to the gas network. “Unfortunately, many schools in our country still don’t have a gas connection. I looked at the documents: to be honest, I was actually very surprised – there are a lot,” said the president, who has governed the country in question for 22 years.
But what do propagandists of the caliber of Zhuravlev or Popov care that Russian students have to shiver in freezing cold classrooms; or that pensioners can only get through the Russian winter on charcoal; or that their president, after more than 20 years, publicly admits that he has no idea about the conditions in his empire.
The main thing is that Europe is freezing. And Ukraine is dying: The idea that there would soon be no one left in the country destroyed by Russia who could repay the Western loans gives Zhuravlev a veritable fit of laughter, during which he shows his completely renewed set of teeth. The fate of millions of Ukrainian refugees also visibly amused the politician – and the moderator Popov.
He beams with glee as he makes fun of the alleged family problems that the Europeans would face. Because Ukrainian women would prey on European women’s husbands. “Why doesn’t Britain let them in? Because they’ll steal all the men. I have no doubts about that,” Zhuravlev laughs.
The man who pretends to hate the West with every fiber of his being has no objection to the comforts of Europe. He recently made headlines with an accident. The 59-year-old was traveling on a motorcycle and lost control, causing the vehicle to overturn. It was a BMW S1000RR.
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