Russian ruler Vladimir Putin continues his downward spiral of paranoia and desperation as his government announced the creation of a state-financed TV company that would seek to indoctrinate teens and younger children with state propaganda, government newspaper Izvestia reported on May 20th.
The Russian dictator has launched several initiatives, which we covered here, to recruit children into the communist party and its military.
Since he came to power 15 years ago, Putin has ruled the media and television to consolidate control over the country. Citizens now refer to television as the “zombie box” for its lack of credible content.
Viktor Vodolatsky, a puppet lawmaker for the ruling United Russia party has advocated for the idea of a channel that would help raise Russians as patriots, indoctrinating them in communist propaganda and a sense of duty to the military.
Vodolatsky told Izvestia that Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Prikhodko has mandated that the Education Ministry form a working group that will create the new propaganda channel.
“The working group is already at the stage of being formed; it will soon start work,” Vodolatsky said. “Specialists are preparing concrete proposals on the issue of correctly conducting informational-patriotic work with teenagers.”
The channel will broadcast youth-oriented talk shows and programs on education, news, and other issues, according to Izvestia.
Putin’s government has stepped up its emphasis on patriotism amid the widely condemned invasion of Ukraine and biting sanctions that have been ruinous for the economy. As many as a third of Russian families are starving, according to recent reports, as shipments of vital grain and other crops have been cut due to sanctions.
As the sanctions now bite and Putin eyes an upcoming election he must rig, the increasingly desperate leader is looking for all ways to both control the vote and also avoid a popular uprising, such as Ukraine’s Orange Revolution, which are usually started by younger members of society.
He sees recruiting children to both the armed forces and communist party as a way to solidify what could otherwise be a rebellious base.
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