Vladimir Putin is planning to unleash his wrath on foreigners outside Russia over ‘russophobia’.
The Kremlin has approved changes to the Criminal Code to add punishment for discrimination against Russian citizens and residents by foreigners and foreign officials abroad or calls for such actions.
This is the latest attempt of the government to draw attention to the ‘spreading’ anti-Russian sentiment.
The Interfax news agency cited a government document approving the draft law under which the trials of those charged can be held in absentia.
Ministers approved the draft but said the punishment should be revised. Currently it says that those convicted should be banned ‘from occupying certain posts and conducting certain activities in Russia.’
But the government said it does not make sense since it would affect people who do not live in Russia.
What is ‘russophobia’?
Anti-Russian sentiment or Russophobia is defined as dislike or fear or hatred of Russia, Russian people, or Russian culture.
According to the Centre for European Policy Analysis (CEPA), the term waspopularised by Vladimir Putin in a bid to smear critics as irrational, and to fuse the Kremlin with the people.
It remains unclear what the Kremlin considers discrimination of Russian citizens and residents.
Previously, Putin has publicly cited what he has called ‘cancellation of the Russian culture’ in the West after he launched his full-scale invasion of Ukraine at the start of 2022.
Timothy Snyder, professor of history at Yale University, pointed out that the term ‘russophobia’ is an attempt to justify his war crimes.
The harm being done to Russians culture is primarily due to Russia’s own policies and actions, he countered, spotlighting the emigration of creative Russians due to the bloodshed; destruction of independent Russian journalism; attacks on culture, books, museums and other landmarks; mass killings of Russian speakers and citizens.
Challenging accusations of anti-Russian sentiment, former British ambassador to Serbia, Sian MacLeod, said that the Kremlin’s spin doctors ‘resurrected the word’ to create a myth that anyone criticising Putin’s actions must be prejudiced against Russia and Russians.
She wrote: ‘Putin’s regime does not tolerate dissent. It has responded by increasingly repressive measures to prevent criticism (or even reporting the truth about the war) in the media or on the streets.
‘Unable to use draconian Russian laws to muzzle critics abroad they have a different approach.
‘Kremlin spin doctors resurrected the word ‘russophobia’ to create a myth that anyone criticising Putin’s actions must be prejudiced against Russia and Russians.
‘It is used to denigrate anyone who points out violations of international agreements, criticises violations of human rights and freedoms or, condemns the brutal assault on Ukraine.
‘When the Kremlin has no better argument to use it shouts “russophobia” like a term of playground abuse.’
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