The analysis delves into statements made during the 80th-anniversary celebrations of the end of the Leningrad blockade, where Russian President Vladimir Putin and others framed Russia's geopolitical conflict as an existential struggle against a modern Nazi movement, extending beyond Ukraine.
In particular, Putin accused Baltic countries of "embracing Nazism," raising concerns that the Kremlin aims to create an informational backdrop for potential Russian aggression against NATO countries, as outlined by the ISW.
The ISW highlights the Kremlin's narrative of "denazification" concerning its actions in Ukraine, noting that the coordinated narrative during the celebrations suggests a broader labeling of adversaries or the entire West as Nazis.
Analysts observe that Putin has long sought to construct an ideology for Russia that can be used to justify geopolitical confrontation with the West. In this pursuit, the Kremlin may increasingly adopt rhetoric focused on the fight against Nazism.
Source: PAP, ISW
