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Dmitry Medvedev makes headlines with radical nationalist statements. Just what could be behind it?
Why is? Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev was once considered a liberal reformer, but now he is attracting attention with bizarre statements. Since the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the now vice president of the National Security Council has become one of the loudest agitators in the Russian government on social media such as Telegram. There is speculation in the West about his motives.
Medvedev is one of the most radical voices in the Kremlin.
How does Medvedev express himself? Medvedev recently posted a text in which he wrote that the Ukrainian government is a “bunch of lunatics and Nazi drug addicts”. He went on to say that “in the West there are small-minded philistines whose chins drip with drool from degeneration.” The conflict in Ukraine is nothing more than “a fight against the prince of hell – Satan, Lucifer, whatever you call him”. Medvedev has also threatened attacks on European nuclear power plants. “He is one of the most radical voices in the Kremlin,” says SRF Russia specialist Calum MacKenzie.
How was Medvedev as president? During his tenure as Russian President from 2008 to 2012, Medvedev enjoyed a reputation as a liberal reformer in the West. At that time he had a relaxed relationship with the West. For example, a scene from 2010 is remembered when Medvedev casually ate a hamburger with the then US President Barack Obama in a diner in Arlington, Virginia. “Although Medvedev certainly wasn’t a freedom-loving democrat either, to the outside world he was a completely different president than Putin,” says MacKenzie.
Legend:
Those were the days: In 2010, the then Russian President Medvedev visited a dinner in Arlington/Virginia together with US President Obama. There they casually ate a hamburger.
Reuters/Kevin Lamarque
Why this discrepancy to today? “Medvedev’s time as president will certainly be glossed over,” says the Russia expert. As a reminder, when Russia invaded neighboring Georgia in 2008, Medvedev was president. Apparently, as prime minister, Putin controlled Russia’s policy from the background and Medvedev carried out the orders.
Medvedev’s behavior shows that he is not a politician of strong character and has no future in Russian politics.
How does Putin’s system work? Observers see Medvedev’s current extremely nationalist appearances as proof of loyalty to the Putin regime. “That’s typical of the Putin system,” says MacKenzie. As a rule, Putin sets the tone, and his circle then reflects on his statements. This is often done in a greatly exaggerated form. “They want to prove that they are the most loyal and convincing supporters of Putin.”
Why so over the top? The supposedly liberal politician Medvedev has turned into a frothy inciter against the West. Some observers say the Kremlin’s particularly bizarre theories about the West also involve a kind of test: who is loyal enough to Putin to spread bullshit? “Medvedev jumped on this bandwagon in an extreme way,” MacKenzie said. For those who know Russia, the reason is that Medvedev is now only a marginal figure and mourns the old days as a powerful man. “Above all, it shows that he is not a politician with strong character and has no future in Russian politics.”