One of the chief propagandists under Vladimir Putin’s regime has cautioned the Russian population to prepare for the potential end of the world. Alexander Dugin, a 64-year-old ultra-nationalist philosopher known for shaping the Kremlin’s ideology, recently delivered remarks that were widely interpreted as a veiled indication of the escalating nuclear war threat.
In a foreboding online statement, Dugin, often referred to as “Putin’s brain” or “Putin’s Rasputin,” urged all non-baptized Russians to undergo baptism promptly and advised those not attending church to begin doing so to ready themselves for the afterlife’s paradise. He emphasized the urgency by stating, “We cannot be certain that eternity will not arrive soon, and then it will be too late.”
While Dugin did not explicitly mention nuclear armaments, his ominous rhetoric aligns with the narrative of Kremlin-aligned ideologues who portray nuclear conflict as an irreversible rupture with the West, leaving only faith as the enduring aspect. He asserted, “Our faith is in the Saviour. No one can save us except Him. It is to Him that we must go. Without delay.”
The recent developments come after Russian lawmaker Alexei Zhuravlev issued threats towards the UK and US following the seizure of the Russian-linked oil tanker Marinera. Zhuravlev called on Putin to retaliate, mentioning potential actions involving torpedoes and American Coast Guard boats, highlighting the incident as piracy against a civilian vessel flying the Russian flag.
In response to these tensions, Moscow launched a nuclear-capable Oreshnik missile near Lviv, a mere 40 miles from NATO territory in Poland. The hypersonic missile, reportedly traveling at an estimated 8,000mph, was purportedly aimed at Europe’s largest underground gas storage facility on the outskirts of Lviv.
Speculation arose regarding the missile type used, with suggestions of an Oreshnik-type ballistic weapon. The Russian Defence Ministry confirmed the strike, attributing it to an alleged Ukrainian attempt on Putin’s life at his Valdai residence. Western intelligence and Ukraine refuted any knowledge of such an attack.
The strike prompted Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha to denounce it as a severe threat to European security and a challenge for the transatlantic community. He verified through social media that the ballistic missile targeted the Lviv region.