User:Antidiskriminator/Drafts of articles/Demonisation of Vladimir Putin

The Demonization of Vladimir Putin is a propaganda campaign of demonizing Vladimir Putin which according to some authors existed in some media and political discourse. The mainstream press releases portrayed Putin as "autocrat", a "KGB thug" accusing him for "killing of political opponents", "rollback of democratic reforms" and for establishment of a "venal regime" of "corruptionism". Putin was frequently compared to Stalin and Sadam Husein. Many United States and Western politicians compared Putin to Hitler. It is believed that some powerful sections of USA government and Anglo-American elites are behind this campaign. Many authors criticize demonization of Putin while some authors denied that demonization of Putin existed.

Demonization in Western media

The demonization of Putin in Western media began when he demonstrated his dedication to bring back Russia from the edge of the anarchy and, in particular in front of the British public, after the poisoning of Alexander Litvinenko. It is believed that some powerful sections of USA government and Anglo-American elites are behind this campaign.

In a massive campaign launched in Western media to demonize Putin, he was accused for issuing orders for politically motivated murders. Vladimir Putin has been demonized in mainstream press releases that progressively portrayed him as "autocrat", a "KGB thug" accusing him for "killing of political opponents", "rollback of democratic reforms", for establishment of a "venal regime" of "corruptionism" and frequently compared him to Stalin and Sadam Husein. According to Stephen F. Cohen, an American scholar of Russian studies, there is no evidence that such allegations are true or at least completely true. European Union officials demonized Putin more than they demonized presidents of some other countries they also considered autocrats.

In 2014 Prince Charles, Hilary Clinton and Germany's Federal Minister of Finance Wolfgang Schäuble compared Putin with Hitler in the campaign of demonization of Putin at the beginning of the political crisis in Ukraine. Many other people compared Putin with Hitler, including PM of Canada Stephen Harper, the United States Senator John McCain, the junior United States Senator Marco Rubio and many other.

According to some Russia's diplomats, Putin was unfairly demonized after Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 crashed in eastern Ukraine's Donetsk Oblast.

Demonization in Russia

Putin's KGB connection served as an excuse to condemn him and he was demonized by West and some groups in Russia too. Chris Hutchins explained that Putin was demonized by Russian liberals and Russian counterparts of Western conservatives who portrayed him as anti-democratic KGB automaton.

Reactions

A former foreign secretary of India Kanwal Sibal believes that the demonization of Putin can not be explained by common sense, taking in consideration his opinion that the international conduct of Putin was much more responsible than conduct of the USA. He emphasize that all faults of Russia pointed by Western leaders can also be found in China which leadership is not demonized the way Putin is. Although Putin is demonized in the West, in China he became very popular.

Cohen emphasized that Putin is so demonized in American media that it can put national security of USA into danger. Henry Kissinger and Republican Congressman Dana Rohrabacher are among the authors who criticized demonisation of Putin. Former United States Secretary of Defense Robert Gates emphasized that there is no need to demonize Putin but to focus to Putin's actions inside Russia and toward its neighbors. Henry Kissinger believed that demonization of Putin was not policy, while some authors contradicted his view and emphasized that demonization of Putin and Russia are very much sign of a persistent policy. Some authors believed that demonization of Putin is ironic because he initially pursued pro-Western policy. Some authors believe that Western leaders demonize Putin to draw attention from their own responsibility for Ukrainian crisis to avoid being held accountable for it. Padma Desai called West to end Putinphobia, which is how he and many other authors referred to campaign against Vladimir Putin.

There are authors who deny that Putin is demonized.

Putin's administration and Foreign Ministry of Russia regularly inform Putin about the demonization campaign aimed against him. Some authors believe that because of demonization of Putin in the Western world, Putin's positions had often been met with skepticism and rejected.