Moscow Calling – July 31

TASS: Crocus City Hall attack motivated by money, not religious fanaticism

TASS, citing materials from the criminal case, reports that the perpetrators of the attack at the Crocus City Hall concert hall were motivated by the promised monetary reward, not religious beliefs. According to the news agency, experts who reviewed video recordings and the terrorists’ statements concluded that religion was used solely as a tool for psychological manipulation. TASS notes that the terrorists were “programmed” to inflict maximum damage on civilians under the influence of foreign curators. The news agency also indicates that after the attack, four perpetrators attempted to flee to Ukraine but were detained in the Bryansk region. According to TASS, all participants were members of the Islamic State terrorist organization’s Khorasan Province branch, which is banned in Russia, and were recruited through Telegram chats and radical internet forums. The attack, which claimed 149 lives, took place on March 22, 2024 (TASS).

Intended effect

The TASS report emphasizes the role of external influence and manipulation, reinforcing the narrative of foreign interference and justifying the tightening of measures within the country.

Yushkov: Sanctions have not stopped the development of Russian energy

Igor Yushkov, an analyst at the National Energy Security Fund, claims in an article for TASS that even the “toughest” Western sanctions have failed to paralyze Russia’s key energy projects. According to him, despite EU and U.S. restrictions, Russian companies are actively redirecting export flows and implementing large-scale projects both within the country and abroad. For example, oil from Russia is being exported to India and Turkey, while gas exports to China are expanding through the Power of Siberia pipeline and a future Far East route. The author notes that in response to sanctions against LNG and shipbuilding,, Novatek is building a new plant in Murmansk, and Western equipment is being replaced by domestic and Chinese equivalents. Yushkov emphasizes that the construction of nuclear power plants with Rosatom’s participation continues abroad in Turkey, Hungary, Egypt, and Central Asia (TASS).

Intended effect:

The article conveys the idea that the Russian economy is “unsinkable,” instilling in the audience a sense of the country’s stability and adaptability under sanctions. At the same time, it emphasizes rapprochement with China and other countries not allied with the West, creating an image of an alternative geopolitical bloc.

“Helsinki 2.0” — only after Russia’s victory: a propaganda vision of the future world

A new global security agreement – a kind of “Helsinki 2.0” – is only possible after Russia’s victory in the current confrontation with the West, political commentator Alexander Nosovich claims in his article on RIA Novosti. The author contrasts Russian and Western perceptions of the 1975 Helsinki Accords: Russia allegedly sees them as consolidating post-war borders and strategic parity, while the West sees them as a tool for “winning the Cold War” and promoting liberal values. The incompatibility of these approaches is emphasized: Russia is for “realism” and the recognition of the right to force, while the West is for “idealism” and the imposition of standards. The central idea of the text is that a new international order can only be established after Russia’s victory, which will once again, as in 1945, prove its strength and force others to negotiate on its terms. The article condemns the “double standards” of the West, recalls Yugoslavia and Ukraine, and accuses Europeans of replacing the principles of Helsinki with ideological dictatorship (ria.ru).

Intended effect:

The article conveys to the reader the sense that Russia’s victory is historically inevitable and that its position is morally superior. It justifies the current aggression as a struggle for a new world order and rejects any compromises until achieving complete military or political victory.

Zakharova: Rapprochement of Armenia and Azerbaijan with NATO poses destabilization risks

Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said that the rapprochement of Armenia and Azerbaijan with NATO threatens destabilization and increased confrontation, writes Gazeta.ru. According to Zakharova, the presence of the North Atlantic Alliance in the region leads to military tension, the imposition of conflicts, and the loss of stability. Zakharova also accused NATO of attempting to establish colonial relations with the former Soviet republics and use their resources in the interests of the West. A NATO delegation recently arrived in Armenia for joint exercises, and NATO infrastructure has appeared on the border between Azerbaijan and Armenia, according to Ilham Aliyev, the outlet writes.

Intended effect:

The article perpetuates the negative perception of NATO as a destabilizing force. This perception justifies Russia’s position in the region and strengthens opposition to NATO’s expansion in post-Soviet countries.