Moscow Calling – August 22

TASS: By attacking the Druzhba oil pipeline, Kiev is trying to drag Hungary into war

Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó has announced a new attack by the Ukrainian Armed Forces on the Druzhba oil pipeline on the Russian-Belarusian border, resulting in oil supplies to Hungary being halted again, TASS reports. According to Szijjártó, this is the third attack in a short period of time, and he sees Kiev’s actions as an attempt to drag Budapest into the war. Szijjártó stressed that Hungary will continue to defend its national interests and support peace efforts despite the provocations. Earlier this week, drone attacks had already led to supply disruptions, after which Hungary threatened to stop exporting electricity to Ukraine. (TASS)

Intended effect: The propaganda agency is shaping the image of Ukraine as an aggressor threatening the energy security of the European Union and of Hungary in particular. Through Budapest’s position, Russian media emphasize that Kiev’s actions not only damage infrastructure but also threaten European allies, thereby reinforcing the narrative of Ukraine’s conflict with Europe, not just with Russia. Another tried-and-tested narrative of Ukraine (or other “aggressive” Western powers/actors) dragging third countries into war with Russia is weaved in.

Trump and the “Ukrainian buffer”: the return of an old idea in a new form

Russian political commentator Alexander Nosovich, in his article on RIA Novosti, claims that Donald Trump is not offering anything fundamentally new in US foreign policy, but is merely reviving the classic “Anglo-Saxon doctrine” of the “cordon sanitaire.” At the heart of this concept, he says, is the transformation of Ukraine into a buffer zone between Russia and Western Europe, as previously proposed by British strategists and even Margaret Thatcher. The author emphasizes that under Biden, Ukraine ceased to be a buffer and turned into a NATO springboard for pressure on Russia, while the policy of “containment” itself was transformed into a “hybrid war.” At the same time, as Nosovich notes, the current US leadership is “losing control over its allies in Eastern Europe”, with Trump is trying to bring them back into the former protectorate. For Russia, such a reorientation by Washington appears advantageous, since Moscow itself may now need a buffer in the form of Ukraine and other countries to protect itself from a militarized Europe, the author emphasizes. (ria.ru)

Intended effect: Heaving close to some “realist” thinkers, the article floats the idea of “Ukrainian buffer” being advantageous to both Russia and the U.S.. At the same time, it creates an imaginary victory – from Biden’s “NATO springboard” Ukraine supposedly “goes back” to traditional “buffer” – a narrative that contradicts Russia’s propaganda reasoning for the war of aggression and the talk of “eliminating the root causes” of conflict (i.e. independent Ukrainian statehood). At the same time, the impression is created that Moscow and Washington’s interests may coincide in limiting the influence of the European Union, which is consistent with Kremlin’s portrayal of Europe as the main provocateur of the conflict.

Aliyev: Azerbaijan wants peace, but must be ready for war

TASS reports that Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, at a meeting with residents of the Kelbajar district, stressed that the country is striving for peace but must remain combat-ready, according to TASS. He stated that in the context of unpredictable global processes, it is impossible to predict the future, so Azerbaijan must be vigilant and rely on its own strength. According to Aliyev, the state, the people, and the armed forces are the guarantors of the republic’s security. (TASS)

Intended effect: The Kremlin coverage seems to purposefully contradict the talk of U.S.-inspired peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan, emphasizing the potential for escalation. Left out of the peace process, and recently bitterly at odds with Baku, Russia may also be trying to stoke fears among its Armenian diaspora.

RIA: Global energy security is impossible without Russia, Venezuela, and Iran

The RIA-Analytics report “The New Face of Global Energy” emphasizes the key role of Russia, Venezuela, and Iran in the global energy market. The publication notes that these countries account for one-third of the world’s liquid hydrocarbon reserves and about 15% of production, and that without their resources, the transition to a new technological order is impossible. The authors of the report believe that the new economy will be energy-intensive due to robotization, the development of artificial intelligence, and cryptocurrencies. The article states that Russia’s share of global hydrocarbon exports is about 15%, and that despite sanctions, the Russian economy has strengthened its stability. In the future, the global energy landscape will evolve, combining traditional and alternative sources, with national strategies becoming decisive, the authors emphasize. (ria.ru)

Intended effect: Through this report, the Russian media is shaping the image of Russia as an indispensable player in the global energy market. The strategic importance of the country and its resource independence are emphasized, which strengthens the internal and external perception of stability of Russia’s influence on the international arena.