FORMATION PECULIARITIES OF THE RUSSIAN POLITICAL RADICALISM (2012 – 2024)

Abstract

The purpose of the research is to identify the peculiarities of the Russian political radicalism through the prism of its affiliation and formation under the presidency of Vladimir Putin (2012 – 2024). The methodology of the research is based on an integrated approach, as well as the use of a special computer method of complex analysis (CNA), as well as special historical methods (historical typological and historical systemic), with the help of which the authors managed to elucidate the peculiarities of the Russian political radicalism formation during the specified period. The scientific novelty consists in the identification of the ideological component of the Russian political radicalism through the use of an innovative computer methodology. The Conclusions. The Russian political radicalism is a multi-layered phenomenon that has been shaped by historical, social, economic and political factors. During the period of 2012 – 2024, V. Putin's ideological discourse has been undergoing a “conservative turn”, defined as “Russia's special path”. The results of the study have shown that this ideology during this period is not an exclusively internal phenomenon of this country. The Russian right-wing radicalism has been formed not simply by borrowing ideas from the West, but on the basis of the existing connection between Russia and Western countries. The connection could be traced not only by means of organisations that had influence but also due to the influence of thinkers, theorists, ideologues, and adherents of various movements of the extreme right-wing radicalism and religious political radicalism. The most influential have been a group of extreme right-wing thinkers among them. It should be noted that Oleksandr Duhin and Russian billionaire Konstantyn Malofieiev have been among the active promoters of Western ideas of the right-wing radicalism in Russia. Therefore, the myth should be debunked regarding the statement of the Russian government and the Russian elite that the Russian right-wing radicalism has been exclusively Russian. In this case, it is more decent to appeal to the claim made by Putin and some Western representatives of the far right that Russia is the West – but the West that they believe has been lost due to the overwhelming influence of the liberal and leftist values. Putin's ideology (2012 – 2024) has been a distorted, Russianised model of political radicalism based on a combination of authoritarianism, patriotism, anti-Western sentiment, conservatism, state capitalism and military force. This ideology has allowed V. Putin and his entourage to ensure control over the country and pursue an aggressive foreign policy, posing a serious threat to the integrity of the international relations system. A striking example is the Russo-Ukrainian War, which broke out in 2014 and continues to this day. This war has posed a serious threat to the collapse of the European project and the emergence of the Kremlin’s Eurasian anti-liberal project in its place.

Funding. The work was supported by the National Science Centre (Poland) under the research project “Historical Narratives in Web 2.0 as a Functional Element of National Identities in Central and Eastern Europe”, № UMO-2020/39/B/HS3/01237.