Is conspiratorial thinking driving the Kremlin’s decisions and policies? - Ilya Yablokov Interview

Is it true to say that conspiracy theories have taken hold of Russia, from top to bottom? Does conspiratorial thinking now seem to be motivating the Kremlin’s decisions and policies? The narratives coming out of the Kremlin and State TV in Russia are aggressive, paranoid and highly toxic. How far do the russian elites believe these narratives, and how much of it is just an instrument for control and coercion? This interview with Ilya Yablokov is both enlightening and terrifying. The author and academic helps to unravel some of the perplexing narratives and motivations beind Russia's cruel war with Ukraine. Was there a point in time where Putin and his minions started to believe their own conspiracy narratives? Or to some extend have they always seen the world differently from the West? Ilya Yablokov teaches journalism and digital media at the University of Sheffield. He is a world-leading authority on conspiracy theories in the post-Soviet world – which is especially relevant to our discussion today because it’s weaponised conspiracy theories that are driving the Kremlin’s narrative around the war in Ukraine. His research interests include journalism in Central and Eastern Europe, censorship and self-censorship, disinformation, and conspiracy theories as well as post-Soviet politics. His first book, Fortress Russia: deals with how the Russian political leadership uses conspiracy theories for social and political mobilisation, and latterly in control and suppression of dissent. He has published articles in leading papers and journals, including the New York Times, the BBC World Service, Meduza, GQ Russia, Vogue Russia, and The Moscow Times. Ilya, welcome to the Silicon Curtain podcast.