Issue 1(11), 2018 INFLUENCE ESTONIA

MYTHS IMAGE INFORMATION GEORGIA CRISIS HISTORY

NEWS TARGET AUDIENCE MYTHS

NARRATIVES DISINFORMATION FAKE NEWS INFLUENCE

MEDIA COMMUNICATIONSTURKEY MYTHS OPERATIONS

EUROPE TV

UKRAINE CRISIS HISTORY PROPAGANDAMOLDOVA

IMAGE NEWS INFORMATION

• DISINFORMATION CAMPAIGNS • FAKE NEWS • INFLUENCE OPERATIONS

UA: Ukraine Analytica · 1 (11), 2018 1 BOARD OF ADVISERS

Dr. Dimitar Bechev (Bulgaria, Director of the European Policy Institute)

Issue 1 (11), 2018 Dr. Iulian Chifu Analysis and Early Warning Center) (, Director of the Conflict Propaganda Amb., Dr. Sergiy Korsunsky (Ukraine, Director of the Diplomatic under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine)

Dr. Igor Koval (Ukraine, Rector of National Editors by I.I. Mechnikov) Dr. Hanna Shelest Dr. Mykola Kapitonenko Amb., Dr. Sergey Minasyan (Armenia, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Armenia to Romania) Publisher: Published by NGO “Promotion of Intercultural Marcel Rothig (, Director of the Cooperation” (Ukraine), Centre of International Representation of the Friedrich Ebert Foundation in Ukraine) of the Representation of the Friedrich Ebert Studies (Ukraine), with the financial support Foundation in Ukraine, and the Black Sea Trust. James Nixey (, Head of the Russia and Eurasia Programme at Chatham House, the UA: Ukraine Analytica Royal Institute of International Affairs) analytical journal in English on International is the first Ukrainian Relations, Politics and Economics. The journal Dr. Róbert Ondrejcsák (Slovakia, State Secretary, is aimed for experts, diplomats, academics, Ministry of Defence) students interested in the international relations and Ukraine in particular. Amb., Dr. Oleg Shamshur (Ukraine, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine Contacts: to ) website: http://ukraine-analytica.org/ e-mail: [email protected] Dr. Stephan De Spiegeleire (The Netherlands, Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ Director Defence Transformation at The Hague ukraineanalytica Center for Strategic Studies) Twitter: https://twitter.com/UA_Analytica Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze (Ukraine, Vice- The views and opinions expressed in Prime Minister on European and Euroatlantic articles are those of the authors and do not Integration of Ukraine)

Analytica, its editors, Board of Advisors or Dr. Dimitris Triantaphyllou (Greece, Director necessarily reflect the position of UA: Ukraine donors. of the Center for International and European Studies, Kadir Has University (Turkey)) ISSN 2518-7481

500 copies Dr. Asle Toje (Norway, Research Director at the Norwegian Nobel Institute)

UA: Ukraine Analytica · 1 (11), 2018 1 TABLE OF CONTENTS

NATO IN THE NEW HYBRID WARFARE ENVIRONMENT ...... 3 Barbora Maronkova

FACING THE RUSSIAN SCHOOL OF SOFT POWER...... 9 Tony Jensen

IMAGE OF EUROPE IN RUSSIAN MEDIA: JOURNALISM OR CREATION OF ENEMY IMAGE?...... 19 Liubov Tsybulska

THE KREMLIN’S INFORMATION WARS IN THE 21ST CENTURY: ESTONIA, GEORGIA, UKRAINE...... 27 Maksym Kyiak

RUSSIAN PROPAGANDA IN THE REPUBLIC OF MOLDOVA: A BIG WAR FOR A SMALL AUDIENCE...... 36 Vladislav Saran

STOKING THE FLAMES: RUSSIAN INFORMATION OPERATIONS IN TURKEY...... 43 Balkan Devlen

CARNIVALISATION OF CARNIVAL...... 50 Volha Damarad

COUNTERING RUSSIAN DISINFORMATION: UKRAINIAN NGOS ON THE FRONTLINE...... 59 Olena Churanova

2 UA: Ukraine Analytica · 1 (11), 2018 CARNIVALISATION OF CARNIVAL

Volha Damarad Johan Skytte Institute of Political Studies, University of Tartu (Estonia)

The article presents a historical overview of political shows from the USSR period (both TV and print) and contemporary political satire TV shows. Particular concern was given to the existing Russian TV shows and Russian- language political satire shows popular on Facebook and YouTube (Derzhites’ Tam, Laisvės TV, , and Zapovednik, DW, Germany). Bakhtin’s idea of the carnivalesque was used to exemplify the reproduction of the Soviet narratives in the modern political satire selected for the analysis (“carnivalisation of carnival”).

The Idea of the Carnivalesque and carnivalesque of a medieval carnival on culture and contemporary society).(as the idea of influence philosopher, introduced to the humanitarian scienceIn 1966, a Julia Russian Kristeva, linguist a Bulgarian-French previously not This article explores modern mainstream known to the Western countries. His name political satire shows on TV and in social was Mikhail Bakhtin. Right after Kristeva’s networks in Russia and Ukraine that make speech at the conference, Bakhtin’s ideas mockery of the political regimes and made a good start, resulting in a new ridicule prominent people in politics and school of thought called Bakhtin School culture, but at the same time contribute to or Bakhtiniada. There were two main the reproduction of the Soviet narratives. books – Problems of Dostoyevsky’s Poetics1 This is the carnivalisation of carnival and Rabelais and Folk Culture of the Middle (counter-carnivalisation)3 4 phenomenon. Ages and Renaissance2 – that introduced, The term carnivalisation of carnival was among others, the concepts of great time (as an enigmatic and idealistic time of great user with the name of cautious_man; the ideas and meanings), chronotope (a “time- authorused for explores the first in timetwo LiveJournal by a LiveJournal posts space” theory of synergy between language the evolution of post- carnival, and discourse), Mennippean satire (as the exemplifying it by the phenomenon of an power to satirize images and situations), alternative voice-over satiric and humorous

1 Проблемы поэтики Достоевского. 1963. Работы 1960-х-1970-х. (Problems of Dostoyevsky’s Poetics. 1963. Works of the 1960s-1970s.) М. Бахтин, 2 Франсуа Рабле в истории реализма. 1940. Материалы к книге о Рабле. 1930-1950-е гг. , Русские словари. Языки славянской� культуры: Москва 2002, Vol. 6. Комментарии и приложения (François Rabelais in the History of Realism. 1940. Materials to the Book about Rabelais.М. Бахтин, 1930-1950s. Comments and Appendices) 3 cautious_man, Карнавализация карнавала, часть 1 (Carnivalisation of Carnival, Part 1), “Livejournal”, 2013, [https://eot-su.livejournal.com/865442.html]. , Языки славянских культур: Москва 2008, Vol. 4(1). 4 cautious_man, Карнавализация карнавала, часть 2 (Carnivalisation of Carnival, Part 2), “Livejournal”, 2013,

[http://cautious-man.livejournal.com/41906.html]. 50 UA: Ukraine Analytica · 1 (11), 2018 translation of popular Hollywood movies peasants are experiencing food shortage (known as Goblin translations), activities and this is the last opportunity to eat enough of a popular Russian rock band “Leningrad” to survive before new food grows. Bakhtin led by Sergey Shnurov (known as Shnur), characterizes carnival as an “upside-down world” where laugh conquered fear and the who parodies a former Soviet dissident previous year’s fears are burned in carnival (Natanand a satiricalSharanski), fictional named Russian Lev Natanovich blogger Sharanski. All those examples have the it helps to release those fears (from the features of the carnivalesque, introduced by religiousfires. Laugh perspective plays the core– for element the committed because Bakhtin, but in a reverse sense. The idea of sins and not be released from them; and carnivalisation of carnival in political satire from anthropological – that there will be not TV shows is underlined in the article. enough food to survive, the fertile season will not come, the weather will be bad, etc.). Characteristics of the Carnivalesque Bakhtin concludes with two main elements of the concept of the carnivalesque – The nature of the carnivalesque is spectacularity (it should be an eye-catching multidimensional; it is mostly introduced in show, attracting the attention of public) literature, aesthetics, cultural anthropology, and the use of special language (usually it and semiotics. Analysing the writings of is a folksy language with vulgar and foul Fyodor Dostoyevsky and François Rabelais, expressions). Political satire is intended to Bakhtin pointed out a dichotomy – tragic play the same role – upside-down political events stand alongside with fun and joy; arena and society, pointing to the societal death goes together with life, war with weakness and provoking the societal moral peace, and heavens with hell. reform.

Historically, carnival opens the festive season before the liturgical season of Political satire is intended to Lent and involves all kinds of celebrations play the same role – upside- to give the sense of social unity (street «down political arena and society, parades, fashion and music shows, public pointing to the societal weakness and performances, colourful decorations, provoking the societal moral reform costumes, dancing, body paintings, masquerades, circus, mockeries, confetti, etc.). Carnivals are traditionally popular in counties with a large Catholic, Evangelical During the Soviet time, political satire Lutheran, Protestant, Methodist, Anglican, was strictly censored. It was prohibited to and Orthodox presence. From religious publish media cartoons presenting political point of view, carnivals precede Lent leaders and the Party itself negatively, (Quadragesima) with fasting (strict food which might have destroyed their “sacral” and behavioural restrictions) and time image. The same rule was applicable to the “quietness” in which believers “replicate TV when it became massively available for the “average Soviet household”. Satirical the desert for 40 days”. novels such as The Twelve Chairs the sacrifice of Jesus Christ’s journey into and The Little Golden Calf The anthropological explanation that and Yevgeni Petrov, Three Fat Men (1928) carnival is a reverse ritual assisted by by Yuri Olesha were a completely (1932) new by Ilya genre IIf colours, sounds, emotions to welcome the for the and presented(1927) more spring and a new fertility season. Carnivals societal satire. Later the Soviet dictatorship are usually celebrated in winter when eliminated any public manifestation of

UA: Ukraine Analytica · 1 (11), 2018 51 satire, even “toothless” and tolerant of the instrument of population manipulation political regime. Social satire, involving any in virtue of using the techniques such as metaphors or allusions to criticize political groups’ victimization; conservative, sexist, leaders or the ruling regime, was a crime. and ethnically-biased stereotypes; in-group and out-group messages (Russia vs. the The political print cartoons by a famous others), and glorification of “Father of the Soviet art-band Kukryniksy published in State” image (represented by the Russian the Soviet satirical magazine Krokodil president in power). were extremely popular. The band was composed of professional artists and graphic designers, lately distinguished by got some freedom in comparison with the high governmental recognition awards. previousIn the mid-1980s, years. KVN political turned satire more onopen TV Their works mostly attacked foreign in their political jokes and mocking, but leaders – Adolf Hitler, Benito Mussolini, it was not a peppery satire in comparison Heinrich Himmler, Joseph Goebbels, and with Spitting Image Francisco Franco, and their caricatures That Was the Week That Was were “sanctioned” by the party. (the UK, 1984-1996), Hurra Deutschland (the UK, 1962- Extremely popular, then and now, Klub or1963), Le BébêteExtra 3 Show(Germany, 1973 – present), vesyolych i nakhodchivych (KVN – Club of (Germany, 1989-1991), the Funny and Inventive) Arkady Raikin, Roman (France, Kartsev, 1982-1995). Viktor Il’chenko,The first Sovietand Mikhail stand-up Zhvanetsky, comedians werewho Thaw. KVN is the Russian for theTV firstsatirical time showwas aired in the in 1961,form duringof competition the Khrushchev among different teams. Each team is evaluated for popularstarted careersin the inUSSR. the 1960sMikhail and Zadornov by the sketches prepared in advance and funny startedbeginning his ofcomedian the 1980s career became at this widely time. answers to the host’s questions. Another Satirical sketches by individual comedians example is a Fitil, a Soviet satirical TV show or group performances were characterized in the form of short movies, was aired for by soft satirization of societal and political Fitil was popularly issues. Domestic politics was criticized cautiously. At the same time, their humour Sovietthe first government”, time in 1962. meaning that all jokes was in such high demand that they sold wentknown through as the censorship. “official anecdotes Both – KVN from and the out concert halls and became extremely Fitil – satirized in a very soft manner the popular in the late Perestroika and early Khrushchev time, societal issues, and with period of the newly independent states. more affection the “decaying West” and Politicians used to attend their concerts; “international imperialism”. they were highly welcome on TV and had generous tours around post-USSR countries The NATO Strategic Communications and abroad (mainly in the countries with a Centre of Excellence published in March prominent number of Russian-speaking 2017 the policy report titled StratCom emigrants, such as the Baltic States, , Laughs: In Search of an Analytical or the US). Some of them were distinguished Framework5 where KVN sketches were by the governments and became “court analysed closely. The scholars concluded jesters”, entertaining politicians during that the KVN series was used as the targeted corporate celebrations. Mikhail Zadornov

5 StratCom Laughs: In Search of an Analytical Framework, NATO Strategic Communications Centre of Excellence (NATO StratCom COE): 2017. Ž�. Ozoliņ� a, I. Austers, S. Denisa-Liepniece, J. Š�ķ�ilters, S. Struberga, M. Kyiak,

52 UA: Ukraine Analytica · 1 (11), 2018 left many strongly chauvinist and anti- Semitic aphorisms, and became famous by their humour repeated the same his monologues starting from “Americans old Soviet time’s pattern – do are really stupid…” «not touch domestic politics or treat gently home politicians, and To sum up, there is an absence of a put the satirical focus on attacking longstanding tradition of real political foreign leaders and countries satire in the former Soviet countries. The Soviet satire was rather the “continuation” of the Party program, aimed to “send out” messages acceptable by the Party. met with NTV’s team and required from the channel’s administration: (1) to stop Contemporary Political Satire on discussing political corruption; (2) to change Russian TV the information politics about the Chechen

It may seem that the collapse of the USSR (meaning President Putin) from Kukly brought media and political environment to war;show 6 and. After (3) several to remove episodes “the firstwithout person” “the a new era of political satire. In fact, it did not. Comedians who were popular during show was closed. the late Perestroika period became even first person”, but about “the first person”, the more valued. There were some new political In 2002-2003, Kremlevskiy Kontsert had satire TV shows, but their humour repeated been transmitted on the Russian TVS channel, the same old Soviet time’s pattern – do a private network that was shut down by the not touch domestic politics or treat gently Russian Press Ministry in 2003. The editor- home politicians, and put the satirical focus in-chief Evgeny Kiselyov announced the on attacking foreign leaders and countries. lack of funding and the channel suspended broadcasting. Kontsert was an animated satirical and comic TV music show making TV show was Kukly aired on the Russian fun of Russian domestic and international TheNTV first widely known weekly political satire politics. The show’s heroes – mostly Russian because of the Kremlin’s pressure (the politicians – sang the old war, Soviet, and famouschannel NTV fromcase 1994took placeto 2002, in then2000-2003 closed modern pop songs with changed texts. and symbolized the end of independent Their song texts recalled events and political media in Russia). Kukly was inspired by the developments of that time. The texts were British TV show Spitting Image, the satirical rather toothless in comparison with the puppet show, caricaturing politicians highly politicized content of Kukly and the and celebrities. Victor Shenderovich, a show rather did not make any difference in popular Russian comedian and writer, was the media space and social attitude. Russian writing the scripts for Kukly. The scripts journalist Kachkaeva in a radio program on were full of folk jokes and parallels with Radio Svoboda in 2002 assessed Kontsert as mass culture, both current and Soviet. a “less satirical, but more trivial show”7 and Shenderovich says that after Putin took said there is not so much satire in “mocking Lukashenko. office, the presidential administration 6 Шендерович о причинах закрытия программы “Куклы” (Shenderovich on the Reasons behind Closure of “Kukly” Show) Д. Гордон, 7 Как телевидение подсказывает нам, какие проблемы считать острыми, а какие - не стоящими , 2007, [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97zeajCyGS4]. внимания? (How TV Suggests to Us Which Problems to Consider Important and Which – Unworthy of Attention?), A. Качкаева,

“Радио Свобода,” 2002, [https://www.svoboda.org/a/24204081.html]. UA: Ukraine Analytica · 1 (11), 2018 53 Mult Lichnosti is a Russian animated leaders, but as Shenderovich said it is only mocking TV show aired on Perviy Kanal “technically” a satire. For example, in one of the episodes released in 2017, episodes were about 3-4 minutes each the comedians presented a vignette that the and(First usually Chanel) involved from 2009 up to to four 2013. main The majority of the international world leaders characters. The list of characters was (such as and Kim Jong-un) rather extensive and included domestic are Russian security services agents like and foreign politicians, sports stars, the former KGB agent President Putin . It celebrities, businessmen, artists, public should be noted, Russian President Putin9 is known as a fan of the actor Dmitry Grachev, as the secretary of former president Barak who used to impersonate President Putin Obamafigures, asor wellpersonal as fictional guardians characters of Queen such himself; even more so, President Putin Elizabeth. The episodes were not always “has been seen on television howling with connected with a particular political event laughter at his performances”.10 and satirically depicted rather made- up situations. Mult Lichnosti was a more Prozhektorperiskhilton is a Russian engaging version of Kremlevskiy Kontsert. satirical TV talk show aired on Perviy Kanal Victor Shenderovich commented8 that Mult since 2008. There are four hosts who invite Lichnosti was not a “satire show” because one guest every show to discuss current it did not “touch any political pressure political, economic, and societal issues points”; moreover, it was rather “a direct from newspapers, magazines, and the PR” of the ruling regime. Shenderovich said Internet. The talk show is half improvised. that Mult Lichnosti was only “technically” The humour is strictly censored and does satire – there are the features of satire, but not touch on serious political issues. The it is not political satire as a form of societal analysis of the latest episode (released on protest. Such satire is created to glorify 23 December 2017)11 shows that the hosts, domestic characters (Russian politicians) in the company of the comedian and TV and satirize international politicians, with presenter Maksim Galkin, discussed rather particular attention to the Ukrainian and apolitical issues that will not have “political Belarusian heads of states. consequences” such as the internationally

The Russian version of Comedy Club – tanks, the new logo of the World Chess a stand-up comedy show – has been Championship,growing demand and forthe rules Russian of conduct inflatable in broadcasted since 2005 by the Russian . The show ends with the adaptation TNT channel, one of the most popular of the song Pjat’ Minut channels in Russia and owned by Gazprom in Carnival Night media group. There are political satirical popular. This shows , whichthe cultural first appeared bonds, vignettes about the current domestic and non-intentionally(1956) or intentionally, movie and that became bind international state of affairs and political the show viewers with the Soviet cultural

8 Особое мнение с Виктором Шендеровичем (Dissenting Opinion with Viktor Shenderovich),

Т. Фельгенгауэр, Гарик Харламов, Дмитрий Грачев – Путин, Ким Чен Ын и Ангела Меркель “Радио Эхо Москвы”, 2010, [https://echo.msk.ru/programs/personalno/646853-echo/]. 9 Камеди Клаб, (выпуск 13, серия 31), 10 A. Ferris-Rotman, Primetime Politics: How the Kremlin Shapes Russian Television, “Foreign Affairs”, 12 October 2017, [https://rutube.ru/video/997e4afbbf36e2625034a8362b36a03a/].[https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/russian-federation/2017-10-12/primetime-politics?cid=int- lea&pgtype=hpg]. 11 Прожекторперисхилтон [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Rfx-Ap_88E]. (выпуск 2, серия 9), 2017, “Первый� канал”,

54 UA: Ukraine Analytica · 1 (11), 2018 heritage. At the same time, the hosts comply A channel called ETV+ with the societal request for such kind of was established in Estonia as “the songs. independent public information and entertainment TV channel”15. Some Moscow-based journalist and analyst of 25% of the airtime of the public TV in modern Russian youth culture and media, (LTV716, the channel that replaced Yuri Saprykin, noted that “there is no political Russian TV channel RTR) is in the Russian satire in Russia. If you ask me to remember any names, I can hardly do this”.12 being on air longer than several hours perlanguage; day. The financially public theyTV cannotin Lithuania allow Russian-speaking Political Satire went the same way as the Finnish public outside of Russia national broadcaster YLE, who also have to broadcast in the Russian language, but Each of the Baltic countries has a in the very beginning their international substantial Russian-speaking minority content was mostly re-produced from since Soviet time. The Russian speakers international media and press agencies. Lithuanian public broadcaster – LRT to watch national Lithuanian, Latvian, or Televizija – has Russian content, but it is Estonianwho are not TV linguistically tend to watch proficient the Russian enough TV mostly retranslating17 from international channels that used to be retranslated in media, such as , BBC, Radio those countries. The Kremlin-backed TV Polsha, Radio Svoboda, etc. The deputy channels such as the most popular ones – director of LRT Televizija Rimvydas Russia 24, RT, Perviy Kanal, REN TV, TNT, Paleckis says that there are “no plans to NTV – tend to violate the international code extend Russian language broadcasting”.18 of journalism standards, using techniques Derzhites’ Tam is a “satirical show with (Ukraine13, the Baltic States14). To prevent the Baltic accent” made in Lithuania. The of manipulation and physiological influence (such as “the Balts are fascists”, etc.) from on YouTube and shared on Facebook fuellingthe influence tensions of the among Russian the supportersTV narratives of (31Kfirst video views was as releasedof 10 January in February 2018). 2017 The the pro-Kremlin narratives and those who show is produced by Laisvės TV support liberal agenda (both citizens or independent and live viewer-based online residents) in those countries, each country television in Lithuania” . Andrius, the Tapinas, “first found its own way to communicate with the anchor of Derzhites’19 Tam show, explains the Russian speakers and engage them in public life. channel whose viewership is almost equal that it is the first entirely crowdfunded TV

12 Есть ли политическая сатира в России, или чем запомнился Михаил Задорнов (Is There Political Satire in Russia, or What Is Mikhail Zadornov Memorable for) Э. Ибрагимова, 13 D. Dutsyk, R. Shutov, P. Burkovskyi, S. Chernenko, Counteraction to Russian Information Aggression: Joint Action to , “Deutsche Welle”, 2017, [https://goo.gl/9jq]. Protect Democracy, Telekritika: Kyiv 2015. 14 Fortress Russia: Political, Economic, and Security Development in Russia Following the Annexation of Crimea and Its Consequences for the Baltic States, The Centre for East European Policy Studies: Riga 2016. 15 О нас (About Us) 16 Русское вещание (Russian Broadcasting), “LTV7”, 2018, [https://ltv.lsm.lv/lv/ltv7_ru/]. , “ETV+”, 2018, [https://etvpluss.err.ee/l/moi_etvpluss]. 17 Novosti, “LRT”, 2018, [http://www.lrt.lt/ru/novosti]. 18 Литва: прибалты, которые снова любят русских (Lithuania: The Balts Who Like Russians Again),

О. Антоненко, Laisvės TV is creating TV Show, 2018, [https://www.patreon.com/laisvestv]. “BBC”, 09 January 2018, [http://www.bbc.com/russian/features-42607671]. 19

UA: Ukraine Analytica · 1 (11), 2018 55 to that of a state TV channel (currently Tallinn – Lasnamäe and Kopli. The humour Laisvės TV is at the 4th position in the Lithuanian media market). The Russian- only to Russian speakers or Russians who language Derzhites’ Tam show targets both livetargets in Estoniavery specific and issues,recall theunderstandable Soviet past. the local population and Russian speakers For example, Tapinas says, “Let’s make a living in the Baltic states and in countries wish now and make it true, but before let’s where the Russian language is popular. drink some Soviet sparkling wine, to add The average TV show lasts about half something even stronger, chase it down an hour and has at least 20K viewers on with tangerines and try not to fall asleep in YouTube. The show widely uses references Russian salad”22. This was the most typical to the Soviet jokes, movies, and visuals, and, scenario of celebrating the New Year’s Eve rarely, vulgar expressions. during the Soviet and early post-Soviet period. The analysis of the latest episode (released on 28 December 201720) of the show Germany’s public international broadcaster demonstrates the visuals of the Soviet – Deutsche Welle – in November 2017 animated fairy tale by Alexander Rou, mixed presented a new satirical show Zapovednik, with Putin’s old statements, the old Soviet available in Russian and Georgian song Uchat v shkole languages. The show is released on YouTube by Soviet songwriter M. Plyatskovsky that and shared on Facebook. As of 10 January used to be sung during(Taught the Knowledgeat school, 1973) Day; 2018, eight episodes have been released. Cheburashka Each episode lasts up to 13 minutes and of Derzites’ Tam presents the state of affairs involves conversations in a magic forest (if there is something cartoon (1969), particular etc. happening)The anchor between the politically involved animals – in all post-Soviet countries. In the case of this Veronika the Crow, Seva the Hare, Garik the episode – in Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Wolf, and an Owl. The average viewership and Ukraine, and a small piece about the US president Donald Trump. The show presents episode, released on 05 November 2017, of each episode is about 40K-50K; the first satirizing particular events or persons. The characters of the episodes are usually the post-Soviet countries as still unified, internationalwas watched bypolitical almost 90Kleaders, of people.most On 01 January 2018, Andrius Tapinas frequent among them – , presented a mock New Year’s presidential Donald Trump, Angela Merkel, Teresa May, speech21 to the Russian speakers in Estonia Petro Poroshenko, Aleksander Lukashenko, on the Russian-language TV channel ETV+. Emmanuel Macron, and Kim Jong-un. The In the address, Tapinas satirized the societal scriptwriters use a lot of vulgar expressions issues of the Russian speakers in Estonia, (particularly depicting the Russian referring to -behind compatriots minister of foreign affairs, Sergei Lavrov) who live in the industrial cities of Sillamäe, and constant recollections of the best and Kohtla-Järve, Jõhvi, and grouped in the widely recognized Soviet movies, cartoons, historically Russian-speaking districts of songs, jokes, and anecdotes. For example,

20 Итоги года и универсальное поздравление (Year’s Results and Universal Congratulations) 2017, Season 2, Episode 17, [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TE7s-iA71u8&feature=youtu.be]. , “Держитесь там”, 21 Новогоднее обращение “Президента России В.В. Путина”. Андрюс Тапинас (New Year’s Address of the “Russian President V.V. Putin”: Andrius Tapinas)

22 Ibid. , “ETV+”, 2018, [https://etvpluss.err.ee/v/meelelahutus/elkapluss/b467fa01- a607-4b89-89a8-266034c1cdfa/novogodnee-obrashchenie-prezidenta-rossii].

56 UA: Ukraine Analytica · 1 (11), 2018 the latest episode, released on 24 December The Daily Show with Trevor Noah (2.7M), 201723, brings back the memories of Saturday Night Live, where Alec Baldwin Carnival Night White Sun of the mocks president Donald Trump (each Desert Three from Prostokvashino episode has from 2M to 14M of views), The Charodei (1956), Colbert Report (viewership varies from 4K and high (1970), popular Soviet movies. to 2M), and Real Time with Bill Maher (1.3M (1978), and (1982) – all famous YouTube subscribers). Supposedly, the Internet creates unlimited satire. and are Derzhites’ Tam Zapovednik In fact, there is an absence opportunitiesnon-Russian political for diversifiedsatire shows political in the of sharp political satire in Russian language and they are Internet- «the Russian language either based. Moreover, is created Derzhites’ Tam on TV or over the Internet by a team of people who are entirely crowdfunded. That means that there is the demand for their entertainment product in the form they produce it. The secondary The original article that became a audience for Zapovednik is the Russian prerequisite of this analysis, published language speakers residing abroad. The in LiveJournal and mentioned above, quality of satire, use of language and introducing the concept of carnivalisation of visuals, constant reproduction of the Soviet carnival, argued that the post-Soviet politics movies and songs make them target either created the conditions for “spontaneous the Russians residing in Russia or the Soviet carnivalisation that naturally opposed to generation who remember those artefacts. the liberal western values”. The author The young and middle-aged generation (cautious_man) characterizes counter- carnivalisation through abandoning the in Russia or Russian speakers residing Soviet past, but at the same time, re- abroad,(20+/45+ require years moreold), eitherwitty politicalthose residing satire; thinking and re-framing those who are in they do not have the positive or negative the opposition, the oligarchs, and the way recollections. to perceive the West.

Conclusion In fact, there is an absence of sharp political satire in the Russian language either on TV James Ballardie, a BBC journalist, in the or over the Internet. The analysed satirical article Are We Living in a Golden Age TV shows are either contributing to the of Satire?24 advocates that the current “good” (“we” – barbaric Russians or civilized political turmoil in the US and UK fuelled Europeans) vs. “bad” (“the others” – the development of political satire at the all-time high. The most interesting satirical politicians, etc.) discourse or reproducing TV shows are made in the US and satirizing the “good, West, old, professional/non-qualifiedknown” Soviet jokes and American domestic politics. The most anecdotes. Derzhites’ Tam and Zapovednik popular ones are: Last Week Tonight with were meant to satirize the political regime John Oliver (5.7M YouTube subscribers),

in Russia with its deficiencies, such as

23 Новогодние ремейки с Путиным, Трампом, Меркель и другими (New Year’s Re-makes with Putin, Trump, Merkel, and Others) 24 J. Ballardie, Are We Living in a Golden Age of Satire?, “BBC”, 10 March 2017, , “Заповедник”, Episode 8, 2017, [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FagEgHtRNv4].

[http://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-39217855]. UA: Ukraine Analytica · 1 (11), 2018 57 corruption, propaganda, numerous human political satire TV shows are used as a rights violations, etc. Quite the opposite, strategic communication tool to construct these shows play the same role as the the required image of a country, brand shows during Perestroika such as Fitil or early stand-ups by Zadornov. Keen satire governmental policy. attracts attention and provokes critical it in a defined way, and legitimize the thinking; therefore, this is carnivalisation of carnival and not a carnival itself. Volha Damarad is an associated fellow at EAST- The article presents just an overview of the Center. She has background in public international existing Russian-language political satire law, human rights, public policy, democracy, and civil shows in the region; further research needs society development in Eastern and Central Europe and to be done using the methods of semiotic Caucasus. After graduating BB.L in international, LL.M interpretation and coding to identify the in human rights and two professional one-year courses narratives and messages presented in the shows. The production and reproduction on European integration, diplomacy and foreign of messages that heavily relay the nostalgia affairs, she worked for the International Republican motives could have a dangerous effect. Institute (IRI). Currently Volha is completing her It can be hypothesized that the results degree at Johan Skytte Institute of Political Studies, of a detailed narrative research and University of Tartu (Estonia). discourse analysis might reveal that such

58 UA: Ukraine Analytica · 1 (11), 2018