One of the top advocates for Vladimir Putin has cautioned the Russian populace to prepare for the potential end of the world. Alexander Dugin, a 64-year-old nationalist philosopher known for shaping the Kremlin’s ideology, issued statements that hinted at the looming specter of nuclear warfare.
In a doomsday-themed online declaration, Dugin, often referred to as “Putin’s brain” or “Putin’s Rasputin,” urged unbaptized Russians to promptly undergo baptism and advised non-churchgoers to engage in religious practices to secure a place in paradise after death.
“We cannot be certain that the end times won’t arrive soon, leaving us with no opportunity for choice,” he expressed. “Eternity will come, and the chance for decision-making will vanish. Everything will fade away, but the choice to embrace baptism and religious rites will endure.”
While not explicitly mentioning nuclear armaments, Dugin’s ominous rhetoric aligns with the way pro-Kremlin intellectuals portray nuclear conflict: as an irreversible rupture with the Western world, leaving faith as the sole solace.
In a foreboding tone, Dugin emphasized, “This window of freedom may only be open briefly. Our faith lies in the Savior. Only He can rescue us. We must turn to Him without delay.”
Dugin’s daughter, Darya Dugina, a prominent commentator supporting the Kremlin, tragically perished in a car bombing near Moscow at the age of 29 in August 2022. Russian authorities suspect her father was the intended target and attributed the attack to a Ukrainian assassination squad.
Following the seizure of the Russian-affiliated oil tanker Marinera, Russian lawmaker Alexei Zhuravlev issued threats against the UK and US, urging Putin to retaliate forcefully, even suggesting the deployment of nuclear weapons in response.
Recently, Moscow launched a nuclear-capable Oreshnik missile near Lviv, just 40 miles from NATO territory in Poland. The high-speed missile, reportedly traveling at around 8,000mph, allegedly targeted Europe’s largest underground gas storage facility on the outskirts of Lviv.
The missile’s rapid velocity sparked speculations of Russia utilizing advanced ballistic technology. The Russian Defence Ministry confirmed the strike, citing it as a response to an alleged Ukrainian assassination attempt on Putin at his Valdai residence, a claim refuted by Western intelligence and Ukrainian sources.
Describing the strike as a retaliatory measure against Ukrainian aggression, the Russian Defence Ministry stated that critical targets in Ukraine were hit using various precision weapons, including the Oreshnik missile system and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha condemned the missile strike as a severe threat to European security and a challenge for the transatlantic alliance, confirming the missile’s target as the Lviv region.