Vladimir Putin’s interview with Tucker Carlson is nothing more than meddling in the US elections and active measures by Russian intelligence to recruit Trump’s supporters and voters.
One of the things Putin’s Russia was good at domestically and globally was legitimising and legalising its corruptive and malicious activities. Putin has learned perfectly well how to do evil and be slapdash within the legal frameworks.
Putin's Russia could legally hire former Western public officials to improve and promote Russian interests in the Western framework.
In the past, when Russia needed to appear legitimate when bribing Western politicians or influencers like Julian Assange, Russia invited them to Russian news agencies.
This time, thanks to former FOX News star Tucker Carlson, Putin went public to impact the American people with fake news.
Increase divisions in the US
Over the years, Putin has done a great job at infiltrating and recruiting American radical organisations such as BLM or NRA.
This time, Putin cut off American organisations and movements as intermediaries to impact the American people because Tucker Carlson provided him with direct access to American voters.
Unlike in 2016, when Putin’s Russia used hackers, trolls and Wikileaks to advance a presidential candidate loyal to Russia - Donald Trump - this time Russia legally invited its most famous loyalist, American propagandist and conspiracy theorist Tucker Carlson, not only to advance Trump's candidacy and further explore division in America.
Putin’s lengthy KGB background will enable him to get into the minds of Tucker Carlson’s audience
No one should doubt that Putin’s lengthy KGB background will enable him to get into the minds of Tucker Carlson’s audience.
In an interview that should be published on Thursday, Putin will probably begin a conversation with Tucker Carlson by covering topics like religion and traditional values.
Putin will try to correlate the ongoing American broader security issues with the war he started against Ukraine because, according to his fake narrative, Russia’s war against Ukraine is significant to Russian security.
Putin will answer selected questions prepared in advance, and the video itself will be edited and vetted by Russian experts before releasing it to Tucker Carlson.
Wikileaks once, Tucker Carlson today
In 2016, Putin’s Russia impacted the way American people voted. Putin’s Russia dispatched trolls and Wikileaks to influence the American people.
This time, Putin is about to do it openly and personally because the effect of the 2016 election meddling had been overwhelming.
In 2016, Russia was able to advance a candidate who was not only willing to trash Russia’s enemy – the late Senator John McCain - but that candidate was also willing to destroy the world order America built over the decades after the end of WW2.
Everything according to the KGB playbook
To achieve its goal, Putin’s Russia needs to further explore American cultural wars, spread distrust and suspicion in American society, and most of all – spread belief amonh Tucker Carlson’s audience that the role America has adopted since the end of WW2 was wrong and that America should not be involved in global affairs.
Tucker Carlson will not present Vladimir Putin to the American people as someone who wants to destroy America and seeks to utilise its natural diversity to advance an anti-American agenda.
Putin will go by the KGB playbook and falsely appear friendly and peaceful. Putin will withhold that his ultimate target is America and that China and Iran are on his side regarding that goal.
It is easy for Putin to be something he is not before an American audience.
After clandestine election meddling in 2016, Putin is now utilising Tucker Carlson and his audience in an open election meddling
For example, Putin could fake his dedication to Christianity because the Russian Orthodox Church is now a subsidiary of the Russian intelligence services, which helps him not only to advance the Russian imperial agenda but also to spy on and infiltrate the West.
Putin learned over the years that America has lost its ability to be offensive.
After one success, Putin always wants more. After clandestine election meddling in 2016, Putin is now utilising Tucker Carlson and his audience in an open election meddling. After the annexation of Crimea in 2014, Putin went for the entire Ukraine. No one should doubt that after Ukraine, he will move elsewhere.
