"Shock is over": Kremlin wants to convince Russians that the invasion of Kursk region by the Ukrainian Armed Forces is a "new normal" - media

Ukraine's operation in the Kursk region shocked the Kremlin. However, two weeks after it began, the shock of the Russian "elites" gradually began to recede, and Moscow realized that the "situation" in Kursk would last at least several months.

Now, the Russian propaganda machine is trying to convince the Russian population that what is happening is part of a "new normal." This was reported by the Medusa media outlet, citing sources close to the administration of Russian dictator Vladimir Putin and the Russian government.

Three interlocutors of the publication - two close to the Presidential Administration and one from government circles - admitted that the Russian authorities were "shocked" immediately after the start of Ukraine's operation in the Kursk region. However, the shock later receded, and "we got used to it."

"At first, it was unclear what forces had entered, and for how long. Now I understand, it's always easier. It is far from the regional centers. But the very entry [of the Ukrainian Armed Forces] into the territory of the Russian Federation and the taking control of villages is a new event, and a very unpleasant event," said a source close to the Kremlin.

One of the interlocutors close to the AP noted that recent polls have shown a surge in "anxiety" among the Russian population: 45% of Russians are experiencing it, compared to the previous poll, which showed a 6% increase. The Kremlin considers these figures to be quite high and hopes that anxiety will soon subside.

"In times of shock, and this was definitely a shock, there are always jumps [in sociological indicators], then people get used to it and everything settles down. What happened during Prigozhin's mutiny, mobilization, and at the beginning of the war? But everything has settled down," he said, adding, however, that "if the war stopped, it would be easier for everyone."

At the same time, the Kremlin decided not to wait for the mood to "settle down" and to make efforts to speed up the process. To do so, Putin's entourage decided to resort to good old-fashioned propaganda: the entire propaganda machine is now geared to preparing Russians for life in a "new reality" and "new normal."

"This [the use of such turns of phrase in propaganda] is necessary for people to consider what is happening not an aberration but a new normal, even if it is temporary. It should be reassuring. It is difficult to exist in a deviation from the norm. It is easier to live in the norm, even if it is a new one," explained one of the media technologists who works with the Presidential Administration's domestic political unit.

Propaganda from the Kremlin is spreading the following theses in the image of this "new reality." The Russian population is being told that "the enemy has really broken through to Russian territory" and is "facing an inevitable defeat," but this will take time, so Russians will "have to wait" for the return of the territories currently controlled by the Ukrainian armed forces.

The propagandists also convince Russians of the need to "channel the negative and shock into a positive direction" and collect aid for the Kursk region. Relevant "recommendations" have also been sent down from Moscow to the level of regional authorities.

"Who can do what they can. There is no such thing as having to raise so much money or send so many products. Organize a collection, offer to participate. Somewhere they offer to transfer one day's salary - this is already voluntary and compulsory. It's clear that if the bosses say so, state employees will transfer it. [But, for example, everything here is purely voluntary," said one of the high-ranking regional officials, who wished to remain anonymous, in a conversation with Medusa.

Several regional representatives also told the publication that similar meetings have been organized in some Russian state corporations.

The "new normal," according to Russian media reports, is also characterized by the announcement of early voting in the Kursk Oblast gubernatorial election, which will start on August 28, with the main stage of voting taking place in early September.

At the same time, according to the Verstka media outlet, the elections in the Kursk region could be canceled altogether, and a possible replacement of the government candidate was also discussed. However, Medusa's sources close to the Putin administration denied these reports.

"There is no telling what they say and what rumors they spread. Cancellation would increase panic: it means the whole region is under threat, since they refused to elect a governor, so maybe the region has already been surrendered? There are no threats to the vote. Elections and referendums have been held in Donbas under military conditions and nothing happened," said one of the sources close to the Kremlin.

But municipal elections in the region may indeed be canceled.

"It's just a point cancellation, it's not terrible," the Medusa source said.

All the interlocutors of the publication agree that the fighting in the Kursk region could last for several months, some of them claiming that this assessment is "quite optimistic - if everything goes well." The thesis of a relatively quick ousting of the Ukrainian Armed Forces from Kursk was also previously voiced by the Russian Federation's "chief spokesman" for Kursk region, Akhmat commander Apti Alaudinov, who said that Russian troops would regain control of Kursk region in "two to three months." This, he said, could coincide with the "end of the war" in general.

Despite the fact that Alaudinov has made many contradictory statements, often outright lies, since the first days of Ukraine's operation in the Kursk region, Moscow has no objection to this "speaker." According to Medusa's sources, the Kremlin was based on the assumption that the FSB was handling the situation on the Russian side, and "the special services do not like to talk and go public." But since "Apte wanted to do it himself, he was not interfered with."

"Some official representative is needed," one of the interlocutors explained.

Medusa's sources also said that immediately after the entry of the Ukrainian Armed Forces into the Kursk region, the Kremlin discussed the possibility of a new wave of mobilization. So far, it has been decided to wait with this, but due to the lack of reserves, a new mobilization in Russia may be announced by the end of 2024.

At the same time, the Russian government and business community have a strongly negative attitude towards the possible mobilization.

"This will knock out the last labor resources from the economy. There is no one left to work. Some will be taken away, others will go into hiding," said a government source.

But the source found it difficult to answer whether the Kremlin would listen to these arguments. He also emphasized the likelihood of massive involvement of conscripts in the fighting in Kursk region. The corresponding information "heating up" through the media has already begun.

"This is also presented as part of the new normal. Since the enemy has come to us, conscripts [must] take part in the fight back," says one source.

The "elites" are also waiting for the resignations of those responsible for the breakthrough of the Armed Forces.

"Immediately afterwards, they started discussing the resignation of [Chief of the General Staff Valeriy] Gerasimov. There are no such rumors now - on the one hand, things are not easy in the Kursk region, but the offensive in Donbas is ongoing. Gerasimov has enemies, and he has an offensive that he can present to the president as a merit. But if there is a crisis situation, mistakes, then somebody will definitely be blamed for it," the publication quotes one of the interlocutors as saying.

Earlier, ISW explained what the operation in the Kursk region would give Ukraine and noted that the Armed Forces of Ukraine continue to make progress there. The Russian military command is responding to the advance of Ukrainian soldiers by multiplying duplicate structures and transferring some units from Chasovyi Yar to Kursk region.

Meanwhile, Z-publics reported that the Ukrainian Armed Forces defeated a brigade of Russian marines in the Kursk region, and that Russian troops have a large number of dead and wounded.

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