Thomas Kent (Adjunct Associate Professor of International and Public Affairs) discusses the Kremlin’s reliance on the intimidation of opponents at home and abroad, and the increasing normalization of violence in Russia, in the National Interest.

Even for non-political Russians, violence seems to be increasingly normalized. Official media deluge citizens with hate speech about Ukrainians and the West. At the same time, citizens are given constant reasons to ignore the devastation their country is wreaking on Ukraine. Such bifurcated messages can serve to justify violent acts while at the same time dulling empathy for their victims.