Behind The News: Russia's Bread & Circus Distraction Tactics.

A lesson in Crisis Management from the best.

You might be familiar with the story that Russia was accused of poisoning a defected spy of theirs and his daughter, living in the UK back in March. The story resurfaced in the news as the below-pictured "spies" showed up to the State-funded TV station RT and claimed that they are  Alexander Petrov and Ruslan Boshirov - the Russian spies accused of using nerve agent in the UK.

Petrov and Bashirov gave what was probably the most ridiculous and funny interview of the year. No, they are not spies. They just love architecture and so they traveled to Salisbury to look at the local wonders. The list of nonsense goes on and was debunked by many.

So what was the point of this "interview" (which Putin "predicted" a day earlier, saying that the State knows who "those people" are and they might come forward and talk for themselves)? Because, obviously, there was a point.

In Russia, assuming that what you see is what you get would be a childish mistake. What "you see" was carefully planned and very well executed by a wealthy State-owned machine. The Roman's coined the idea of giving their citizens 'Bread and Circus', that is keeping them fed and entertained, in order to keep their empire going without any internal upheavals.

The 'circuses' Russia puts out are there to deflect their citizens', and the world's, attention from events actually worth noticing (and lack of bread would be one of them).

Have you heard in the news about the following:

1. "Vostok 2018" is Russia-joined military exercise, involving well over 300,000 (!) people. THE largest ever held in Russia. And it's a joint one with China.

2. Russian continuing involvement in the war in Syria.

3. Russia's involvement in the war in Ukraine.

4. Russian annex of Crimea.

Those are only external factors and events Russia would like you to overlook. How about internal?

1. VAT is scheduled to go up to 20% from 18%.

2. Pension age is going way up - to a level that more than 20% of the population won't make it to receive their first check.

3. Riots and protests in Russia, violently being dispersed by SWAT/Police/ "RosGvardia" teams.

The international and the internal situations are so bad - and the protests are so violent - that a good distraction was required. Such distractions are often provided by the State-owned TV.

The Petrov/Boshirov is a perfect example.

The current advisory to the government of Russia is doing a fantastic job in crisis management - and "Wag The Dog" is child play comparing to the current state of things in the Russian Federation.

Well played.