Dugin’s Assassination Attempt Failed – Who is Dugin?
With the unsuccessful assassination attempt on Alexander Dugin, the controversial and famous Russian theorist in Moscow, which resulted in the death of his daughter, Dugin has returned to the headlines. This return was not after a long absence; in recent months, following Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, he has been one of the significant figures in Western experts’ analyses about the roots and theoretical backgrounds justifying Putin’s occupation. Dugin, who is known in our country due to his extensive cultural and political relations, has established broad and key connections at various levels in our country.
It is evident that the first image of him in the minds of Iranians is his presence at the Arbaeen march alongside a recently deceased right-wing Iranian artist and political and religious figure. However, his activities in Iran go far beyond this simple presence. Understanding Dugin and his beliefs, his role in Russia, and the network he and his superiors have created worldwide to promote fascism using misleading and distorted ideas and terms is crucial for Iranians.
The Anti-Communist Communist and Always a Fascist
Alexander Dugin’s first serious activities in Soviet politics had an anti-communist approach. However, a significant point in his political life was his joining the Russian neo-Nazi organization in 1988, and from here, one can trace the mark of fascism in his political behavior to this day. His political activities, in the form of forming various parties and fronts, have been influenced by at least two concepts.
One is the polished concept and term of Eurasia and Eurasianism, which is based on the power and authenticity of the Russian race and has serious ties with Orthodox Christianity, and the other is pure fascism under the guise of Eurasianism, relying on accusing liberalism and other schools of thought of being fascist. One of the political organizations Dugin formed had a flag explicitly inspired by the Nazi Germany flag.
Putin’s Theorist and Author
Regarding Alexander Dugin’s role in the Kremlin and his influence on Vladimir Putin, there has been both exaggeration and underestimation outside of academic articles and books. The realities about his role and the extent of his influence have become clearer in recent months. Dugin, during Putin’s years of consolidating power, attracted Putin’s attention with the theory of Eurasianism and reliance on Russian racial nationalism. In fact, the structure of Russia’s administration in the Kremlin sought to establish and expand a Russia centered around Putin’s leadership, searching for a creeping fascism based on nationality and religion that would provide a program, model, and vision for the future.
Dugin and his ideas and book fulfilled this need. The book ‘The Foundations of Geopolitics,’ which Dugin published in 1997, and generally his articles and speeches during the years of Putin’s establishment in Russia, caught the Kremlin’s eye. Putin made this book mandatory for teaching in universities and special and important institutions.
This book, based on the authenticity and superiority of the Russian race, is filled with contempt for Western schools of thought and dreams for the future of Eurasia centered around Russia. Dugin, childishly as if drawing the world map with colored pencils, depicts the future of countries under the shadow of Russian racial and religious superiority. For instance, he gives Finland to Russia and Estonia to Germany, tears Azerbaijan apart, and of course, envisions a Russian-Iranian axis in the future, which naturally is an axis between a fascist Russia and an Iran that has turned the same color.
He Loves Occupation
His terrifying speeches during Russia’s invasion of Georgia were astonishing and dripped with racism. Dugin has always had a plan for Ukraine and has spoken about it, which now seeks a serious part of it in Putin’s so far unsuccessful invasion. In the process of Russia’s attack on Ukraine, he and his daughter engaged in serious media and political activities in full support of Putin’s invasion, and his daughter recently gave an extensive speech defending the Russian army and blaming Ukraine for the Bucha city disaster.
This occupation, which Putin presented under the strange claim of denazification of Ukraine, should be seen precisely in the context of fascism. Hatred and opposition to Judaism is one of the pillars of Dugin’s thought and the more prominent theorists in the Kremlin, which has naturally been welcomed by Putin. Emphasizing the importance of Orthodox Christianity and anti-Judaism in speech and strategy increases his and his Kremlin’s popularity in Russia. This approach not only justifies but also makes the occupation desirable.
The Chain of Extremism in the World
Dugin is one of the influential figures in creating a vast network of extremist and right-wing groups and figures worldwide, connected with the support of Russia. He has serious ties with right-wing extremists and fascists like the Lega party in Italy and France. In France, Dugin has been more successful than in his other target countries like Spain and has established serious relations with French extremist circles.
This network is also very powerful in Hungary, and a key new point is the connection of this network with America. French extremism introduced the delusional idea of a great threat to the white race from liberals, claiming that liberals want to de-whiten their countries with non-white immigrants. This idea is one of the foundations of the recent years’ discourse among American conservatives and Republicans.
Most importantly, Hungary, whose prime minister is becoming a prophet of Christian nationalism for American conservatives and has been a special guest at their conferences. Dugin’s role in empowering the Hungarian and French circles of the fascist network supported by Russia is serious. Similar structures have also been created by him and his network in Greece and Turkey, and it must be mentioned that he has good and strong relations with the Ku Klux Klan in America, and leaders of extremist groups in the New World are his good friends. You remember the famous leader of the Ku Klux Klan who came to Iran a few years ago for a conference on the Holocaust.