Putin’s warning to “traitors” sends a chilling message

Warnings painted with graffiti on the doors of activists in Moscow. A food blogger threatened with up to 15 years in jail for “discrediting” the Russian military. A call to fire a former top official for “treason” for opposing the war in Ukraine.

President Vladimir Putin issued a poisonous warning to “traitors” on Wednesday, saying that West would try to use them as a fifth column to destroy Russiabut that the Russians could quickly distinguish the “scum patriots”.

Within hours of Putin’s speech, Dmitry Ivanov, a Moscow-based activist, said his mother found a graffiti message on the landing door of his apartment: “Do not betray the homeland Dima.”

The graffiti had several of the signs “Z” which are used to gain support for what Moscow calls its “special military operation” to disarm and “denazify” to Ukraine. The reason comes from the markings on Russian armored vehicles and tanks.

Ivanov, who has protested against the war, said he had no idea who was behind the graffiti but knew at least three other people, including activists and a journalist, whose doors had been painted the same way on Wednesday by the evening.

“I don’t know their purposes: to scare, not to scare, or just to spoil the mood. It’s hard to scare us with that kind of action: we are used to this kind of attention “the 22-year-old told Reuters.

“It is possible that this action was to complement Putin’s speech, I think that is possible. Especially considering how poorly made and how cheap these brands were made. It was done in a hurry”said.

Thousands of people have been detained across Russia since the Kremlin launched its invasion of Ukraine on February 24.

Putin, in his remarks to government ministers on Wednesday, said the Russians would spit on traitors “like mosquitoes”, and that society would be better for it.

“I am convinced that this natural and necessary self-cleansing of society will only strengthen our country, our solidarity, cohesion and willingness to face any challenge”said.

When asked about Thursday’s comments, the spokesman for the kremlin, Dmitry Peskovstated that many people were showing themselves as traitors.

“They themselves are fading from our lives. Some people are leaving their jobs, some are leaving active working life, some are leaving the country and moving to other countries. This is how this cleansing happens.”said.