The Antisemitic Discourse of a "Friend of the Jewish People" Why Putin's Russia Slides Again into the Trap of Antisemitism

Key Findings:

This paper links the rise of antisemitism in Russia to the country's political trajectory under Vladimir Putin.

In 2016, Putin invited European Jews to return to Russia as a response to rising antisemitism in Europe. This was seen as an anti-Western provocation. Despite official claims that antisemitism was absent in Russia, by 2022, Moscow’s Chief Rabbi Pinchas Goldschmidt warned that Jews should leave, fearing they would become scapegoats amid Russia's military failures in Ukraine.

The sharp increase in Jewish emigration in 2022-2023 was not solely due to antisemitism but was part of a broader exodus triggered by Russia's invasion of Ukraine, rising authoritarianism, and economic instability. Historically, Jewish emigration has surged during political crackdowns, as seen after the occupation of Crimea in 2014 and during the Soviet Union's collapse.

While Putin initially maintained a pro-Jewish stance, his embrace of ultra-nationalist ideology has led to a resurgence of antisemitism in Russian media and politics. Additionally, antisemitism has been weaponized in Russia’s foreign policy through disinformation and historical distortion, resembling Soviet-era ‘anti-Zionist’ campaigns.

The war in Ukraine has significantly revived antisemitism in Russia, especially following Russian military failures in 2022. Putin and other Russian officials, like Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, employed antisemitic rhetoric, falsely accusing Ukraine of being "Nazi" and making derogatory statements about Jews, such as Lavrov's claim that Zelensky had "Jewish roots" and that Jews were historically among the most prominent antisemites. In response, Jewish organizations and Israel condemned these remarks, but Moscow offered no apology.

As Russia's political and military situation worsened, especially after the 2023 coup attempt by Yevgeny Prigozhin, Russian authorities adopted more ultra-nationalist and anti-liberal rhetoric, including Holocaust denial and manipulation of historical facts. Putin distorted Holocaust history, blaming Ukrainian nationalists for atrocities, and used antisemitic tropes to attack Jewish Russians who opposed the war, including mocking prominent Jewish figures like Anatoly Chubais and Arkady Volozh.

Russia's actions also extended to formal steps, such as a lawsuit to dissolve the Russian branch of the Jewish Agency, which many viewed as a political maneuver aimed at pressuring Israel to take a stronger stance on the war. Meanwhile, Putin's distortion of the Holocaust and antisemitism served as tools in Russia's broader disinformation campaign against Ukraine, accusing it of Nazism to discredit the pro-Western Ukrainian government.

This shift in rhetoric aligns with a historical pattern where Russia has used antisemitism and Holocaust manipulation for political purposes. Putin's antisemitic remarks and policies have strained Russia's relations with Israel, as Russia strengthens ties with Iran, a major supplier of weapons for the war, further isolating Israel in the context of the ongoing conflict.

Following Hamas’s attack on Israel on October 7, Russia escalated its anti-Israel stance and antisemitic rhetoric. Russia openly supported Hamas, blaming the United States for the violence and refusing to condemn the terror attack. Hamas representatives contacted Russian officials within an hour of the invasion, and Russia did not deny expressing support. Moscow also hosted Hamas delegations and reportedly allowed the group to manufacture Russian-designed weapons in Gaza.

Diplomatically, Russia opposed Israel in the UN Security Council, calling for a ceasefire and denying Israel's right to self-defense. President Vladimir Putin compared Israel's actions in Gaza to Nazi war crimes, reviving Soviet-era anti-Israel propaganda. His rhetoric also targeted the U.S., using antisemitic imagery in accusations against American foreign policy.

Russian state media and online platforms facilitated an unprecedented wave of antisemitic and anti-Israel propaganda, which culminated in violent antisemitic riots in Russia’s North Caucasus. Mobs stormed hotels and an airport in search of Jewish refugees, with little intervention from authorities. Putin later blamed Western intelligence for inciting the unrest while showing sympathy for anti-Israel sentiments.

Russia also used the war to advance influence operations in the West, exploiting antisemitic provocations in France and the U.S. to fuel polarization and social unrest. These efforts aligned with historical Soviet disinformation campaigns aimed at destabilizing Western democracies.

Putin's stance on Jews is shaped by his personal experiences and KGB legacy. Unlike his predecessors, he has maintained sympathy for Jews due to formative relationships with Jewish individuals in his youth and career. However, the Russian security services, rooted in Soviet-era antisemitic conspiracies, continue to influence state policy.

Initially, Putin fostered positive Jewish relations, supporting the Chabad movement and strengthening ties with Israel. However, despite a decrease in public antisemitism, the government manipulated Holocaust history for political gain. The resurgence of Soviet-style governance, state propaganda, and suppression of dissent have rekindled antisemitic rhetoric, particularly following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.