“Good Russians,” liberals, and the “great culture.” How Russian soft power works

Who are the so-called “good Russians,” and what role does the Russian liberal opposition play in the international information space? This video examines how the image of a “different Russia” is constructed through media, culture, and public intellectuals.

We analyze the rhetoric of Russian liberals, the work of opposition media, and common narratives about the “collective innocence” of Russians. The discussion also looks at how Russian culture and literature function as instruments of influence, why many Western audiences continue to perceive Russian voices as universal, and how this shapes perceptions of the war against Ukraine.