The crocodile tears of TV Rain

I’ve previously written about the problems of Russian “liberals” believing they have a carte blanche because they are “anti-Putin”.

The reality is far murkier. Most of these “liberals” are ideologically Russian imperialists that are temporarily inconvenienced by the brutality and incompetence of Putin, but they have no ideological disagreements with Muscovite centralism and see russification as a sort of sacred mission.

This is the background to the latest scandal of TV Rain, the supposedly liberal Russian media outlet losing their broadcast license in Latvia.

There are a couple of tells that this was the correct move.

1. TV Rain showed up to the hearing on the matter with the expectation that it would be held in Russian, and hence didn’t bring with a single translator. This is typical Russian arrogance — even self proclaimed Russian liberals don’t really recognize Latvian independence or that they are guest in Latvia (source)
2. The violation that led to the incident was a “journalist” calling for fundraising for “our army” on air, which is a violation of Latvian law. At first TV Rain apologized, shedding crocodile tears. When the stunt failed, TV Rain reversed course, praised the journalist and reinstated him. (Statement of TV Rain’s CEO)

This utter lack of humility has been my experience with Russians in Europe since the war began. Never an ounce of gratitude towards the countries that host them, willingness to learn their languages, respect for their cultures or seeing themselves as anything other than victims.

So no, this decision by Latvian authorities isn’t an attack on freedom of the press. It’s a move by a people who have spent centuries under Russian occupation to not allow Russian colonial propaganda undermining the very existence of the Latvian state to be spewed by Russians in Latvia.