Cross-posted from: https://feddit.de/post/7946681

Ever since Putin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the Russian leader launched a fresh effort to promote what he called “traditional values”, making anti-gay rhetoric one of the cornerstones of his political agenda.

The Kremlin is directly linking the crackdown on LGBTQ+ expression with its justification for the war, said Shainyan, telling its citizens that Russia was not only fighting Ukraine, but was involved in a broader, existential battle against western liberal values it often describes as “satanic”.