Aleksandr Dugin's Influence in Russian Politics: A Symptom of Ideological Shift

There is a great deal of speculation regarding the extent of Aleksandr Dugin's influence on Russian politics. While some of Putin's supporters argue that Dugin has minimal impact, others emphasize his role in shaping Russian government policies.

For many researchers, Dugin is often referred to as “Putin’s brain” due to his significant influence on the radicalization of Russian politics since the early 2000s. This article aims to provide a comprehensive overview of Dugin's influence, based on his biography and media analysis.

Facts Surrounding Aleksandr Dugin

Biography

Aleksandr Dugin was born in a family with a background in Russian intelligence, with his father serving as a high-ranking general-lieutenant intelligence officer of the GRU (Russian Foreign Intelligence Service).

During the 1990s, Dugin became involved with neo-Nazi groups such as “Black Order SS,” “Nazbols,” and “RNE,” and even became a member of the nationalist extremist group, Pamyat. These associations allowed him to build valuable contacts that later became influential in the Russian far-right scene.

In 1997, Dugin's book, “Basis of Geopolitics,” was used as a textbook in the Russian army's general staff, highlighting his growing influence within the military hierarchy.

Dugin himself has a special relationship with Igor Radionov, the Minister of Defense of Russia, who supported Dugin even during the time when Dugin's book denied the existence of Ukraine's sovereignty.

From 1998 to 2003, Dugin was the advisor to Gennady Seleznyov, the head of the Russian parliament. This role was followed by his position as an advisor to Sergey Naryshkin, the Chairman of the Russian Parliament and a close ally of Putin.

Significant Moments in Dugin's Career

2014: Annexation of Crimea and Support for War in Donbass

In 2014, Russia annexed Crimea, and Dugin played a significant role in supporting this action, which many Russian military and intelligence officials also endorsed.

The same year, Dugin accompanied Putin to the sacred Afon mountain in Greece, a visit that Dugin later publicized in his TV show, referring to it as historic. Notably, the Russian foreign ministry lobbied for Dugin's visit, despite his being under EU sanctions.

By this period, Dugin's ideologies and activities had become deeply intertwined with Putin's regime. In 2020, under the patronage of Russian far-right oligarch Malofeev, who has close ties to Putin, Dugin became the chief editor of “Tzargrad,” a far-right media channel.

In 2022, following Dugin's involvement in the invasion of Ukraine, he suffered a near-fatal assassination attempt, which his daughter unfortunately did not survive. This event also underlines the dangerous and ideologically driven nature of his activities.

Implications and Analysis

The facts surrounding Dugin's involvement with various high-ranking officials, his book's influence on military training, and his significant role in high-level political meetings, such as his visit to Greece, suggest that Dugin has substantial influence in Russian military and security services, often referred to as the "siloviki."

These services have played a significant role in Russia's political landscape, especially since the early 2000s, when the number of democratic institutions in Russia decreased, and political repression increased.

The rise of the siloviki group, who were influenced by Dugin's ideology, has contributed to Putin's power structure. Without these figures, Putin's position in Russia would be much weaker.

Therefore, Dugin's far-right and fascist ideas have had a profound impact on the highest levels of Russian political and military hierarchy.

This case study illustrates how radical ideologies can evolve from fringe movements to become central to a nation's political and military doctrines, with Dugin playing a crucial role in this transformation.