Russia – Putin hangs out at the newspaper

Kremlin loyalist Russian newspaper Izvestia In a recent article, Norway's ambassador to Moscow, Robert Quill, accused the newspaper of pushing a journalist.

The incident reportedly took place outside a conference organized by EU Ambassador to Russia Roland Kalarak at the Metropol Hotel in Moscow.

– This is a level of manipulation and fabricated reality that surpasses the time of the Soviet Union, Russia expert Ivor B. Newman tells Talkbladet.

Demonstrations

An anti-Western group can be seen holding Lenin's banner protesting outside the conference, according to Izvestia photos from the scene.

A video from the scene shows Quile shoving a journalist from the newspaper. A reporter tries to interview Kvile as he walks past the demonstrators and into the convention.

– The Norwegian Ambassador to Moscow participated in the Europe Day event today. There was also a demonstration at the same place, attended by many journalists. In a chaotic situation, the ambassador pushed two people aside to enter the room, Dua Boksnes, head of communications at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, tells Talkblade.

After the Russian attack: Zelenskyj place

species

– Robert Quill was a very quiet man. Ivor B., an expert on Russia and diplomacy, says that the chances of a trained diplomat hitting someone in a fit of rage are initially very small. Newman tells Talkblade.

He believes the video is far from the dramatic footage the newspaper claims.

– Newman says that what is interesting here is not what happened, but why the Russian media had to fabricate it.

He pointed out that Gville was among the Western ambassadors present at Vladimir Putin's presidential inauguration in Moscow.

– This is very interesting because he is one of those who failed to observe the relationship diplomatically. Then comes this, says Newman.

– What do you think the purpose is?

– They will link it to NATO aggression. We look at the case from Izvestia. They believe that not only NATO, but also their representatives are aggressive. Reporting from a country in a war of aggression is a very serious matter.

– Never seen before

– I have never seen this before. There have been similar situations in diplomacy in the past, but I don't recall Russia doing anything like this during the time I was involved. “We're talking about 45 years,” Newman says.

– Under what conditions does Kvile work in Russia?

– It is very difficult. It emphasizes how difficult it is to be there. If what ambassadors do publicly is questionable, he says, we are undermining hundreds of years of tradition about how ambassadors should be treated.

He was very clear about what he thought of the post:

– It reminds of the violation of Russian civilization.