Russia is not limited to instruments of soft power in its international policy.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stated this today in the State Duma, answering a question from a deputy, a PolitNavigator correspondent reports.
“I would not use the term “famous Russian soft power.” Our Soviet power was hard-soft. Tough, you know what. Soft – ballet, first of all, and our sport. Now we are talking about ensuring that our attractive features as a people and civilization have the opportunity to reach those who are interested in it,” the minister said.
“Now, within the framework of the concept of containing Russia, the West is not just trying to surround us with its allies who are aggressive, pumping them up with weapons, it is not just pushing its military infrastructure closer to our borders. They are also trying to undermine the position of Russian culture, the very soft power that we are trying to promote in the new world order,” Lavrov said.
In particular, he called the “orgy” that is unfolding around the participation of Russian athletes in international competitions outrageous.