State-sponsored celebrations of a Trump comeback soured in Russia as fears of U.S.-backed missile strikes on their soil erupted. Kremlin loyalists on state TV, who had been reveling in Ukraine’s energy grid chaos, are now nervously speculating about what Joe Biden’s approval of Kyiv’s long-range missile capabilities could mean for Moscow.
From Euphoria to Panic
Initially, Russian propagandists dismissed a New York Times report that the Biden administration greenlit Ukraine to strike Russian military targets using U.S.-provided long-range ATACMS missiles. Hosts of the popular Solovyov Live show, Kristina Busarova and Roman Guz, mocked the report as “American propaganda.” Yet beneath the scoffing was visible anxiety. Busarova admitted to a “restless night” and repeatedly called the revelation a hoax—perhaps trying to convince herself more than anyone else.
“Ukraine isn’t even a real country,” Busarova sneered, calling Ukrainians “walking shadows, half-dead cannon fodder.” Despite this dehumanizing rhetoric, the specter of missiles raining down on Russian soil had her visibly unsettled.
The Looming Threat
The range of ATACMS missiles puts major Russian cities, including Moscow, within potential reach. While Ukraine has thus far refrained from launching strikes deep into Russian territory, this development signals a new chapter in the war—one that could turn the tables on an invasion that has devastated Ukraine since 2022.
Andrey Gurulyov, a State Duma member, expressed a fear now openly discussed on Russian television: “What if their first target is one of our studios?” The irony wasn’t lost on many, as these same studios have consistently cheered Russia’s unprovoked attacks on Ukrainian civilians.
Trump’s Shadow Looms Large
State media’s earlier triumphalism revolved around Trump’s presumed willingness to abandon Ukraine. “As soon as Trump takes office, this madness will end,” Guz claimed, offering false comfort to viewers. Even Olga Skabeeva, host of 60 Minutes, bizarrely suggested Trump could overrule Biden’s missile decision before his term even begins, as if America were already under Trump’s thumb.
“Trump won’t just stop the missiles,” opined Bogdan Bezpalko on The Meeting Place. “He’ll cut all aid to Ukraine and tell Zelensky, ‘You’re done. Leave.’”
Russian state media’s fixation on Trump underscores their belief that his presidency will cement their territorial gains in Ukraine and relegate America to global irrelevance.
History in the Making?
The contrast between Biden’s firm support for Ukraine and Trump’s perceived coziness with Moscow has fueled hope in the Kremlin for a geopolitical renaissance. Commentators openly fantasize about the United States collapsing, likening its current state to the USSR’s final years.
“Our victory will rewrite the global order,” boasted one pundit on Russian TV. “Russia will rise as the dominant power while the U.S. crumbles under Trump’s reign of chaos.”
A Dangerous Precedent
For now, Biden’s decision to empower Ukraine with long-range strike capabilities is a clear signal: the U.S. will not allow Russia to dictate the terms of this war. But in Moscow, the fear of retribution hangs thick in the air, exposing the cracks in the Kremlin’s propaganda machine.
As Russian pundits cling to Trump as their geopolitical savior, the question remains: Will this missile move escalate the war—or finally bring it to an end?
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