Expert Analysis

The Gray Cardinal: Putin’s master of puppets

Vladislav Surkov has been described as a gray cardinal, a behind the scenes puppet master working as a special advisor to President Vladimir Putin.  Surkov helps to direct propaganda via state run media outlets in Russia.  His particular brand of disinformation is designed to cause confusion and social turbulence to the point that people just give up on a subject, no longer able to discern which way is up and which way is down.  Much more needs to be written on this subject, but to get some more insight it is worth reading this short story that Surkov wrote under the pen name of Nathan Dubovitsky.  “Without the sky,” is about a non-linear 5th World War.

Above our village there was no sky. So we went to look at the moon and the birds in the city. On the other side of the river. The townspeople did not like us. But the obstacles are not repaired. Even equipped on one of the hills, where the brick church, viewing platform. Because for some reason they thought we were drunkards, on the site, except for the benches and paid the telescope, placed a small beer. And the police post.

The citizens can understand. They suffered a lot of anger and envy of visitors. And even though we were sad that in us, their nearest neighbors, almost townspeople, they saw the strangers, but it was possible to understand them.After all, they still have to understand. Do not persecuted. Whatever wrote their sites, not persecuted.

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Vladislav Surkov has been described as a gray cardinal, a behind the scenes puppet master working as a special advisor to President Vladimir Putin.  Surkov helps to direct propaganda via state run media outlets in Russia.  His particular brand of disinformation is designed to cause confusion and social turbulence to the point that people just give up on a subject, no longer able to discern which way is up and which way is down.  Much more needs to be written on this subject, but to get some more insight it is worth reading this short story that Surkov wrote under the pen name of Nathan Dubovitsky.  “Without the sky,” is about a non-linear 5th World War.

Above our village there was no sky. So we went to look at the moon and the birds in the city. On the other side of the river. The townspeople did not like us. But the obstacles are not repaired. Even equipped on one of the hills, where the brick church, viewing platform. Because for some reason they thought we were drunkards, on the site, except for the benches and paid the telescope, placed a small beer. And the police post.

The citizens can understand. They suffered a lot of anger and envy of visitors. And even though we were sad that in us, their nearest neighbors, almost townspeople, they saw the strangers, but it was possible to understand them.After all, they still have to understand. Do not persecuted. Whatever wrote their sites, not persecuted.

All because it is clear, to be honest, we were not without fault of their own sky. On the contrary, we in a sense, great honor. After four marshals coalitions chose our skies for a general engagement. Because the sky above our village was the best in the world. Smooth, cloudless. The sun streamed down his broad calm river. I remember him well.The sun. And the sky.  The marshals found it an ideal place for the final battle. No wonder.

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About Jack Murphy View All Posts

Jack served as a Sniper and Team Leader in 3rd Ranger Battalion and as a Senior Weapons Sergeant on a Military Free Fall team in 5th Special Forces Group. Having left the military in 2010, he graduated from Columbia with a BA in political science. Murphy is the author of Reflexive Fire, Target Deck, Direct Action, and Gray Matter Splatter. His memoir, "Murphy's Law" is due for a 2019 release and can be pre-ordered now.

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