Media researcher Veijo Hietala drew attention, among other things, to the light in which the President of the Republic Sauli Niinistö was presented in the program.
Maria Butina’s program showed a lot of Sanna Marin’s party videos. Screenshot from the program
An hour-long special program about Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin was broadcast on the first channel of Russian state television. The name of the absurd program was Sateenkaari-Sanna, or Mannerheim’s grimace.
The program is part of the Russian propagandist Maria Butina program series, in which, according to the introductory text on the TV channel’s website, it is examined how Western politicians “do not pursue the interests of their own countries, but are puppets in the hands of global elites”.
Iltalehti asked a media researcher Veijo Hietalaa to watch the program and give their analysis.
Hietala describes the program as “a perfect lesson on how to make Russian propaganda”.
– It is interesting how Sanna Marin was chosen as the scapegoat for everything: Finland’s NATO membership, Finland’s impoverishment and the current relations between Finland and Russia, says Hietala.
The media researcher paid attention to how femininity and young age were put in a bad light in the program. Pete Anikari
The role of Niinistö
Hietala believes that the program aims to give easy answers to the Russians, why Finland, which has had good relations with Russia for so long, has turned against them.
– Marin is the perfect “immoral person”, according to the description of this program, says Hietala.
Hietala noted that the President of the Republic, Sauli Niinistö, on the other hand, almost shone with his absence.
– He was ignored very little. It’s probably because Niinistö still has a pretty good reputation in Russia. The good relations between Putin and Niinistö have been prominently displayed in Russia as well – perhaps more so than in our country. Niinistö has shown himself to be the closest Western leader. That’s why it’s easy to put all the blame on Marin, who doesn’t have a long history with Russia, says Hietala.
The media researcher also paid attention to the context in which Niinistö was mentioned.
– It was understood that Marin was donating hornets, and Niinistö was trying to topple – that is, he was on Russia’s side, says Hietala.
A media researcher says that Marin is hardly the only person who has been slandered in a dictatorial country, although he says that he has not thoroughly familiarized himself with, for example, Russia’s propaganda offerings in recent years.
Media researcher Veijo Hietala thinks that Sanna Marin is an easy choice as the program’s scapegoat. Annika Kujanpää
Too young or too old
Media researcher Veijo Hietala underlines that the program put the female gender in a bad light.
– It was strange because the host was also a woman. Government and competence were questioned through gender and age. It was implied that Marin is just a checkout girl with no qualifications and that she is a puppet of the global elite who is easy to manipulate, Hietala says what she sees.
Marin’s rainbow family background was also strongly on display.
– Russia is conservative with traditional values. LGBT people are not very popular there. Immediately, if someone has a positive attitude towards gender minorities, it makes them seem incompetent, Hietala reflects.
The program also featured other female ministers who are influential in the government.
– It was funny that the others in this five were, according to the program, “too young and incompetent”, but Anna-Maja Henriksson was “too old” and was described as a grandmother. Nothing seems to work when it comes to women, Hietala updates.
Hietala also has his view on why Mannerheim was brought to the headline of the program.
– Mannerheim has been perceived as the last enemy in Russian history since the war, so they definitely wanted to link this to a negative image. Along with Hitler, Mannerheim was Russia’s most famous enemy, says Hietala.