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Telegram channels affiliated with Iran-backed militias in Iraq continued to share content expressing support for the Russian invasion of Ukraine and portraying Russian President Vladimir Putin as an ally of Iran and its regional proxies.
On October 8, 2022, Sabereen News posted a YouTube video featuring a song in the Iraqi dialect titled "Zulmat Al-Mehwar" ("The Man of Axis"). According to the video, the song was produced by the channel and performed by its choir. It was recorded in Sabereen News studio.[1]
Lyrics Laud Putin As Ally Of Shi'ites
The lyrics suggested that Putin is the divine punishment that has been bestowed on the U.S. and Israel and NATO for their "hostility" against Iran and its regional proxies.
"How astounded America and Israel are. NATO is gone and its course of action has stopped. Putin is the man of axis [of resistance], and he is their karma."
The next segment of the song portrays Putin as a powerful ally to the Shi'ites who has managed to take control of the Ukrainian capital of Kiev and defeat NATO. It further nicknamed Putin "Abu Ali," a pseudonym used by Shi'ite militias to indicate camaraderie.
"Abu Ali [Putin] is a friend of the axis, he is the man who has thwarted NATO and with one word he managed to enter Kyiv. [...] Shi'ite is Putin, and he is backed by the reliable axis."
Kadyrov Is Ally Too
The song goes on to praise Ramzan Kadyrov, the Head of the Chechen Republic and an active supporter of Putin's policies, referring to him as "Shroogi," a word for an Iraqi Shi'ite who resides in southern Iraq, and further describing his position on the war in Ukraine as "honorable."
Poster Lionizing Russian General
Two days later, on October 10, Sabereen News released a poster glorifying Sergey Surovkin, the Russian General who was recently appointed to head the Russian war effort against Ukraine. The poster, which depicts rockets and missile launchers superimposed over the image of General Surovkin, includes English text that reads: "For the enemies of Russia, morning begins with no coffee. The new commander of the Russian military operations, General Surovkin."[2]
Video Warns: Tough Winter For Europe
On October 7, Security Studies and Analysis, a sister channel to Sabereen News, shared a video titled "Winter Is Coming: On Europe's Cold Future."[3]
The 50-second video, which is reportedly produced by the Russian media using images generated by artificial intelligence based on European media headlines, forecasts a difficult winter for Europe against the backdrop of images of Europeans freezing due to energy shortages and the consequent rise in energy prices.
"Even artificial intelligence is more intelligent than European politicians," reads the video's English text which concludes with the following note: "Don't worry, these pictures are not real. At least for now."
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