Russian Fascist Philosopher Dugin Congratulates Putin on His 72nd Birthday, Calling Him a “Tsar”

On his 72nd birthday, Russian leader Vladimir Putin received a a birthday greeting from influential ultra far-right Russian ideologue Alexander Dugin. In his post on Telegram, Dugin used the phrase “God save the Tsar,” a reference to the era of the Russian Empire, to mark the occasion shortly after midnight on October 7.

Dugin, a advocate of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, supports Russian imperialism for a long time and is a key figure in shaping Russia’s move toward hardline nationalism and authoritarianism. In his birthday message, Dugin expressed his wish for “angels” to crown Putin with a golden wreath, describing Putin’s 72 years as the start of a “second youth.”

Dugin became famous after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, with some of his earlier works on Russian superiority and the concept of a “Eurasian Union” being used to justify the war. This “Eurasian Union” envisions reintegrating Russia with former Soviet territories. His influence remains significant in nationalist circles, with over 71 thousand followers on his Telegram channel.

After winning over 88% in his latest pseudo-elections running virtually unopposed, Putin is set to secure another term, surpassing Josef Stalin as Russia’s longest-serving leader in two centuries.