Posted on 06/18/2008 6:31:31 AM PDT by NativeNewYorker
June 18 (UPI) -- Russian state television taunted Sweden with past military victories before the two countries vie for a place in the quarterfinals of Euro 2008, the continent's most prestigious soccer tournament.
Vesti-24, the government's cable channel, played a commercial every half-hour today using Soviet-era movie footage of Russian soldiers killing Swedes during Peter the Great's victory over Charles XII in 1709 and Alexander Nevsky's defeat of invaders in 1240. Each scene was followed by a scorecard reading ``Russia 1 Sweden 0'' and accompanied by the theme to the movie ``Gladiator.''
``It's part of a revival of Russian nationalism,'' said Yevgeny Volk, a Moscow-based analyst for the Heritage Foundation, a U.S. research group. ``The advertisement reflects this Russian mentality which still interprets the military as a major factor in the country's international image.''
The winner of tonight's match in Innsbruck, Austria, will play the Netherlands on June 21. Russia's national coach, Guus Hiddink, is Dutch. A Russian victory would further bolster a nation preening after winning the world ice hockey championship, club soccer's UEFA Cup and the Eurovision Song Contest.
Russia is reasserting its ``strength and power'' on the world stage, President Dmitry Medvedev said on May 9, during the first parade of tanks and military hardware on Moscow's Red Square since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.
`Believe in Victory'
The Swedish Embassy in Moscow said Russia ``can run whatever they like'' on television. ``I don't know of any Swedish channels showing all the battles that Sweden has won against Russia, but if they did there would be many of them,'' an embassy spokesman said on customary condition of anonymity.
Set to the theme tune from the 2000 film starring Russell Crowe, the ad begins with the victory over Sweden at the Neva River in 1240, when Prince Alexander of Novgorod fought off an attempt by the Swedes to take control of the trading port of Ladoga. Their leader slain, the Swedes retreated with two boatloads of bodies, according to an account in the Novogorod First Chronicle, held by the National Archive of Finland.
After splashing ``1-0'' across the screen, the montage moves to shots of a triumphant Peter the Great, rifle raised in victory after his army slayed thousands of Swedish troops in the Battle of Poltava. Russia's 3-2 win against Sweden in the semi- finals of the world hockey championship last month is also shown. After a panning shot of the stadium in Innsbruck, the words ``Believe in Victory'' are emblazoned across the screen.
Remembering Poltava
Russia needs to win tonight's match to progress in the competition because it has an inferior goal difference to Sweden. Both teams are tied on three points after two games. Russia lost to Spain 4-1 in their first match on June 10, and then beat Greece 1-0 four days later. Sweden opened with a 2-0 victory over the Greeks, then slipped to a 2-1 loss against Spain.
The country's newspapers are also citing history in their coverage of the game. Komsomolskaya Pravda sent reporters to the site of the Poltava battle in Ukraine, where they blessed a soccer ball at the feet of a statue of Peter the Great and then ceremoniously kicked it in the direction of Sweden, according to a report in the newspaper today. The journalists also placed flowers at a monument commemorating the battle.
``Most of the current Russian leadership were brought up in the Cold War era when the military was the main instrument of Russian influence,'' Volk said. ``They're using it as a tool to make people proud of their nation and to divert the public from the many problems Russia still has.''
Hiddink, who took South Korea to the semi-finals of the 2002 World Cup, enjoys a 76 percent approval rating among Russians, according to a poll by the All-Russian Center for the Study of Public Opinion. In October, he was lauded in a program hosted by then-President Vladimir Putin after Russia beat England in a qualifying match for Euro 2008.
Are Russia playing Finland anytime soon?
Ping.
I hope they don’t start taunting Liechtenstein. That could get real ugly.
Or Japan?
``It’s part of a revival of Russian nationalism,’’
No, it’s part of the survival of Russian stupidity.
I posted this on another thread; when Germany played Poland the announcer said “Germany continues its dominance over Poland”.
Good ‘un.
Bump!
Russian Nationalism? Yet they are using music from an American movie?
“Sweden Taunts Russia with their very miserable existence”?
Or Mongolia...
Or Germany...
And yet, one corps of 4,000 Swedish infantry came within yards of breaking the Russian line - only their cavalry's failure to coordinate effectively with their infantry's advance stopped the Swedes from breaking through.
The Russians had a 4:1 numerical advantage. They fought from a defensive position with advantageous internal lines and cover. They had 100 artillery pieces. They were fully supplied.
>>>Russian Nationalism? Yet they are using music from an American movie?
Well, the climax of most American Independence Day celebrations includes music from a Russian composer to commemorate Russia’s 1812 defense against Napoleon’s advancing Grande Armée at the Battle of Borodino.
Can you imagine the US running advertising showing Hiroshima before a US-Japan baseball game?
Yeah, you’re right.
CUT! CUT! Hold on a second.... movie footage of events that happened in the year 1709 and the year 1240?! ;-)
They play today at Innsbruck 20:45 hours.
I believe these movies were played during WW2 on the orders of Stalin to appeal to Russian Nationalism during the fight against Germany. Not sure exactly when the movies were made, but they were made during the Soviet-era.
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