ABSTRACT
This chapter argues that the history of Russian media and internet regulation should be viewed as a dynamic process of autocratic adaptability aimed at ensuring the political survival of a non-democratic regime within a constantly evolving information environment. The development of Russian regulation is driven by the imperative to enhance crisis communication and propaganda capacities, thereby reducing political risks and safeguarding the legitimacy of the autocratic leader. An advanced level of media control is required to secure the success of propaganda in legitimizing governmental decisions. At the same time, the need to have full control over the attribution of blame emerges as a crucial driver of regulation. Crisis situations, therefore, act both as triggers and as opportunities for introducing new forms of regulation. By examining events that necessitate crisis communication and propaganda, we can understand the logic behind the transformation of the Russian information system from an open to a closed model.
