Terrorizing the populace into silence

The conviction of Raisa Novoselova in Kirov Oblast for a mere comment on social media is an unmistakable hallmark of authoritarian repression. This case embodies the Russian state’s full embrace of fascist legal mechanisms, where even the most insignificant criticism of its war machine is met with criminal punishment. A cleaning lady—an ordinary citizen with no institutional power—is dragged before the courts and convicted under a law designed to enforce ideological conformity. This is not about “honoring” fallen soldiers; it is about terrorizing the populace into silence.

The charge itself—insulting the memory of the defenders of the Fatherland—is absurd in a legal system that still claims to function under any pretense of rationality. The very notion of criminalizing speech on the grounds of “linguistic and psychological signs of humiliation” is textbook totalitarianism, weaponizing vague, subjective interpretations of offense to eradicate dissent. The message is clear: no one is too small to be crushed under the weight of the state’s propaganda machine.

This is not an isolated case. It fits Russia’s broader efforts to criminalize any opposition to its war in Ukraine. From journalists being labeled as “foreign agents” to historians being imprisoned for discussing Soviet war crimes, the Russian state has systematically eradicated independent thought and public discourse. The fact that Novoselova immediately pleaded guilty and sought a “special order” trial—an expedited process used when defendants are coerced or know resistance is futile—demonstrates how deeply the fear of state reprisal has been entrenched.

Now, compare this grotesque display of state power to similar actions unfolding in the United States under Trumpism. While the legal infrastructure in the U.S. has not yet descended into full-scale political prosecutions like Russia’s, the direction is unmistakable. Trump’s relentless attacks on free speech and the press, his push to imprison critics, and his use of state mechanisms to punish opposition all reflect a similar impulse: weaponizing the government to silence and punish enemies.

Consider Trump’s calls for the imprisonment of political opponents like Hillary Clinton, his public threats against journalists, and his administration’s use of the Department of Justice to target adversaries. The most direct parallel is his efforts to criminalize protests and public dissent. From his incitement of violence against demonstrators to his support for draconian laws punishing protestors, Trump has openly championed authoritarian measures that mirror Putin’s crackdown on speech.

Furthermore, his efforts to purge the government of anyone who does not pledge loyalty to him mirrors the ideological purges happening in Russia. His demand that military and intelligence officials serve his personal interests rather than the constitution is a step toward the same kind of totalitarianism that led to Novoselova’s convict. There is little doubt that he is further eroding legal protections for dissent, using the judicial system to punish critics in ways that, while initially less overt than Russia’s, will inevitably escalate.

The absurdity of a state prosecuting a cleaning lady for a comment on the internet is the natural endpoint of fascism: an all-encompassing apparatus of fear where no criticism is too small to crush. Russia has already arrived at that point. Trump and his allies are laying the groundwork for the same outcome in the United States. The question is not whether Trumpism is heading toward this level of repression—it is how much resistance remains before it fully arrives.