Politics everywhere is a spectacle. But it is especially so in Russia, where the country's powerful state propaganda machine goes to great lengths to show its president, Vladimir Putin, is a decisive and powerful leader.
Lately, that propaganda machine has been pumping out slick war videos from Syria, where Putin launched a campaign of airstrikes in September, that showcase Russia's advanced military capabilities, new weaponry and tactics.
The footage, shared widely on state television and social media -- and in Russian and English, no less -- is shot using state-of-the-art cameras and equipment, including drones. Sometimes it features computer-generated imagery (CGI).
It stars Russia's air force and its variety of military aircraft, including about 30 jets and bombers with names like "Frogfoot," "Fencer" and "Flanker," as well as some 20 helicopters.
Then there are its advanced surface-to-surface and surface-to-air missile systems that began turning up last month, after Turkey shot down a Russian jet that it said violated Turkish airspace.
Russia's best war correspondents from state-run and pro-Kremlin media are in charge of producing the photos and video. Some of them, like Russia 24's Evgeny Poddubny and Alexander Kots of the popular tabloid Komsomolskaya Pravda, go beyond reporting for their outlets by regularly posting on Instagram about the Russian military's successes and posing with weaponry.
Фото опубликовано @sashakots Окт 12 2015 в 7:05 PDT
Alex Kokcharov, a Russia and Ukraine analyst for IHS Country Risk, said Moscow is throwing serious money and resources behind the propaganda campaign, the goals of which are at least twofold: political and commercial. But clearly, he added, it is also meant to showcase the country's willingness to put its arsenal to use while also polishing Putin's image at home and abroad.
The most recent display of all of this came on Tuesday, when the Defense Ministry released the first footage of a Russian diesel-electric submarine in the Mediterranean Sea, launching Kalibr cruise missiles at targets in Syria.
The targets, the ministry claimed, were two Islamic State (ISIS) command posts in the militants' stronghold of Raqqa. Moscow's claim has not been independently verified. But striking ISIS would serve the country politically while showing Putin is living up to his word that he'd fight the group.
But, as Russia's defense industry struggles, the display seemed also to be a show for potential arms buyers, who would want to see the missiles used in actual combat and not just exercises, Kokcharov said.
Russia's use of cruise missiles in Syria, he said, "doesn't make much sense from a military point of view. They are typically a first-strike weapon normally not used in a situation where there's an established air campaign."
Backing up Kokcharov's theory, Russia's MOD the morning after the missile launch from the submarine posted an illustration to its popular Twitter account that looked to be more of an advertisement for the weapon rather than a news report.
#SYRIA Range of the #Kalibr cruise missile is over 2,000 km. It is practically invisible for any air defence means pic.twitter.com/tCCl7XXPUk— Минобороны России (@mod_russia) December 9, 2015
The Russians first showcased their ability to launch cruise missiles from its Caspian fleet on Oct. 7, which also happened to be Putin's birthday. In another video shared on social media, Russia's MOD shows crew members readying the ship before firing 26 missiles. It then cuts to CGI, highlighting their path through Iranian airspace en route to Syria.
It's unlikely that the cruise missiles will be the last exhibition of weapons from Putin in Syria. During a meeting on Tuesday with Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, the president even floated the idea of using nukes.
"With regard to strikes from a submarine. We certainly need to analyze everything that is happening on the battlefield, how the weapons work. Both the Calibre missiles and the Kh-101 rockets are generally showing very good results. We now see that these are new, modern and highly effective high-precision weapons that can be equipped either with conventional or special nuclear warheads," Putin said.
"Naturally, we do not need that in fighting terrorists, and I hope we will never need it," he continued. "But overall, this speaks to our significant progress in terms of improving weaponry and equipment being supplied to the Russian army and navy."